Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
| Degree: | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
| Major: | Interdisciplinary Social Sciences |
| Specializations: | Children and Society Community Education |
| College: | School of Education |
| CIP Code: | 45.0101 |
| Semester Hours Required For Degree: 120 | |
Children and Society Specialization
| Building | Phone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Campus Building 86, Room 112 | (850) 474-2870 | https://uwf.edu/isscs/ | CEPSAdvising@uwf.edu |
Community Education Specialization
| Building | Phone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Campus Building 85, Room 196 | (850) 474-2893 | http://uwf.edu/education/ | soe@uwf.edu |
The B.A. in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences is for students wishing to pursue careers in fields that focus on solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems. Specializations available are Children & Society and Community Education. Courses in these specializations draw from multiple disciplines.
Program Requirements
In addition to the University’s general requirements, students seeking the B.A. in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences must meet the requirements listed below.
Consult with your academic advisor for courses which may satisfy both the General Studies requirement and common prerequisites.
For Children and Society specialization:
Students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in all major and major related courses.
For Community Education specialization:
Students must earn a grade of "C-" or higher in all major and major related courses.
Children and Society Specialization
The mission of the Interdisciplinary Social Science Children and Society specialization is to prepare students to study, support, and work with children and their families. The program emphasizes the complex and interconnected issues and challenges faced by children and families in modern society. The broad focus enables students to explain phenomena, solve problems, and raise new questions in ways uncommon through a single-disciplinary focus.
General Education
In addition to the General Education requirements listed on this page, students must satisfy all additional University requirements, including the Gordon Rule, multicultural, and foreign language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the "University Requirements" section of this catalog.
General Education Curriculum:
Multicultural Requirement
Civic Literacy Requirement
The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy. The 2021 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and an exam. As a result, there are three cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions subject to varying requirements. As demonstrated in the table below, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.
| Students Included in Cohort | Civic Literacy Competency Requirement |
| Cohort 1: Students first entering the SUS or FCS prior to fall 2018 | None |
| Cohort 2: Students first entering the SUS or FCS in fall 2018 – summer A 2021 | Complete a course or exam |
| Cohort 3: Students first entering the SUS or FCS in summer B 2021 (on or after July 1, 2021) and thereafter | Complete both a course and exam |
Additionally, the 2021 Legislature made two additional exceptions: approving the use of accelerated mechanisms for meeting the course competency requirement and exempting high school students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam in high school from the postsecondary exam requirement. These two changes are in effect for Cohort 3.
There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which option is best for their degree requirements/degree plan.
Additional information can be found on our Civic Literacy website.
Common Prerequisites
State-mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisite Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.
| Students are required to take two introductory courses in social science, and it is recommended that students take 1000/2000 level courses required in their chosen specializations. | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
Lower Division Electives
| Students must complete sufficient 1000/2000 level electives to satisfy at least 60 sh in the lower division. Current UWF students may use elective courses at any level (1000-4000) to meet this elective requirement. | 18-24 | |
| Total Hours | 18-24 | |
Major
Students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in all major and major-related courses.
Core Courses
| Core Courses | ||
| CCJ 2002 | Survey of Crime and Justice | 3 |
| CCJ 4700 | Research Design in Criminal Justice + | 3 |
| CCJ 4940 | Criminal Justice Internship + | 3 |
| CJJ 4010 | Juvenile Justice + | 3 |
| SOW 3650 | Introduction to Child Welfare + | 3 |
| Choose four of the following: | 12 | |
| Child Development + | ||
| Psychology of Adolescence + | ||
| Applied Foundations of Education + | ||
| Case Management + | ||
| Adolescents At Risk + | ||
| Families and Family Treatment + | ||
| The Family + | ||
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Major-Related
| Choose from courses not taken as part of the core: | 24 | |
| Environmental Anthropology + | ||
| Family Crime and Violence + | ||
| Autism Spectrum + | ||
| Current Issues in Health Promotion + | ||
| Essentials of Public Health + | ||
| Family Law + | ||
| Social Psychology + | ||
| Human Trafficking + | ||
| Inequality in America + | ||
| Other electives as approved by advisor | ||
| Total Hours | 24 | |
- +
Courses included in the major GPA
Upper Division Electives
| The remainder of the program will be comprised of electives that students can select without limitation. However, students will be advised to select additional 3000/4000 level courses to total at least 48sh at the 3000/4000 level if necessary. If students do not require additional 3000/4000 level courses, they may take 1000/2000 level courses at UWF. | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Interdisciplinary Community Education Specialization
The interdisciplinary Community Education specialization provides a broad view of issues related to educating children and youth in high-poverty communities. The specialization provides students with a framework to address the diverse learning needs of underprivileged children and youth and evaluate programming used in community education. Graduates of this specialization are prepared to work in a variety of community-based settings or agencies that provide educational programming for children and youth, especially those living in poverty. A grade below “C-” in any major or major related course cannot be used to satisfy a program requirement.
General Education
In addition to the General Education requirements listed on this page, students must satisfy all additional University requirements, including the Gordon Rule, multicultural, and foreign language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the "University Requirements" section of this catalog.
General Education Curriculum:
Multicultural Requirement
Civic Literacy Requirement
The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require students initially entering a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019 and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy. The 2021 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and an exam. As a result, there are three cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions subject to varying requirements. As demonstrated in the table below, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.
| Students Included in Cohort | Civic Literacy Competency Requirement |
| Cohort 1: Students first entering the SUS or FCS prior to fall 2018 | None |
| Cohort 2: Students first entering the SUS or FCS in fall 2018 – summer A 2021 | Complete a course or exam |
| Cohort 3: Students first entering the SUS or FCS in summer B 2021 (on or after July 1, 2021) and thereafter | Complete both a course and exam |
Additionally, the 2021 Legislature made two additional exceptions: approving the use of accelerated mechanisms for meeting the course competency requirement and exempting high school students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam in high school from the postsecondary exam requirement. These two changes are in effect for Cohort 3.
There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. Students should work with their academic advisor to determine which option is best for their degree requirements/degree plan.
Additional information can be found on our Civic Literacy website.
Common Prerequisites
State-mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisite Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.
| Students are required to take two introductory courses in social science, and it is recommended that students take 1000/2000 level courses required in their chosen specializations. | 6 | |
Lower Division Electives
| Students must complete sufficient 1000/2000 level electives to satisfy at least 60 sh in the lower division. Current UWF students may use elective courses at any level (1000-4000) to meet this elective requirement. Students are encouraged to develop an additional area of expertise and pursue a complementary minor (e.g., Psychology, Community Health Promotion, or Child Welfare). | 18-24 | |
Major Courses
| DEP 3103 | Child Development + | 3 |
| or DEP 4305 | Psychology of Adolescence | |
| or DEP 2004 | Human Development Across the Lifespan | |
| EDF 3234 | Applied Foundations of Education + | 3 |
| EDG 4077 | Learning In Community Education Environments + | 3 |
| EDG 4334 | Universal Design for Learning in Community Learning Environments + | 3 |
| EDG 4373 | Integrated Arts and Contemporary Educational Tools + | 3 |
| EDG 4442 | Effective Learning Environments + | 3 |
| or ESE 4322 | Instruction, Management, and Assessment: Secondary Education | |
| EDG 4064 | Teaching at Risk Learners + | 3 |
| EDG 4931 | Capstone Seminar in Community Education + | 3 |
| EDG 4944 | High Impact Practice Practicum + | 3 |
| EDG 4947 | High-Impact Practice Seminar + | 3 |
| EEX 3070 | Methods in Inclusion and Collaboration + | 3 |
| LAE 3314 | Literacy for the Emergent Learner + | 3 |
| or EDG 4323 | Methods of K-12 Literacy Instruction | |
| RED 3310 | Literacy Instruction for the Elementary Learner + | 3 |
| or EEX 4772 | Personal, Social and Employment Skills for Exceptional Students | |
| TSL 4080 | ESOL Principles and Practices + | 3 |
| Choose one of the following or contact your advisor for other program options: + | 3 | |
| Educational Assessment | ||
| Personal, Social and Employment Skills for Exceptional Students | ||
| Teaching Science in Elementary Schools | ||
| Social Studies for Elementary Teachers | ||
| Teaching English to ESOL Students | ||
| Total Hours | 45 | |
Major Related
| Choose 15 sh of advisor-approved electives (3000-level or higher), including at least 12 sh of courses not offered by the School of Education. Students are encouraged to develop an additional area of expertise and pursue a complementary minor (e.g., Psychology, Community Health Promotion, or Child Welfare). | 15 | |
- +
Courses included in the major GPA