Welcoming Students on Campus and Online
BSU attracts top students from around the world who are looking for challenging coursework in an intimate environment that fosters diversity, mentorship and career preparation. In either traditional or online coursework, our commitment to academic excellence and student support enable students to successfully prepare for a rewarding educational experience.
Social Studies
Department of Social Relations & Services
Social Studies educates students for democracy. An interdisciplinary social science major, it draws from anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology and sociology.
The Bachelor of Science, Teacher Licensure major prepares students for a career at the secondary level and requires a passion for both the subject matter and for teaching. Geography, history, and political science form the “matrix” for social studies education. To increase their employability, students are encouraged to take a second major or minor in a social studies discipline. Students interested in Social Studies as a major or minor should meet as early as possible with the coordinator.
The Bachelor of Arts major prepares students for employment in a broad number of careers. This major offers breadth in background and content combined with applied skills development in the areas of the social sciences.
Career Directions
Business
Civil Service
Education
Journalism
Also: Graduate Study
Admissions
You know that feeling when everything just feels right-the academics, the campus, the people. For Ball State students, that feeling goes something like this…
Programs + Possibilities
Ball State has what you’re looking for—more than 180 bachelor’s, associate, and preprofessional degree programs plus more than 76 master’s, 15 doctoral, and two specialist programs in seven academic colleges. Best of all, you get the academic opportunities of a large university with manageable class sizes that make the experience more interactive and professors who actually teach your classes instead of handing them off to their assistants.
Immersion + Engagement
Ball State students don’t hide in the back of the classroom. They dig in and get their hands dirty working side by side with other students, faculty, and community partners through a process we call immersive learning. Whether it’s teleconferencing with a real business or writing and performing your own musical, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to apply what you learn to real projects. Our faculty will encourage you to take intellectual and creative risks. And if questioning and exploring is really your thing, check out our Honors College, where you can really flex your academic muscle in special seminar-style classes.
Campus + Community
No matter what you want to do, Ball State has the resources you need—television studios, computer labs, artist studios, an on-campus arboretum and greenhouse, a state-of-the-art music hall, a Digital Simulation Laboratory—to do it. And our vibrant campus is navigable and convenient. There’s no need to rely on the city bus to get you to class on time or send postcards to friends who live across campus. Our campus and community are big enough that you can lose yourself in all of the opportunities and activities, but small enough so you won’t get lost on your way to class.
Social Science
A master of arts in social science can enhance your teaching skills and give you a comprehensive background in the social sciences including anthropology, economics, geography, government, psychology, sociology, and history. Our program, which is taught by our excellent faculty, is designed to allow you to seek your initial teaching license or add a specific specialty to your license while you work toward your degree. You’ll have access to thousands of print and electronic resources in our comprehensive Social Studies Materials Center.
Apply today to the Graduate School and the history department. Learn how to defray tuition costs by becoming a graduate assistant and check out other options to pay for grad school.