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Exam Overview
An Overview of the Exam
The Praxis Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) test, developed and administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS), measures whether prospective secondary social studies teachers have the subject knowledge needed for licensure. Many states use it for a broad-field social studies certificate. It is a computer-delivered test taken in one session.
Test at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Questions | 130 selected-response questions (some may be unscored pretest items) |
| Time | 2 hours (120 minutes) |
| Question format | Single-answer multiple choice with four options; many questions use excerpts, data tables, maps, or charts |
| Calculator | Not provided and not needed |
| Score scale | Scaled score from 100 to 200 |
| Passing score | Set by each state or licensing agency; check the ETS state requirements page |
| Delivery | Computer delivered at a test center or at home with remote proctoring |
| Test fee | $130 (verify current fees with ETS) |
| Retakes | Allowed after a 28-day waiting period |
| Scores | Unofficial scores at the end of the session for most selected-response tests; official scores posted to your ETS account a few weeks later |
Content Categories and Weights
Share of Questions by Content Category
U.S. History, World History, Government — 60%20% each · about 26 questions each
Geography — 15%About 19 questions
Economics — 15%About 20 questions
Behavioral Sciences — 10%About 13 questions
| Category | Approx. questions | Share | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. United States History | 26 | 20% | Indigenous North America and European colonization through the Revolution, the Constitution, expansion, Civil War and Reconstruction, industrialization, the Progressive Era, the world wars, the Cold War, and contemporary America, with the cross-era themes ETS tests. |
| 2. World History | 26 | 20% | Early and classical civilizations, the post-classical world, the early modern era of exploration and empire, the age of revolutions and imperialism, the twentieth century and globalization, and world religions. |
| 3. Government/Civics/Political Science | 26 | 20% | Political theory and theorists, the Constitution and federalism, Congress, the presidency and the courts, civil liberties and civil rights, parties, elections and participation, comparative government, and international relations. |
| 4. Geography | 19 | 15% | Maps, geographic tools and spatial concepts, physical systems and climate, population and migration, cultural and political geography, economic geography and development, and world regions. |
| 5. Economics | 20 | 15% | Scarcity and opportunity cost, supply and demand, market structures and market failures, measuring the economy, fiscal and monetary policy, international trade and finance, and personal finance. |
| 6. Behavioral Sciences | 13 | 10% | Sociology, anthropology, and psychology: culture, socialization, institutions, stratification, research methods, development, learning, and social psychology. |
How the Questions Are Written
Higher-order thinking
About 40 percent of questions ask you to analyze, interpret, compare, or apply — for example, identifying the viewpoint of a quoted speaker or the effect of a policy shown in a table.
Primary sources and data
Expect short excerpts from historical documents and speeches, election and population tables, charts, and map-based questions.
Chronology and causation
Many history questions test sequence and cause and effect: what led to an event, what followed from it, and which came first.
Concepts applied to scenarios
Economics, government, and behavioral-science questions often describe a situation and ask which concept, case, or principle it illustrates.
Why the Test Matters
- A qualifying score is a common requirement for a secondary social studies teaching license or endorsement.
- It documents broad subject-matter knowledge to employers and licensing agencies.
- Preparing builds the content knowledge you will draw on when teaching history, civics, geography, and economics.
Confirm Current Details
ETS and your state set fees, policies, and qualifying scores, and they can change. Check the ETS Praxis website and your state's requirements before registering.Finished reading?
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