Earth Science Education (7-12; 5-6 Extension), B.S.
About the Program
The secondary education earth science program leads to a New York State Initial Certificate for teaching both earth sciences and general sciences in grades 5–12. Students seeking admission to the B.S. Earth Science Education program should initially enroll in the B.S. Earth Sciences program. After successfully completing at least 6 credits in required geology (GES) courses at Buffalo State with a GPA in these courses of 3.0 or higher, students apply for admission to the B.S. Earth Science Education program during the semester they complete SED 200. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in earth science (GES) courses is required for admission to SED 405, SED 407, and SED 408.
Career Information
Earth science majors select one of four areas of concentration: air and space, environmental earth sciences, geology, or earth science education. Graduates may seek employment in weather forecasting; environmental consulting, remediation, or enforcement; mining and natural-resource development; teaching in middle and high schools; or public education at museums and nature study centers. Students also may attend graduate school to study atmospheric sciences, astronomy, geology, environmental science, or related fields.
Recent graduates have been hired as teachers in middle or high schools. Typical hiring firms also include federal and state government agencies, engineering companies, and geological consulting companies.
Program Requirements
Intellectual Foundations Requirements1 39–66 cr
Total Required Credit Hours in Earth Sciences1 40 cr
GES 101 Introductory Geology
GES 102 Historical Geology
GES 103 Introductory Geology Laboratory (1)
GES 111 General Oceanography
GES 131 Introductory Astronomy
GES 241 Meteorology
GES 302 Invertebrate Paleontology (4)
GES 303 Mineralogy and Petrology (4)
GES 307 Geomorphology
GES 308 Structural Geology (4)
GES 405 Geology of North America
One astronomy elective.
One upper-division earth science elective.
Total Required Credit Hours in Professional Education 30 cr
EDF 303 Educational Psychology
EDU 416 Teaching Literacy in Middle and Secondary Schools
EXE 372 Foundations of Teaching Adolescents with Disabilities
SCI 323 Science as Inquiry
SCI 445 Literacy for Teaching Science
SED 200 Field Experience in Secondary Science Education
SED 310 Teaching Science in the Middle School
SED 401 Techniques for Teaching Laboratory Activities in the Secondary Science Classroom
SED 405 Methods and Materials in Teaching Secondary School Science
SED 409 Seminar in Secondary Science Education
Total Required Credit Hours in Student Teaching 12 cr
SED 407 Practice Teaching Science in the Middle School (6)
SED 408 Practice Teaching Science in the High School (6)
Total Required Credit Hours in Other Fields for Certification 28–30 cr
A. One Year (or Equivalent) of a Foreign Language (6 cr)
B. Cognate Sciences (22–24 cr)
CHE 111, CHE 112 Fundamentals of Chemistry I, II (4, 4)
PHY 111, PHY 112 University Physics I, II (5, 5)
OR
PHY 107, PHY 108 General Physics I, II (4, 4)
Select two courses from the following:
BIO 211 Introduction to Cell Biology and Genetics (4)
BIO 212 Introduction to Organismal Biology and Diversity (4)
BIO 213 Introduction to Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (4)
Total Required Credit Hours 146 cr
1 May be applied to geology B.A. program or earth sciences B.S. program.