Secondary Education Science (B.A. or B.S.)

Students interested in teaching science in secondary schools (grades 7-12) obtain a degree in the content area they wish to teach (coursework in the content area is supplemented by seven courses in education and a semester of student teaching).

• Bachelor Science in Physics
• Bachelor of Arts in General Science**
• Bachelor of Science in Biology*
• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry*

Graduates are then eligible for Pennsylvania teacher certification in the program area for grades 7-12 (dependent on grade point average and qualifying score on teacher examination).

The following is a rough correspondence between typical secondary (grades 7-12) courses and the certification type needed to teach that course.

• 7^th grade life science: General Science, Biology*
• 8^th grade physical science: General Science, Chemistry*, Physics
• 9^th grade earth science: General Science, Earth and Space Science**
• 10^th grade biology: Biology*
• 11^th grade chemistry: Chemistry*
• 12^th grade physics: Physics

*Chemistry and Biology certifications (marked by an asterisk) are overseen by the biology and chemistry departments, respectively.

**Students interested in Earth and space science certification should pursue the General Science major and Earth and Space Science minor.

Students interested in teaching science in middle school (grades 4-8) should pursue a Bachelor of Science in Mid-Level Education, with a concentration in science.