Natural Science: Secondary Education BA/BS

The Teacher Education program prepares candidates for certification in grades K-12. The Secondary Education program requires 27 credits of Education course work in professional foundations and studies and 13 credits during internship. Students apply for admission to the program after successfully completing nine credits of Education course work in professional foundations. During the course of the studies, candidates may be asked to reapply to the program if their GPA falls below 3.0.

Teaching endorsement areas are attached to a Standard Instructional Certificate (grades K-12), according to Idaho Teacher Certification standards.  All endorsements require a minimum of 45 semester credits, with the exception of dual endorsements where 30 semester for a major endorsement and 20 semester credits for a minor endorsement is required. The following LC State areas are approved for teaching field majors: Biology, Chemistry, Communication Arts, Earth Science, English; Kinesiology-Physical Education K-12 and Health 6-12; Mathematics; Natural Sciences; Psychology; and Social Science with a History emphasis (see degree requirements for each major). Teacher candidates must successfully pass the related Praxis II exam in their teaching content area(s).

For marketability purposes, students are encouraged to pursue endorsements and minors in a second teaching field; consult with an advisor for the proper procedure. Secondary Education majors must have a content area advisor and a Secondary Education advisor.

Graduates from other colleges or universities seeking secondary teacher certification must fulfill all Secondary Education professional course work requirements in addition to meeting all academic major or minor teaching field requirements for subject area endorsement.

Students in the Teacher Education Certification program are expected to provide evidence through performance that they have become dedicated and knowledgeable professionals, content specialists, competent educational designers, capable educational facilitators, insightful educational evaluators, reflective professionals, and culturally responsive professionals before being recommended for teacher certification.

Advising

Secondary Teacher Education candidates must have two advisors; one for their academic major and one for teacher education.

General Education Requirements

Written Communication
Select one of the following:6.00
WRITING AND RHETORIC I
and WRITING AND RHETORIC II
COLLEGE WRITING AND RESEARCH
Oral Communication
Select one from the following:3.00
FUNDAMENTALS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Mathematical Ways of Knowing
Select one of the following:3.00-5.00
PRECALCULUS I: ALGEBRA
PRECALCULUS
Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing
Select one course from two categories:6.00-8.00
Literature
LITERATURE AND IDEAS
WORLD CLASSICS
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE
MYTHOLOGIES
Arts
INTRODUCTION TO ART
THE ART AND HISTORY OF THE MOTION PICTURE
INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTS
SURVEY OF MUSIC
MUSIC IN AMERICA
WORLD MUSIC
HISTORY OF MUSICAL THEATER
HISTORY OF JAZZ AND POPULAR MUSIC STYLES
SURVEY OF THE THEATER
Language
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY
ELEMENTARY SPANISH I
ELEMENTARY SPANISH II
Scientific Ways of Knowing
CHEM-111PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I4.00
NS-150INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL SCIENCES3.00
Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing
PSYC-205LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY3.00
Select one of the following:3.00
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
WORLD PREHISTORY
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY
WORLD HISTORY I
WORLD HISTORY II
UNITED STATES HISTORY I
UNITED STATES HISTORY II
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
Global Perspectives
Select one of the following:3.00-4.00
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
WORLD PREHISTORY
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
RACE AND ETHNICITY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE
NATIVE AMERICAN WRITTEN LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY
WORLD HISTORY I
WORLD HISTORY II
UNITED STATES HISTORY I
UNITED STATES HISTORY II
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
ETHICS AND IDENTITY
SOCIAL-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SPORTS
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
ELEMENTARY SPANISH I
ELEMENTARY SPANISH II
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
Integrative Seminar: Ethics & Values
Select one of the following:3.00
ID 300A - 300Z (see course descriptions for options)
HELLS CANYON INSTITUTE
Foreign/Heritage Language
Select 16 credits of language if selecting Bachelor of Arts Degree16.00
Total Credits37.00-42.00

Program Requirements

Secondary certification candidates must meet the graduation requirements for their major and the Secondary Teacher Education Program and must have two advisors. (see below)

Natural Science Program
BIOL-181ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, DIVERSITY OF LIFE4.00
BIOL-182CONCEPTS IN CELLULAR MECHANISMS4.00
CHEM-112PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II4.00
GEOL-101PHYSICAL GEOLOGY4.00
or GEOL-120 INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SYSTEMS
GEOL-202HISTORICAL GEOLOGY4.00
PHYS-111GENERAL PHYSICS I4.00
PHYS-112GENERAL PHYSICS II4.00
PHYS-205DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY4.00
MATH-144PRECALCULUS II: TRIGONOMETRY2.00
Select one of the following: 4.00
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
FOUNDATIONS OF PROGRAMMING
Area of Emphasis
Select 12 credits from one emphasis below12.00
Secondary Education Certificate
See Secondary Education Certificate Requirements below
Total Credits50.00
1

Additional requirements must be met for teacher certification. See your Teacher Education Division advisor for details.

Areas of Emphasis

Biology Emphasis

BIOL-213PLANT AND ANIMAL FORM AND FUNCTION4.00
Select 8 credits from BIOL from the 200/300/400 level8.00
Total Credits12.00

Chemistry Emphasis

CHEM-371ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I3.00
CHEM-373ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I LAB1.00
Select 4 credits from CHEM from the 300/400 level4.00
Select one of the following:4.00
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
BIOCHEMISTRY I
Total Credits12.00

Earth Science Emphasis

Select 4 credits from GEOL or GIS course numbered 200 or higher4.00
Select 8 credits from GEOL course numbered 300 level or higher8.00
Total Credits12.00

Secondary Education Certificate Requirements

Application for admission to the Teacher Education Program is required after successful completion of the first three Phase I courses.

Phase I - Professional Foundations of Education
ED-214PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION 13.00
ED-225TECHNOLOGIES FOR TEACHING, K-123.00
ED-318ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING 13.00
ED-321EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 13.00
ED-345CULTURALLY RELEVANT TEACHING3.00
SE-322INCLUSION STRATEGIES K-123.00
Phase II - Professional Studies in Education
ED-445INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, 6-123.00
ED-447TEACHING METHODS IN THE CONTENT AREA2.00
RE-309DISCIPLINARY LITERACY3.00
Phase III - Instructional Methods in Education
ED-452INTERNSHIP SEMINAR1.00
ED-460PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP IN EDUCATION 6-1212.00
Total Credits39.00
1

Additional requirements must be met for teacher certification. See your Teacher Education Division advisor for details.

No grade lower than a “C-” will be accepted in any General Education core, Content Major, or 200-level Professional Foundations course. No grade lower than a “B-” will be accepted in any 300- or 400-level courses in Secondary Education.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for admission into the Secondary Teacher Education Program. Candidates must also maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their content area classes.

Sequential Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
BIOL-181 ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, DIVERSITY OF LIFE 4.00
COREMATH-143 or MATH-147 3.00-5.00
COREOral Communication 3.00
ENGL-101 WRITING AND RHETORIC I 3.00
PSYC-205 LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 3.00
 Credits16.00-18.00
Spring
BIOL-182 CONCEPTS IN CELLULAR MECHANISMS 4.00
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
CORESocial & Behavioral Ways of Knowing 3.00
ENGL-102 WRITING AND RHETORIC II 3.00
Program RequirementSelect Emphasis course 3.00
 Credits16.00
Second Year
Fall
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
COREGlobal Perspectives 3.00
CHEM-111 PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I 4.00
GEOL-101
PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
or INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SYSTEMS
4.00
 Credits14.00
Spring
COREIntegrative Seminar: Ethics & Values 3.00
GEOL-202 HISTORICAL GEOLOGY 4.00
CS-108
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
or FOUNDATIONS OF PROGRAMMING
4.00
NS-150 INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL SCIENCES 3.00
 Credits14.00
Third Year
Fall
CHEM-112 PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II 4.00
PHYS-111 GENERAL PHYSICS I 4.00
PHYS-112 GENERAL PHYSICS II 4.00
PHYS-205 DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY 4.00
Program RequirementSelect Emphasis course 3.00
 Credits19.00
Spring
Program RequirementSelect Emphasis course 3.00
Program RequirementSelect Emphasis course 3.00
 Credits6.00
 Total Credits85.00-87.00

Graduates with a BA/BS in Natural Science:  Secondary Education go on to obtain careers in a variety of fields:

  • Secondary Science Teacher (6-12)
  • Adult and Continuing Education
  • Training Specialist
  • Business and Industry
  • Research
  • Lab Technician
  • Instructional Coach