[ 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.

Requirements
In addition to the mathematics and chemistry requirements, biology majors who wish to qualify for certification in secondary education must take:

• BIO 250
• BIO 251
• BIO 303
• One additional course in both botany and zoology chosen from among the five biology electives
• PHY 111 Introductory Physics I or
  PHY 121 General Physics I

Students must also complete:

• EDU 104 American Education
• EDU 360 The Middle School: History, Philosophy, Organizational Structure, and Best Practices
  
• SEC 200 Introduction to Teacher Education (Quarter course)
  
• SEC 299 Portfolio Synthesis Seminar I (Quarter course)
  
• SEC 223 Education of PK-12 Learners with Exceptionalities
• SEC 311/PSY 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
• PSY 210 Introduction to Psychological Science
  

The education department requires that all students complete a standards-based portfolio. Secondary science majors are required to complete additional science-based standards in the portfolio, which are partially fulfilled by taking the following two portfolio courses:

• SEC 370 Portfolio Synthesis Seminar II (Quarter course each) Focus 1: Earth Science; Focus 2: Astronomy and Space Science

See the chair of the Department of Education regarding any additional requirements.

In order to be considered for admission to the biology secondary certification teaching track with biological course work completed 10 years or more before matriculation at Elmhurst College, a student must pass the state content test in science (with a biology designation) and have a biology grade-point average of 2.75 or above.

Additionally, any deficiencies in biological course work identified by the chair of biology, such as the number of course hours in botany, must also be completed before certification.

A grade-point average in biological course work of 2.75 or above is required for all students, as is a passing score on the state content test in science (with a biology designation) prior to student teaching. A passing score on the secondary state APT is required 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 by the State of Illinois.