Science Teaching Major, B.A./B.S.

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Pott College of Science, Engineering and Education >> Geology and Physics

Students who wish to prepare for careers as science teachers at the secondary school level may choose the science teaching major. This major is designed to meet the Indiana requirements for teaching licensure in one of the following areas: biology (life sciences), earth/space sciences, chemistry, and physics. In addition to completing the science teaching major requirements, students must complete the secondary education minor to pursue a teaching license.

Teaching Major Grade & GPA Requirement

Students completing a teaching major must earn at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA, a 2.75 major GPA, and a grade of C or better in all courses applied toward degree requirements.

Science Content Area

Students must choose of one of the following science content areas within the science teaching major.

Chemistry (non-ACS, 65-66 credit hours)

CHEM 261 - General Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHEM 262 - General Chemistry II Credits: 4
CHEM 353 - Organic Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHEM 354 - Organic Chemistry II Credits: 4
CHEM 321 - Quantitative Analysis Credits: 4
CHEM 421 - Instrumental Analysis Credits: 4
CHEM 441 - Inorganic Chemistry Credits: 4
CHEM 461 - Physical Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHEM 218 - Chemistry Seminar I Credits: 1
CHEM 318 - Chemistry Seminar II Credits: 1
CHEM 418 - Chemistry Seminar III Credits: 1
CHEM 499 - Introduction to Research Credits: 1-2 (a total of 2 credit hours required)
Choose one course from the following:
CHEM 341 - Environmental Chemistry Credits: 3
CHEM 451 - Polymer Chemistry Credits: 4
CHEM 453 - Advanced Organic Chemistry & Medicinal Chemistry Credits: 4
CHEM 462 - Physical Chemistry II Credits: 4
Other required courses include
MATH 230 - Calculus I Credits: 4
MATH 235 - Calculus II Credits: 4
PHYS 205 - Intermediate Physics I Credits: 5 and PHYS 205L Intermediate Physics I Laboratory Credits: 0
PHYS 206 - Intermediate Physics II Credits: 5 and PHYS 206L Intermediate Physics II Laboratory Credits: 0
BIOL 108 - Biology for Educators Credits: 2
GEOL 108 - Earth-Space Science for Educators Credits: 2
EDUC 396 - Teaching Science in Grades 5-12 Credits: 3
Students may elect to choose a Chemistry (ACS), Biochemistry (non-ACS), or Biochemistry (ACS) degree to complete the Chemistry content. See your academic advisor for more details.

Earth/Space Science (53-56 credit hours)

ASTR 201 - General Astronomy Credits: 4
GEOG 214 - Meteorology Credits: 3
GEOL 151 - Geology of America’s National Parks Credits: 4 or
GEOL 161 - Introduction to Geology Credits: 4
GEOL 162 - Historical Geology Credits: 4
GEOL 234 - The Oceans: Past, Present, and Future Credits: 3
GEOL 261 - Intermediate Geology Credits: 3
GEOL 301 - Mineralogy Credits: 4
GEOL 315 - Paleontology Credits: 4
GEOL 407 - Geomorphology Credits: 4 or
GEOL 441 - Hydrogeology Credits: 4 or
GEOL 481 - Advanced Environmental Geology Credits: 4
PHYS 175 - General Physics I Credits: 4 and
PHYS 175L - General Physics I Laboratory
Credits: 0 or
PHYS 205 - Intermediate Physics I Credits: 5 and
PHYS 205L - Intermediate Physics I Laboratory
Credits: 0
Other required courses include:
BIOL 108 - Biology for Educators Credits: 2
CHEM 175 - Survey of Chemical Concepts Credits: 4 or
CHEM 261 - General Chemistry I Credits: 4
EDUC 396 - Teaching Science in Grades 5-12 Credits: 3
MATH 230 - Calculus I Credits: 4

Additional Elective (choose one course from the following) Credits: 3-5

ANTH 121 - Introduction to Archaeology Credits: 3
BIOL 141 - Principles of Biology Credits: 4
CHEM 262 - General Chemistry II Credits: 4
GEOG 215 - Climatology Credits: 3
STAT 241 - Principles of Statistics Credits: 3
MATH 235 - Calculus II Credits: 4
PHYS 176 - General Physics II Credits: 4 and PHYS 176LGeneral Physics II Laboratory Credits: 0 or
PHYS 206 - Intermediate Physics II Credits: 5 and PHYS 206LIntermediate Physics II Laboratory Credits: 0
Or any 300- or 400-level ASTR or GEOL course

Life Sciences (57 credit hours)

BIOL 121 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Credits: 4
BIOL 122 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Credits: 4
BIOL 141 - Principles of Biology Credits: 4
BIOL 151 - Botany Credits: 3
BIOL 152 - Zoology Credits: 3
BIOL 215 - Ecology Credits: 3
BIOL 334 - Cell Biology Credits: 3
BIOL 375 - Microbiology Credits: 3
BIOL 376 - Laboratory in Microbiology Credits: 2
BIOL 382 - Genetics Credits: 4
BIOL 481 - Organic Evolution Credits: 3
BIOL 490 - Undergraduate Teaching Credits: 1 (must be taken twice, for a total of 2 credits)
Other required courses include:
CHEM 261 - General Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHEM 262 - General Chemistry II Credits: 4
CHEM 241 - Organic/Biochemistry Principles Credits: 4 or
CHEM 353 - Organic Chemistry I Credits: 4
EDUC 396 - Teaching Science in Grades 5-12 Credits: 3
GEOL 108 - Earth-Space Science for Educators Credits: 2
PHYS 108 - Physics for Educators Credits: 2
Core 39
Foundations Mathematics, MATH 111 or higher Credits: 4-5

Physical Science (64-65 credit hours)

Chemistry Courses:
CHEM 261 - General Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHEM 262 - General Chemistry II Credits: 4
CHEM 321 - Quantitative Analysis Credits: 4
CHEM 341 - Environmental Chemistry Credits: 3
CHEM 353 - Organic Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHEM 218 - Chemistry Seminar I Credits: 1
CHEM 318 - Chemistry Seminar II Credits: 1
CHEM 418 - Chemistry Seminar III Credits: 1
CHEM 499 - Introduction to Research Credits: 1-2 (a total of 2 credit hours required)
Choose one course from the following:
CHEM 451 - Polymer Chemistry Credits: 4
CHEM 354 - Organic Chemistry II Credits: 4
CHEM 361 - Survey of Physical Chemistry Credits: 4
CHEM 421 - Instrumental Analysis Credits: 4
Physics Courses:
PHYS 205 - Intermediate Physics I Credits: 5 and PHYS 205LIntermediate Physics I Laboratory Credits: 0
PHYS 206 - Intermediate Physics II Credits: 5 and PHYS 206LIntermediate Physics II Laboratory Credits: 0
PHYS 361 - Modern Physics Credits: 3
PHYS 371 - Analytical Mechanics Credits: 3
PHYS 300- or 400-level elective Credits: 3
PHYS 300- or 400-level elective Credits: 3
Other required courses include:
BIOL 108 - Biology for Educators Credits: 2
EDUC 396 - Teaching Science in Grades 5-12 Credits: 3
GEOL 108 - Earth-Space Science for Educators Credits: 2
MATH 230 - Calculus I Credits: 4
MATH 235 - Calculus II Credits: 4

Physics (44 hours)

PHYS 205 - Intermediate Physics I Credits: 5 and
PHYS 205L - Intermediate Physics I Laboratory
Credits: 0
PHYS 206 - Intermediate Physics II Credits: 5 and
PHYS 206L - Intermediate Physics II Laboratory
Credits: 0
PHYS 361 - Modern Physics Credits: 3
PHYS 371 - Analytical Mechanics Credits: 3
PHYS 381 - Electromagnetic Fields Credits: 3
PHYS 429 - Quantum Mechanics Credits: 3
PHYS 439 - Thermodynamics Credits: 3
PHYS 499 - Research Credits: 1-2 (a total of 2 credit hours is required)
Other required courses include:
MATH 230 - Calculus I Credits: 4
MATH 235 - Calculus II Credits: 4
BIOL 108 - Biology for Educators Credits: 2
CHEM 108 - Chemistry for Educators Credits: 2
GEOL 108 - Earth-Space Science for Educators Credits: 2
EDUC 396 - Teaching Science in Grades 5-12 Credits: 3

Secondary Education Licensure Minor

Students seeking a teaching major that leads to licensure as a secondary school teacher (grades 5-12) are required to complete the Secondary Education Licensure Minor .