African American Studies BA + Minor in U.S. History + Single Subject Credential in Social Science + Teaching MAT (2023-2024)

Admissions Requirements | Graduate Standing Requirements | Advising Roadmap

This Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) Scholars Programs prepares students to teach History, Social Science, and Ethnic Studies in California public high schools. The Department of African American Studies provides an interdisciplinary curriculum and comprehensive liberal arts education by training students to appreciate diversity and multicultural American society. As juniors, African American Studies, BA majors are eligible to apply for a SAGE Scholars program that allows them to be concurrently enrolled in the Social Sciences Single Subject Credential and Teaching, MAT programs (with an optional Spanish bilingual authorization) as an undergraduate. This combined degree pathway, with an optional United States History Minor, can be completed in five years.

To add a Spanish Bilingual Authorization to this pathway, students simultaneously apply to the Critical Bilingual Authorization (CBA) program. This requires an additional personal essay in their SAGE Scholars application and an interview in Spanish. CBA students also take three credential courses in Spanish, do their student teaching in bilingual classrooms, and attend an extra seminar during their student teaching courses.

For more information, contact the Program Advisor Travis Boyce.

Admissions Requirements

Most native and transfer students will become eligible to apply for the SAGE Scholars program in the Fall semester of Year 3 and enter the pathway during the Spring semester of Year 3. Applications will be processed by the Department of Teacher Education and without an application fee. Students will not need to apply formally for graduate admission if accepted into this program.

Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 60 undergraduate degree applicable units and not more than 120 undergraduate degree applicable units at the time of program.
Students must be enrolled in or have completed the undergraduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) prior to admission into the program.
Students must have a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA at the time of admission. GPA is calculated by the last 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units taken or a student’s cumulative GPA, whichever is higher Note that this is a higher GPA standard than other SAGE Scholars programs.
Students must meet the Teaching, MAT and Single Subject Credential admissions requirements.

Students who have reached up to their first semester as classified seniors will remain eligible for entry into the SAGE program. Second semester, senior-level students enrolled in the term they expect to graduate from their baccalaureate degree are not eligible to enter into the SAGE program as these students will not gain the accelerated graduate-level benefit offered through the SAGE blended program option.

Graduate Standing Requirements

Continuation requirements: SAGE Scholars must meet the same requirements to remain in the undergraduate and graduate programs as students in traditional pathways. Requirements for program continuation and advancement to candidacy in the graduate program, include:

Successfully complete 9 units of graduate coursework in the Secondary Education program;
Maintain GPA of 3.0 or higher;
Demonstrate aptitude for advanced work in professional education as measured by instructor appraisals, evaluation of previous academic work, recommendation by qualified professionals, or other assessments;
Meet with a graduate advisor to plan a formal course of study. The MAT degree approved programs are individually designed to meet specific student objectives;
To enter student teaching, students must have completed the Subject Matter Competency requirements (CSETs or Subject Matter Competency waiver, if applicable);
To convert to graduate status, students must have completed their 45 hours of pre-professional service in a public school setting: 25(+) in the secondary subject area and up to 20 hours any work with youth;
To convert to graduate status, students must have completed all lower-division work (including lower and upper-division general education courses and American Institutions courses); and,
The proposed graduate program must be approved by the graduate coordinator before the student may be considered a candidate for the MA degree.

Graduation requirements: SAGE Scholars must meet the same undergraduate graduation requirements as African American Studies majors, including University and GE requirements, to be conferred the BA. As graduate students, SAGE Scholars must meet all current graduate program requirements. Upon completion of the credential requirements, students must have achieved a SJSU cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in their graduate work order to be recommended for a credential.

Advising Roadmap

The following roadmap is a sample advising map to complete the SAGE Scholars program in 5 years. Please consult your major advisor as you develop your individualized academic plan. Students must have completed 60+ units in order to enroll in SJSU Studies courses.

Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5

Year 1

Fall Semester (14 units)

AFAM 2A - African Americans and the Development of America’s History and Government 3 unit(s) (D)
GE Area A2 (Recommended ENGL 1A ) 3 unit(s)
GE Area A1 3 unit(s)
GE Area B1 3 unit(s)
Physical Education 1 unit(s)
Physical Education 1 unit(s)

Spring Semester (15 units)

AFAM 2B - African Americans and the Development of America’s History and Government 3 unit(s) (D+US123)
GE Area A3 (Recommended ENGL 2 ) 3 unit(s)
GE Area B4 3 unit(s)
AFAM 22 - The Humanities in African American Culture 3 unit(s) (F)
GE Area E 3 unit(s)

Year 2

Fall Semester (15 units) *

HIST 99 - History Fundamentals 3 unit(s)
GE Area B2+B3 (Recommended BIOL 20 ) 3 unit(s)
GE Area C1 3 unit(s)
Minor Coursework OR Elective 4 unit(s) *
University Electives 2 unit(s)
Complete the Upper Division Writing - Directed Self Placement

Spring Semester (16 units)

Minor Coursework OR Elective 4 unit(s) *
Minor Coursework OR Elective 3 unit(s) *
GE Area C2 (Recommended LSTP 10 ) 3 unit(s)
African American Studies Elective - Upper Division 3 unit(s)
GE Area C1 or C2 3 unit(s)

Year 3

Fall Semester (15 units)

Students should begin studying for the CSETS.

AFAM 100W - Writing Workshop 3 unit(s) (WID)
African American Studies Elective - Upper Division 3 unit(s)
AFAM 120 - Sociology of Black Communities 3 unit(s)
AFAM 40 - African Origins 3 unit(s)
SJSU Studies Area V 3 unit(s)

Spring Semester (16 units)

Students become eligible to apply to SAGE for Summer Year 3. Students must have documented proof of passing the CSETs by the beginning of Year 5 courses at the very latest. They should begin taking these tests during the summer between Years 3 and 4.

Minor Coursework OR Elective 4 unit(s) (S) *
African American Studies Elective - Upper Division 3 unit(s)
CCS 185 - Teaching in a Diverse Society 3 unit(s)
Note: 45 hours of pre-professional experience.
AFAM 159 - The Racial Wealth Gap in America 3 unit(s)
African American Studies Elective - Upper Division 3 unit(s)
Apply to Graduate

Year 4

Take and pass the Social Science CSET.

Fall Semester (15 units)

African American Studies Elective - Upper Division 3 unit(s)
Minor Coursework OR Elective - Upper Division 3 unit(s) *
SJSU Studies Area R 3 unit(s)
EDEL 294 - Research and Practices in Health and Special Education 3 unit(s)
EDTE 208 - Educational Sociology OR EDSC 172A - Social, Philosophical Multicultural Fdn 3 unit(s)
Note: Students earning the Spanish bilingual authorization take these courses in Spanish.
Apply to Graduate (graduate degree)

Spring Semester (16 units)

BA posted at the end of Year 4.

AFAM 198 - Senior Seminar in African American Studies 3 unit(s)
EDTE 262 - Classroom Issues in the Language/Literacy Development of L2 Learners 3 unit(s)
Note: Students earning the Spanish bilingual authorization take this course in Spanish.
EDSC 246 - Learning Communities: Methods and Management 3 unit(s)
EDTE 224 - Seminar in Educational Psychology OR EDSC 173 - Psychological Foundations of Secondary Teacher Education 3 unit(s)
EDTE 260 - Critical Perspectives on Schooling for a Pluralist Democracy 3 unit(s)
EDSC 184P - Introduction to Student Teaching 1 unit(s)

Year 5

Fall Semester (16 units)

Students have the option to enroll in an SJSU Teacher Residency Program.

EDSC 184X - Student Teaching I 6 unit(s)
Note: Students earning the Spanish Bilingual Authorization must have the CSET-LOTE complete before this. This course will also have a mini field placement (1-2 weeks) in a bilingual setting, with two observations.
EDTE 297C - CalTPA Support 1 unit(s)
EDTE 282 - Assessment and Evaluation 3 unit(s)
SSED 378 - Social Science Methods 3 unit(s)
EDTE 250 - Qualitative Research in Education 3 unit(s)

Spring Semester (14 units)

Students may be eligible for SJSU’s teaching Internship Program.

SSED 184Y - Student Teaching II - Classroom Teaching 4 unit(s)
SSED 184Z - Student Teaching III - Classroom Teaching 4 unit(s)
EDTE 298 - Special Studies in Education 6 unit(s)

Roadmap Notes

* Notes on Optional Minor: There is currently no CSET waiver program in AFAM Studies. SAGE students will need to pass the Social Science CSETs (+optional CSET LOTE for the bilingual authorization) by the beginning of student teaching (Year 5). It is strongly suggested that students earn a 16 unit minor in U.S. History by taking courses below. These courses cover the content taught in California high school classes and help students prepare for the CSETs. For recommended courses, please refer to the catalog.