Chemistry/General Science Degree (B.S.) with Teacher Licensure

This program prepares you for becoming a science teacher in Massachusetts. By graduation, you'll be ready for recommendation to the Mass Dept of Education for Initial Licensure in Chemistry or Gen Science.

Requirements

Requirements for Chemistry or General Science Licensure

Students seeking Initial Licensure in Chemistry (8-12) or General Science (5-8) must satisfy the following requirements prior to practicum placement:

  • Completion of all courses required for the Chemistry or General Science (middle school option) Majors with a minimum GPA of 2.50 and no grade lower than a C- in those major courses.
  • Completion of the appropriate professional sequence of education courses for the Middle and Secondary Specialist, including the appropriate academic methods course: either GNSC 0373 - Methods of Chemistry Education or GNSC 0371 - Methods of Science Education for the Middle School.
  • Achievement of a passing mark on both the Communications and Literacy and appropriate subject matter portions of the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
  • Students generally should attempt the Communications and Literacy portion of the MTEL during their first year, and the subject matter portion of the MTEL during the fall of their junior year.

Students typically are accepted for Advanced Standing in the Education Department's licensure programs as juniors, after they have passed the Communications and Literacy portion of the MTEL and have met all other requirements. In addition to on-campus work, the professional sequence also includes an extensive student teaching practicum, which usually is completed in the spring semester of the senior year. Please refer to the Licensure for Teacher Education section of this Bulletin for specific requirements pertaining to (1) attaining Advanced Standing and (2) practicum placement.

Requirements for the Chemistry Major - 58 Credits

Required Foundation Courses - 25 Credits

Required Upper-Level Courses - 30 Credits

Note:

* A student who does not feel sufficiently prepared for calculus should take MATH 0104 - Pre-Calculus prior to enrolling in Calculus I.

Requirements for the General Science Major

OPTION I - Elementary Licensure (1-6) with General Science (1-6) - 40 Credits

Students choosing this option are expected to complete a second major in Elementary Education, and are encouraged to consider applying to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for General Science (1-6) licensure after they apply for Elementary (1-6) licensure.

Required Foundation Courses - 28 Credits

Required Upper-Level Courses - 9 Credits

Upper-Level Elective - 3 Credits

One of the following courses, which integrate the other disciplines within the major:

OPTION II - Middle School Licensure in General Science (5-8) - 52 Credits

Students planning to teach should also review the section on licensure requirements that follows the description of the General Science Minor.

Required Foundation Courses - 44 Credits

Required Upper-Level Courses - 14 Credits

Professional Sequence: Middle and Secondary (Grades 5-12)

The Professional Sequence for Middle and Secondary must be completed by students intending to teach an academic subject area in the Middle or Secondary School. Students must complete an academic major in the subject area in which the licensure is sought.

Professional Sequence Core:

Professional Sequence Courses Middle and Secondary:

Practicum

Appropriate academic Practicum, such as the following:

Pedagogical Coursework

A 3.0 cumulative GPA is required in pedagogical coursework specific to your licensure program prior to practicum. Consult with the department on which courses are classified as part of the pedagogy requirements.

Additional Graduation Requirements

All students must meet the University Graduation Requirements and complete a common core of studies, distributed among the different academic areas as detailed in the Common Core.

Learning Outcomes

Students will have demonstrated the ability to:

  • Work safely in the chemical laboratory
  • Communicate hypotheses, procedures, results, and arguments in the language of chemistry
  • Rationalize observed phenomena at the molecular level
  • Use quantitative models to describe chemical processes
Professor Patrick Romano works with a student