Biology, BS; Teacher Preparation in Biology Concentration

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

A student may seek secondary teaching licensure in biology. This program consists of courses required for the biology major as well as additional education coursework and the professional semester consisting of 12 hours in the senior year. If an additional endorsement in chemistry or physics is desired, the student must minor in that discipline and meet all state-mandated core requirements for that endorsement. Interested students should meet with secondary science education faculty for advising on preparation for secondary science teaching.

Civitae Core Requirement (39-40 credits)

Civitae Core

Biology majors in Teacher Preparation may count Civitae Core courses satisfying major requirements as also satisfying their respective Pillar and Perspectives requirements. The following are the courses in this major that may be used in this way:

EDUC 245 can satisfy the Human Behavior and Social Institutions Pillar requirement

MATH 171 can satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning Pillar requirement

CHEM 111 can satisfy the Scientific Reasoning Pillar requirement

MATH 301 can satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning Perspectives requirement

Courses satisfying major requirements that are designated as Civitae Core courses subsequent to the print deadline of this Catalog will not appear in the above listings but will be eligible to also satisfy Civitae Core requirements, subject to the same rules as the others. (If doing so would otherwise decrease the total credits required for the degree below 120, General Elective credit must be substituted to restore the total.)

Transfer students go to Transfer Student General Education for requirements.

Additional Degree Requirements (4 credits)

CHEM 112 - Fundamentals of Chemistry II 4 credits

Major Requirements (51 credits) (plus 9 credits included in the Core Curriculum)

Core Requirements (28 credits)

BIOL 120 - Integrative Biology 4 credits
BIOL 250 - Introduction to Genetics and Cell Biology 4 credits
BIOL 251 - Introduction to Ecology and Evolution 4 credits
BIOL 288 - Sophomore Seminar 3 credits
BIOL 488 - Senior Capstone in Biology 3 credits
BIOL 489 - Senior Assessment and Professional Development 1 credit
CHEM 111 - Fundamentals of Chemistry I 4 credits (3 of which count in the Core Curriculum)
CHEM 112 - Fundamentals of Chemistry II 4 credits (counted in the Additional Degree Requirement)
CHEM 211 - Organic Chemistry I 3 credits
CHEM 213 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1 credit
PHYS 103 - Conceptual Physics 4 credits
MATH 171 - Statistical Decision Making 3 credits (counted in the Core Curriculum)
MATH 301 - Applied Statistics 3 credits (counted in the Core Curriculum)

Area Requirements (12 credits)

All students must successfully complete at least one class from each area below.

Biology Elective Requirements (10 credits)

Students must complete at least 10 additional Biology elective credits from BIOL 206-BIOL 498, with a minimum of 3 credits from BIOL 400 to BIOL 491. These biology electives may be selected from additional courses in the areas or from the elective courses offered on a rotating basis. However, to meet Virginia teaching licensure requirements, the Teacher Preparation in Biology Concentration requires that these electives, or the above area requirements, include a course in each of the following topics: botany (satisfied by BIOL 309 or BIOL 460 with a field botany focus), zoology (satisfied by BIOL 303, BIOL 306, or BIOL 315), and anatomy/physiology (satisfied by BIOL 206, BIOL 207, BIOL 301, or BIOL 302).

Secondary Education Licensure, Grades 6-12 (34 credits)(plus 3 credits included in the Core Curriculum)

EASC 300 - The Dynamic Planet 3 credits
EDUC 245 - Human Growth as a Function of Social, Political and Economic Institutions 3 credits (counted in the Core Curriculum)
EDUC 260 - Introduction to the Teaching Profession 2 credits
EDUC 432 - Content Area Literacy 3 credits
EDUC 487 - Classroom Management and System Issues 3 credits
EDUC 473 - Inquiry into the Classroom Community 3 credits
SCED 152 - Principles of Secondary Education in Science 1 credit
SCED 252 - Practicum in Science Education 2 credits
SCED 451 - The Teaching of Secondary Science 2 credits
SCED 482 - Directed Teaching in the Secondary School 9 credits
SCED 490 - Research Methods in Science Education 3 credits
SPED 389 - Survey of Exceptional Children 3 credits

Total Credits Required

BS in Biology with Teacher Preparation in Biology Concentration 127-128

*For additional endorsement to teach Chemistry, Minor in Chemistry 23 credits

*For additional endorsement to teach Physics, Minor in Physics 20 credits

*Students seeking endorsement in these areas must meet criteria established by the State Department of Education.