Oct 08, 2024  
2023-2024 General Catalog 
    
2023-2024 General Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG–FOR INFORMATION ONLY]

Physical Science - Teacher Education Emphasis (B.A., B.S.)


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Program Summary

The mission and role of the Physical Science Teacher Education degree are to provide an environment that fosters academic breadth in the disciplines of chemistry, geography, geology, physics, and education needed to obtain the competencies required to teach physical science in a secondary school.

All teacher candidates are required to complete an appropriate Praxis II Subject Assessment and the Praxis II PLT (Principles of Learning and Teaching) Assessment adopted by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). The Physical Science Praxis Subject Assessment content knowledge test measures fundamental knowledge common to physics and chemistry, and competencies necessary for a beginning teacher of one of the physical sciences in a secondary school.

Program Information

  • All courses must be passed with a “C” (2.0) or better to be counted in the major.
  • All prerequisite courses must be passed with “C” (2.0) or better.
  • Credits greater than 10 years old will not be accepted for this degree.
  • Courses in computer science are strongly recommended additional electives.
  • Some courses are taught every other year. Consult your Student Success Advisor for scheduling help.
  • This major by itself does not include the minimum requisite number of upper-division hours needed for a bachelor’s degree. Students completing this degree will fill the upper-division requirements while completing coursework for Secondary Education Licensure . Students who do not complete the licensure requirements will need to complete additional upper-division coursework to reach the minimum 40 credits.

General Education Requirement (30-35 Credits)


See General Education  for course options.

  • Core Course Requirements (12-15 Credits)
  • Knowledge Area Requirements (16-20 Credits)

Please note: All students must complete a minimum of 30 credits between the Core and Knowledge Area requirements.

Bachelor’s Degree Type: Arts or Science Requirement (12* or 16** Credits)


Select one degree type from either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science:

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree Requirement (12 Credits*)


  • Bachelor of Science Degree - Math or Science minimum requirement 12 Credits

* Note: A portion of the B.S. requirements may be met by fulfilling the General Education  Core and Knowledge Areas. Because of this, these credits are typically not counted in the degree total at the bottom of page. Some students majoring in non-science fields may need additional math/science courses to reach the minimum 12 credits. Consult your Student Success Advisor for details. 

or

Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree Requirement (16 Credits**)


  • Bachelor of Arts Degree - Foreign Language Requirement 16 Credits

** Note: One semester of a foreign language may also fulfill the General Education  Humanities requirement. The 16 credits may be fulfilled by taking four semesters of a foreign language or by testing out of a language and purchasing the credits. These credits are typically counted in the degree total at the bottom of the page. Consult your Student Success Advisor for details. 

Physical Science Composite - Teacher Education Emphasis Curriculum (78 Credits)


Chemistry Courses (28 Credits)


Math Courses (8 Credits)


Note


* Students who are not prepared for this math course may need additional math credits/preparation. Please consult your Student Success Advisor for more information.

Professional Education Requirements for Secondary Licensure (36-37 Credits)*


To qualify for a teaching license, students must also complete the sequence of professional education courses listed by the Department of Teacher Education . Please see the degree requirements for Secondary Education Licensure . Some classes required for the licensure cannot be taken until the teacher candidate has been admitted to the College of Education and Human Development. Please consult your advisor or the Department of Teacher Education for further instruction.

* Students who complete their teaching methods course(s) and student teaching as part of their major requirements will earn fewer than 36 credits. Those course credits are counted only once in the degree total.

Total Credits, B.A. Degree: 144-160


Total Credits, B.S. Degree: 131-144



 

Licensure Notification


This program typically leads to licensure/certification and was designed to meet such qualifications for the state of Utah. Students who are or may be planning to pursue licensure/certification in any other U.S. state or territory may need to meet additional education requirements. This is not a reflection of SUU’s accreditation or quality, as each state and territory regulates their own education requirements for occupational licensure.

Students enrolled in a teacher preparation program may potentially be able to use a Utah educator license to obtain licensure through reciprocity. Additional information may be found through the Department of Teacher Education’s reciprocity table.

An overview of all of SUU’s programs that lead to licensure/certification and the programs’ current determination statuses may be found at www.suu.edu/provost/licensure.html.

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