Bachelor of Arts in History for Secondary Education
journey today.
Grand Canyon University recognizes that middle and high school history teachers do more than teach facts, events and dates — they impart ethical standards and wisdom developed over centuries of human history. The Bachelor of Arts in History for Secondary Education degree, offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, can be an ideal choice for aspiring history teachers who are looking to make an impact by teaching at the middle and high school level.
GCU is an institutionally accredited university, and this secondary education history degree is approved by the Arizona State Board of Education. You will have the opportunity to take coursework that aligns with the requirements established by the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS).
GCU offers this secondary education history major online and on campus. If you’re a busy professional, online learning can provide you with flexibility and convenience to make earning your degree more practical for you. Online degrees also come with online learning resources and support to help you as you pursue your degree.
Prepare To Become a Secondary History Teacher
The BA in History for Secondary Education degree program at GCU leads to initial teacher licensure. To become a fully qualified and licensed teacher, candidates must obtain all necessary certifications as determined by the state in which they teach. Successful graduates may decide to enhance their knowledge and classroom skills by pursuing a master’s degree in history education.
According to The Nation’s Report Card, an initiative of the National Center for Education Statistics, just 15% of grade 8 students in 2018 performed at a “proficient” or higher level in U.S. history, a 3% decrease from 2014.1 The deficits in history education continue into post-secondary education and adulthood. Only 19% of those surveyed under the age of 45 nationally could demonstrate a basic level of knowledge about American history (according to a survey by the former Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship).2
Skills Taught in the BA in History for Secondary Education Program
Graduates of the history education degree have the opportunity to develop and gain important skills related to teaching for secondary education. These include:
Aspiring secondary history teachers will explore coursework arranged thematically, rather than chronologically. The thematic approach of this history education degree allows for an exploration of historical contexts that is both in-depth and broad in scope. Aspiring secondary educators in this program can:
GCU’s history secondary education degree, offered in online and on-campus classes, examines:
Teacher candidates are required to complete a supervised practicum. Candidates must demonstrate their proficiency in applying pedagogical theories in a classroom.
Middle and high school history and social science teachers can guide the development of young minds as they seek to overcome ethical dilemmas and strive for personal growth. Graduates who hold a history education degree and have obtained the necessary certifications may choose to pursue a career in public or private education. Additional career paths that are directly related to this degree program may include:
Secondary Education History Degree FAQs
If you’re an aspiring teacher who hopes to positively impact secondary school students by providing them with historical education, read through some frequently asked questions to learn more about a career in this field and earning a history teacher degree.
There is not one specific degree needed in order to become a history teacher. While a degree in education may be a recommended route, becoming a teacher means being able to master a certain subject while also following the teaching requirements of the state in which you wish to teach. It also depends on the grade level you wish to teach. This particular history education degree focuses on secondary education which is for middle to high school grade levels.
A degree in secondary education can prepare you to teach at the middle school and high school grade levels. These types of degrees usually have a specific focus attached to it, much like this history secondary education degree. Since secondary education covers higher grade levels, these degrees have a structure to teach more advanced education for students in your classroom.
There are other requirements outside of holding a degree needed to become a teacher, like receiving a teaching license, but yes, you can become a teacher with a general history degree. A Bachelor of Arts in History degree teaches history from a variety of perspectives, so you can work in a multitude of careers.
Secondary teacher salary will range depending on several factors, such as location and the grade you are teaching. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, middle school teachers had a median annual salary of $61,320,3 and high school teachers had a median annual salary of $61,820 in May 2021.4
There is a need for secondary school teachers of all disciplines over the next decade. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook estimates job growth for middle school teachers to increase by about 4%,5 and high school teachers to increase by about 5% from 2021 to 2031,6 both as fast as the average for all occupations.
If you decide to pursue a history teacher degree to become a licensed teacher, you could possibly inspire young minds to enjoy the process of historical inquiry and contextual analysis. You may help students learn from the mistakes of the past so that they are empowered to work toward a better and brighter future.
Excluding observational and practice-based experiences, and student teaching.
- The Nation’s Report Card, NAEP Report Card: Achievement-Level Results in July 2021
- Institute for Citizens & Scholars. (n.d.) National Survey Finds Just 1 in 3 Americans Would Pass Citizenship Test. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Middle School Teachers, as of May 2021, retrieved on June 22, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as middle school teachers. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country. It also does not reflect a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. You may also wish to compare median salaries if you are considering more than one career path. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, and accept employment from, determines salary not only based on education, but also individual characteristics and skills and fit to that organization (among other categories) against a pool of candidates.
- The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), High School Teachers, as of May 2021, retrieved on June 22, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as high school teachers. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country. It also does not reflect a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. You may also wish to compare median salaries if you are considering more than one career path. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, and accept employment from, determines salary not only based on education, but also individual characteristics and skills and fit to that organization (among other categories) against a pool of candidates.
- COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2022, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Middle School Teachers, retrieved on June 22, 2023.
- COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2022, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, High School Teachers, retrieved on June 22, 2023.