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 001 , GEOL 007 , 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 024 - Comparative Anatomy 
BIO 011 - (NS) Introductory Cell Biology and Genetics  and
BIO 119 - Organic Evolution 
BIO 135 - Genetics 
BIO 014 - (NS) Evolution, Ecology and Behavior 
BIO 012 - (NS) Animal Form and Function  and
BIO 013 - (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:

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 Department of Teaching, Literacy and Leadership. Admission criteria are as follows:

1. A cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better on overall course work or permission of adviser
2. No grades lower than C- and no unresolved INC grades in required science or professional education course work
3. A GPA of 2.5 or higher in science content courses

Graduation Requirements

Graduation from the program requires:

1. Completion of criteria listed in 1-4 above
2. No grades lower than C- and no unresolved INC grades in professional education course work
3. An overall GPA of 2.75 or better in all course work
4. A GPA of 2.5 or better in science course work
5. An electronic portfolio, illustrating the student’s education course work and professional accomplishments

Teacher Certification Requirements

Upon the successful completion of a Hofstra state-approved teacher education program, students are eligible for the University’s recommendation for New York state certification. A request for recommendation must be submitted to the Office of Educational Support Services the semester in which the student is graduating. There will be opportunities to attend a certification workshop during the student’s final semester, to receive all the necessary information regarding applying for certification. Students who apply directly to New York state for certification are responsible for learning about and satisfying the certification requirements set by the state. It should be noted that such requirements may differ from those in Hofstra’s registered programs.

All prospective early childhood (Birth-Grade 2), elementary (Grades 1-6), secondary (Grades 7-12) and special subject teachers as well as educational leaders are required to pass the New York State Teachers Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) administered by National Evaluation Systems, Inc., for state certification requirements. Students should consult with the Office of Educational Support Services regarding the appropriate examinations for their area of study.

We anticipate that teacher and school building leader candidates applying for certification on or after May 1st, 2014, will be required to take certain new exams. At the February 2012 meeting, the New York State Board of Regents approved a change to the implementation schedule for the new testing requirements for the initial certification of teachers and school building leaders. Please contact the office of Educational Support Services at Hofstra University at (516) 463-5747 or consult the state website.

For candidates graduating prior to May 2013, it is strongly recommended that students complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) prior to student teaching, and the Assessment of Teaching Skills Written (ATS-W) and the Content Specialty Test (CST) during student teaching. Students not receiving passing scores on these examinations will not be eligible for certification.

In addition to fulfilling the required courses of study, the Commissioner’s Regulations mandate that all prospective teachers, pupil personnel and education leaders receive instructions regarding:

1. Identification of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
2. Fire and Arson Prevention
3. School Violence Prevention and Intervention
4. Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Abuse
5. Highway and School Safety/Prevention of Child Abduction

New York state legislation also requires all persons seeking certification in special education, speech and language disabilities or school administrators working in special education, to have training in the area of children with autism.

Hofstra University offers the above listed educational law seminars through the Office of Educational Support Services. All of these seminars must be completed before the conferral of the degree and recommendation for certification.

See Also: Complete B.A. Requirements

B.A. Requirements  in HCLAS.