Programs

Earth Science Education (7-12) Postbaccalaureate Teacher Certification

About the Program

The secondary education earth science postbaccalaureate certification-only program leads to a New York State Initial Certificate for teaching both earth sciences and general sciences in grades 7–12. The program is intended for persons with existing undergraduate degrees in earth sciences or a related field who are interested in obtaining certification to teach earth sciences in secondary schools or general science in middle schools. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in earth science courses is required for admission to SED 405, SED 407, and SED 408.

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

Total Required Credit Hours in Earth Sciences 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
GES 405 Geology of North America
One astronomy elective.
One upper-division earth science elective.

Total Required Credit Hours in Professional Education 24 cr
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
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 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 104–106 cr