Biology, B.S. with a Concentration in Teacher Education

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The curriculum for the undergraduate major in Biology with a teacher education concentration, offered through the College of Arts and Sciences,  provides a strong background in the basic concepts of molecular, organismic, and population biology for the student who is interested in a career in science teaching at the secondary level.

Teacher Licensure

This program approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, leads to the Initial Secondary License qualifying students to teach Secondary Science. Students who major in biology with a concentration in secondary education may obtain an endorsement that prepares them for teaching in the middle school. Students wishing to pursue this endorsement must take three hours of methods related to the middle school. Students should contact their advisor for specific course requirements.

Recommendation for an Illinois State Board of Education teaching license requires passage of the Subject-Matter Knowledge examinations of the Illinois Licensure Testing System, and the national education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA).

Students must meet other requirements for licensure through approved programs listed in the Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals section in the catalog.

Admission to Biology Teacher Education

In addition to meeting all university admissions requirements for undergraduate students, applicants must meet the following requirements to continue in the program:

1. have a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher in all lower division courses applied to the degree program;
2. submit a word-processed essay not to exceed 300 words explaining why the applicant wishes to be a teacher;
3. complete EDUC-2310 (or equivalent) with a grade of “B” or better, and
4. Attend the Secondary Education Orientation.

All candidates for Illinois teacher licensure at Governors State University are required to submit to a criminal background check prior to their initial field experience in the schools. For more information on this testing visit www.certifiedbackground.com. Consult with your advisor for information concerning the related GSU policies and procedures.

Student Handbook

The Student Handbook Undergraduate Degrees in Secondary Education referred to in this catalog is available online at http://www.govst.edu/Academics/Colleges_and_Programs/College_of_Arts_and_Sciences/Secondary_Education_Programs_in_Biology,_Chemistry,_English_and_Mathematics/

Student Progress

The faculty monitors and evaluates student progress continually. The section, Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals, in this catalog provides a general description of the standards used to evaluate student progress. A more detailed statement of the standards and processes followed by the secondary education faculty is available in the Secondary Education Student Handbook.

Conditional Continuation

The faculty may permit a student to continue conditionally. In such cases, faculty reviews of the student’s records identify evidence that the student will likely be successful in the program. The status of all students allowed to continue under conditions is reviewed by the faculty each term, and the students are informed in writing of the conditions necessary for them to be transferred to good standing status. When conditions are met, the student is informed in writing of the transfer to good standing status. A student may not be admitted to student teaching without being in good standing status.

Admission to Student Teaching

Students must apply for admission to student teaching before enrolling in EDUC - 4999 Student Teaching: Senior Capstone (12). An application for admission to student teaching must be submitted to the Director of Educator Preparation in the College of Education. The application must be submitted by December 1 for the fall term and March 1 for the spring term proceeding the academic year in which the student intends to teach. Student teaching is not offered in the summer term. This application for student teaching will certify that the student applying has or will have met the following requirements:

1. completed at least 48 hours of general education requirements with a G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher,
2. completed professional education course requirements, except student teaching, including a minimum of 100 clock-hours of field experience with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher, with a grade of “C” or better in each course, and EDUC-4330, EDUC-4340, and BIOL-4080 with a grade of “B” or better;
3. must have completed methods courses no more than two years prior to the commencement of student teaching;
4. have no more than six hours remaining to be completed in the major in which the student is enrolled with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher and completed all courses with a grade of “C” or better;
5. met all state requirements applicable to the subject matter area(s) in which the student will teach as outlined in Section IX, Staff Qualifications of the Illinois State Board of Education publication, Minimum Requirements for State Licensure;
6. submit evidence of having passed the Biology content area exam of the Illinois Licensure Testing System; and
7. receive a positive recommendation from the Secondary Education Student Progress Committee.

Degree Requirements

Students must meet all university requirements for a bachelor’s degree within five years of admission to the program. Students must complete the General Education Requirement for Teacher Licensure, Initial Secondary License listed below. Completion of this requirement meets the general education requirement.

In addition, students must:

1. have a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher;
2. earn a grade of “C” or better in all general education courses;
3. have a GPA of 2.75 or higher for all general education courses;
4. have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher in biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science courses with a grade of “C” or better in each course;
5. have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher for EDUC-3440 and SPED-2100, with a grade of “C” or better in each course;
6. earn a grade of “B” or better in EDUC-2310, EDUC-4330, EDUC-4340, and BIOL-4080.
7. earn a grade of “B” or better in EDUC-4999;
8. complete a minimum of 100 clock-hours of supervised pre-student teaching experiences;
9. provide evidence of successful completion of the Illinois and U.S. Constitution examinations;
10. complete at least one three-hour course in nonwestern or third world cultures;
11. show evidence of having passed the edTPA;
12. meet any additional requirements listed in the Teacher Licensure section of this catalog; and
13. receive a positive recommendation from the Secondary Education Student Progress Committee.

General Education Requirements for Teacher Licensure, Initial Secondary License, Biology (46 Hours)

The following courses must be taken at the lower-division level:

• General Biology with Lab (8)
• General Chemistry with Lab (8)

Additional Courses

The following courses can be taken at either the lower-division or upper-division level and must include at least one three-hour course in non-Western or Third World cultures:

• Written Communication (6)
• Oral Communication (3)
• American History (3)
• U.S. Government (3)
• Humanities (6)
• Fine Arts (3)
• Introduction to Psychology (3)
• MATH - 2281 Applied Calculus (4)

Required Courses (88 Hours)

The following courses can be taken at either the lower-division or upper-division level:

• Botany with Laboratory (3)
• Zoology with Laboratory (3)
• Organic Chemistry with Laboratory (8)
• BIOL - 3360 Comparative Anatomy (3)
• BIOL - 3361 Comparative Anatomy Laboratory (1)
• BIOL - 4430 Microbiology (3)
• BIOL - 4431 Microbiology Laboratory (1)
• EDUC - 2310 Foundations of Education (3)
• PHYS - 2141 Intermediate Physics I (3)
• PHYS - 2142 Intermediate Physics Lab I (1)
• PHYS - 2143 Intermediate Physics II (3)
• PHYS - 2144 Intermediate Physics Lab II (1)
• SPED - 2100 Survey of Students with Exceptionalities (3)

The following courses must be taken at the upper-division level:

• BIOL - 3099 Biology Junior Seminar (3)
• BIOL - 3322 Ecology (3)
• BIOL - 3323 Ecology Laboratory (1)
• BIOL - 3340 Genetics (3)
• BIOL - 3370 Cell Biology (3)
• BIOL - 3371 Cell Biology Laboratory (1)

•  

  Select one physiology course and its corresponding lab from the following two:

• BIOL - 4450 Animal Physiology (3)
• BIOL - 4451 Animal Physiology Laboratory (1)

• Or

• BIOL - 4460 Plant Physiology (3)
• BIOL - 4461 Plant Physiology Laboratory (1)

•  

• BIOL - 4080 Special Topics in Biology (3)
• BIOL - 4990 Undergraduate Research I (1)
• BIOL - 4992 Undergraduate Research II (1)
• EDUC - 3440 Educational Psychology II: Learning, Assessment and Classroom Management (3)
• EDUC - 4330 Principles of Science Education (3)
• EDUC - 4301 Secondary Microteaching 1 (1)
• EDUC - 4340 Teaching Secondary School Science (3)
• EDUC - 4302 Secondary Microteaching 2 (1)
• EDUC - 4999 Student Teaching: Senior Capstone (12)
• PHYS - 1200 Earth and Space Science (3)
• STAT - 4219 Statistical Methods (3)

Total - 134 Hours