2010-2011 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]
Science Education, B.A. in
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Associate Professor Brooks, Adviser
The degree program followed is the Bachelor of Arts. Courses in the science education program, taken in combination with the appropriate liberal arts and sciences major, lead toward New York state initial teacher certification in biology, chemistry, earth science, or physics (grades 7-12). Regardless of the certification area in science that is selected, the program provides necessary course work for additional certification in general science, as well. Literacy, multicultural education, and information technology are integrated throughout all aspects of the programs. This program conforms with the New York State Learning Standards in Mathematics, Science and Technology and with the recommendations of the National Science Teachers’ Association.
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Program Requirements
Students select a major in one of the following areas of science: biology, chemistry, geology, or physics. Students interested in obtaining teaching certification in earth science should major in geology. After completing a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work, the student then chooses Science Education as a co-major. For admissions policies, procedures, and requirements, see Secondary Education.
In addition to meeting all the course requirements for the B.A. degree in the selected science major (biology; chemistry geology; or physics, prospective teachers of science must include within their overall undergraduate program of study at least six (6) semester hours in each of the following areas: biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and calculus-based mathematics (except for biology majors who need 3 s.h. of calculus-based mathematics and 3 s.h. of BIO 100 - Biostatistics . Students who are preparing to teach earth science are required to include GEOL 1 , GEOL 7 , Physical Geological Science, and Earth Science I in their course work. Students who are preparing to teach biology are strongly recommended to take the following courses:
BIO 24 - Comparative Anatomy
BIO 11 - (NS) Introductory Cell Biology and Genetics and
BIO 119 - Organic Evolution
BIO 135 - Genetics
BIO 14 - (NS) Evolution, Ecology and Behavior
BIO 12 - (NS) Animal Form and Function and
BIO 13 - (NS) Prokaryotes, Protists, Fungi and Plants
All of the content requirements for the teaching of chemistry and physics are included within the major course requirements for those programs.
The co-major in Science Education consists of at least 31 semester hours of education course work, including each of the following: Introductory Courses - Semester Hours: 10
General Methods Courses - Semester Hours: 6
Special Methods and Curriculum Courses - Semester Hours: 6
Student Teaching and Corequisite Seminars - Semester Hours: 9
Footnotes
For liberal arts and sciences requirements, student teaching prerequisites, graduation
requirements, and teacher certification policies, see Secondary Eductaion, Undergraduate
Programs.
* Twenty clock hours of participation/observation in middle and secondary schools
are required in each of the following courses:
- SED 102 - Field Placement—grades 7-9
- SED 151 - Field Placement—grades 7-12
- SED 155 - Field Placement—grades 10-12
- SPED 102 - Field Placement—grades 7-12
- LYST 101 - Field Placement—grades 7-12
Students receiving a grade lower than C- in a professional education course must
repeat the course and receive a grade of Cor higher in order to remain in the
program. Student Teaching Prerequisites
After completing at least 19 semester hours of professional education course
work, and an adviser audit of content area course work, students may apply for
admission to student teaching. Application forms may be obtained in the Office
of Field Placement. Admission criteria are as follows:
- A cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better on overall course work or permission of adviser
- No grades lower than C- and no unresolved INC grades in professional education
course work
- A GPA of 2.5 or higher in science content courses
Graduation Requirements
Graduation from the program requires:
- Completion of criteria listed in 1-4 above
- No grades lower than C- and no unresolved INC grades in professional education
course work
- An overall GPA of 2.75 or better in all course work
- A GPA of 2.5 or better in science course work
- An electronic portfolio, illustrating the student’s education course work and
professional accomplishments
Teacher Certification Requirements
Upon the successful completion of a teacher education program, students will
be eligible to apply for the University’s recommendation for New York state certification.
For Initial Certification, students are required to have passing scores on each
of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE): the Liberal
Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills–Written (ATS-W),
and the Content Specialty Test (CST). Students not receiving passing scores on
all three examinations will not be eligible for certification. Note
It is strongly recommended that students complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences
Test (LAST) of the New York State Teacher Certification Examination prior to student
teaching and the Assessment of Teaching Skills–Written (ATS-W), and the Content
Specialty Test (CST) during student teaching. All three NYSTCE’s should be completed
prior to graduation. Students not receiving passing scores on all three examinations
will not be eligible for certification. |
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