Earth Science Education (7-12) Postbaccalaureate Teacher Certification
About the Program
The earth science education (7–12) postbaccalaureate teacher certification program leads to eligibility for New York State initial certification to teach both earth science and general science in grades 7–12. This program is designed for students who have earned a baccalaureate degree in earth science or a related field from an accredited college or university and intend to complete the coursework required for New York State certification to teach earth science in secondary schools or general science in middle schools.
After successfully completing the teacher certification program and passing required New York State teacher certification exams, students are eligible to apply for New York State certification through the Teacher Certification Office, Caudell Hall 101.
No degree or certificate is awarded by Buffalo State.
A minimum GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) in required earth science courses is needed for
admission to SED 405, SED 407, and SED 408.
Financial Assistance: For financial aid purposes, students are considered fifth-year undergraduates, eligible for undergraduate loans.
Admissions Requirements
A bachelor’s degree in earth science or a related area from an accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) in required earth science courses.
In addition, all applicants should review the Admission to a Graduate Program
section in this catalog.
Program Requirements
Required Earth Science Courses 41 credits
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 (4)
GES 405 Geology of North America
GES 408 Structural Geology (4)
One astronomy elective
One upper-level earth science elective
Professional Education Courses 24 credits
EDF 303 Educational Psychology
EDU 416 Teaching Literacy in Middle and Secondary Schools
EXE 372 Foundations of Teaching Adolescents with Disabilities
SCI 445 Literacy for Teaching Science (or equivalent)
SED 200 Field Experience in Secondary Science Education
SED 401 Techniques for Teaching Laboratory Activities in the Secondary Science Classroom
SED 405 Methods and Materials for Teaching Secondary School Science
SED 409 Seminar in Secondary Science Education
Student Teaching Courses 12 credits
SED 407 Practice Teaching Science in the Middle School (6)
SED 408 Practice Teaching Science in the High School (6)
Courses in Other Fields for Certification 28-30 credits
A. Foreign Language Courses (6 credits
One year or equivalent
B. Cognate Science Courses (22-24 credits)
Select two biology 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)
CHE 111/CHE 112 Fundamentals of Chemistry I and II (8)
PHY 111/PHY 112 University Physics I and II (8)
or
PHY 107/PHY 108 General Physics I and II (6)
Total Required Credit Hours 105-107 credits
All courses are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.