Geography-Anthropology, Social Studies, Secondary Teacher Education Pathway, B.A.

The Geography-Anthropology program offers a teacher certification track for prospective social studies teachers at the secondary education level. The Secondary Teacher Education Program is designed to prepare early middle and high school teachers, grades 7-12 teachers who are knowledgeable of the social studies content they will teach and who have the skills to apply that knowledge to teaching. Secondary education students major in Geography-Anthropology (choosing one of three specializations), take a series of teacher education courses that satisfy their University Core Curriculum requirements, and fulfill the requirements for teacher certification in social studies. These courses introduce students to aspects of teaching and learning and give them hands-on experiences in community agencies and schools where they can connect what they are learning to the real world. At the time of degree completion, students will have met the degree requirements for a Geography-Anthropology major and for initial teacher certification.

The Bachelor of Arts in Geography-Anthropology emphasizes the integration of the two disciplines and the common interests in examining the relationship between human populations and their natural and built environments. The major is an interdisciplinary degree program. Students enrolled in the major may specialize in one of three tracks:

Sustainable Cultures and Communities
Cultural and Natural Heritage Management
Applied Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Geospatial Analysis
Upon graduation, students find employment in fields that involve archaeology work, cultural resource management, historic preservation, heritage and conservation management, museum, curation and archival work, education, environmental and land use management, community development work, non-profit advocacy, city and regional public service, tourism and recreation, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) related careers in federal, state, local government, and private sector industries.

We focus on developing strong analytical, writing, oral and technical skills and prepare our students to enter the workforce or for future graduate work. Courses emphasize both conceptual and applied learning. Students engage in case studies, community-engaged and client-based projects, and intensive field and lab analysis.

Students have the opportunity to design, develop, research and communicate professional level projects with faculty mentors. As a result of data collection in the field or analysis in our specialized learning laboratories, students also have the opportunity to engage in scholarship through publications and conference presentations, and often receive assistantships and fellowships funded by such organizations as the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Maine Space Grant Consortium.

The program of study beyond the basic requirements should be planned carefully, in close consultation with the student’s program advisor, and should be approved by the latter. Such an arrangement allows for flexibility according to the student’s interests while also providing close guidance and a control of educational quality by the Geography-Anthropology program.