Field Experience
Diverse field experiences in public, private, parochial and charter schools where we have deep relationships help you gain confidence in your teaching.
Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education (5-12)
Social studies education includes the core disciplines of history, geography, political science, economics, psychology and sociology. As a social studies teacher, you’ll play a critical role in helping learners understand themselves, their society and the global community. In addition to being prepared to teach social studies in grades 5-12, graduates have gone on to become curators in museums, trainers in business and curriculum developers for educational programs.
Why Study Social Studies at St. Thomas?
In this program you will:
- Become a moral leader who will lead, work and serve with the skill and empathy vital to creating a better world.
- Gain the knowledge and skills to have a positive impact on students in the 5-12 classroom.
- Become part of a supportive network of fellow students, alumni and faculty who will inspire and sustain you throughout your career.
- Learn from expert faculty closely connected with the K-12 classroom who are here to help you shape your path to your own classroom.
A Community of Educators
Peter Branstad ’14, government and economics teacher at North Community High School in Minneapolis
Peter Branstad loves building confidence in his students and learning from them. "I'm passionate about getting students to see their potential". At St. Thomas, he appreciated the small classes and dedicated one-on-one time with "great professionals" - his professors. Through teaching, he helps students engage with academic content by asking students to reflect on their own values and assumptions within a given lesson or topic. He also encourages students to participate in many extracurricular activities to help students develop a sense of belonging, community, and confidence.
Karen Latterell
Karen Latterell teaches Reading for the 5-12 Teacher at St. Thomas. She has taught secondary language arts and reading intervention for 20 years and is currently district pre K-12 literacy specialist for Stillwater Area Public Schools. Latterell earned her BA from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, her Master of Arts from the University of St. Thomas, a post-graduate certificate from Hamline University and is in the final stages of completing an Ed Specialist degree in educational administration at St. Thomas.
Michelle Leba
Michelle Leba teaches Curriculum and Instruction 5-12 Social Studies. She is currently the Curriculum Coordinator at Washington Technology Magnet School, has taught global studies for eight years, and serves on two boards of directors: Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education and Minnesota Council for the Social Studies.
Keara Johnson '19
“Art history is good for blending and creating new ideas,” said Keara Johnson ’19, social studies major with minors in art history and history. She wants to teach students to interpret what they see in art, social media and daily life, and apply it to subjects from history to psychology and economics. Blending interests is something she’s been able to do as a St. Thomas student. She never wanted to be pigeon-holed. “St. Thomas was extremely helpful in terms of setting up an academic plan that fit me,” Keara said.
Career Paths
- High School Teacher of History, Civics, Geography, Economics, Psychology or Sociology
- Middle School Teacher of History, Civics, Geography, Economics, Psychology or Sociology
- Museum Educator
- History Day Program Associate
Faculty With Real Experience
Muffet Trout, Associate Professor of Teacher Education
Kari Zimmerman, Assistant Professor of History, Latin American Studies
Diverse field experiences in public, private, parochial and charter schools where we have deep relationships help you gain confidence in your teaching.
Student Teaching
Your teaching experience begins as early as your first education course. By the time you graduate you’ll have completed one year of supervised student teaching.
Take the Next Step
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.