Biology
Certification in Secondary Education
Secondary school systems throughout the country are offering premium incentives for qualified teachers in the sciences. Biology majors can earn their certification for teaching in secondary schools by completing a specified course sequence in the biology and education departments. For more information on teacher education at Elmhurst, see Department of Education.
Biology majors who wish to qualify for certification in secondary education must take the following:
BIO 200 General Biology I
BIO 201 General Biology II
BIO 315 Genetics
One additional course in both botany and zoology chosen from among the five biology electives and complete at least one course chosen from the following:
PHY 111 Introductory Physics I
or
PHY 121 General Physics I
Students must also complete:
EDU 104 Cultural Foundations of Education in the United States
PSY 210 Introduction to Psychological Science (Prerequisite for SEC 311)
SEC 200 Introduction to Teacher Education(Quarter course)
SEC 300 Portfolio Synthesis Seminar I (Quarter course)
SEC 223 Education of PK–12 Learners with Exceptionalities
SEC 311 Educational Psychology
SEC 321 Content Area Reading in Secondary and Middle Schools (Half course)
SEC 370 Portfolio Synthesis Seminar II (Quarter course)
SEC 410 Principles and Procedures in Middle and Secondary Education
SEC 455 Student Teaching in Secondary and Middle Schools
SEC 463 Natural Science: Special Methods
Students who want to gain approval to also teach at the middle school level must take: EDU 360 The Middle School: History, Philosophy, Organizational Structures, and Best Practices (Fall Term only)
In order to be considered for admission to the biology secondary certification teaching track with biological coursework completed 10 years or more before matriculation at Elmhurst College, a student must have a cumulative and a biology grade-point average of 2.75 or above. Additionally, any deficiencies in biological course work which are specified by the chair of biology, such as the number of course hours in botany, must also be completed before certification. Students are required to pass the Illinois Basic Skills Test to be admitted to the secondary certification program, the state content area test in science (with a biology designation) prior to student teaching, and the APT (Assessment of Professional Teaching) prior to program completion.
Students should keep in close contact with both biology and education departments in order to complete the requirements for the major and teacher certification.
