Biology Secondary Education Bachelors Programs Pennsylvania

From anatomy to zoology, share your love of biology with a professional teaching degree.

Get set for a rewarding career teaching middle and high school biology. This comprehensive undergraduate program at PennWest California meets all education requirements for teaching certification in Pennsylvania.

As a secondary education biology major, you'll combine education courses with college-level biology classes to gain expertise in your subject area and the latest best-practices in teaching.

You'll graduate ready to teach biology to grades 7-12 in Pennsylvania and beyond.

PennWest California takes a time-honored approach to teacher education.

Founded as a teachers college, PennWest California has a 165-year reputation of producing top-quality educators.
All secondary education students gain extensive real-world teaching experience in Pennsylvania classrooms.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: BIOLOGY CONCENTRATION

Field Experiences
Before beginning the student teaching component of this program, you will complete three fieldwork experiences in local schools. This helps you excel in student teaching and stand out in the biology education job market.

Top Professors
You'll develop close relationships with our secondary education professors who have real-word experience in middle and high school education, doctorate degrees in their fields and active relationships with Pennsylvania schools.

Top Accreditation: This degree program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits PennWest California. CAEP promotes excellence in educator preparation through quality assurance and continuous improvement. See CAEP reporting measures of program impact and outcomes.

100^%

of secondary education faculty members are certified teachers with real-life experience in classrooms.

$64^K

average annual salary for secondary education teachers in Pennsylvania. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Degree Benefits

Degree courses in secondary education will give you mastery of the latest practices and theories in biology and teaching.

Study science and biology curriculum development techniques.
Learn top strategies in classroom management.
Master classroom technology for teaching biology.
Deepen your knowledge of genetics, chemistry, anatomy, ecology and other scientific disciplines.
Gain real-world teaching experience in Pennsylvania schools.

Graduate Outcomes

As a graduate of this bachelor's degree program, you'll be prepared to teach biology or life science in middle and high schools. You can also pursue a master's degree in teaching or education. PennWest California biology education alumni teach in private, public and charter schools in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Biology Concentration - Secondary Education - Bachelor's Degree

Professional Development

Work with a career services counselor who is dedicated to secondary education majors. You can also take advantage of professional development and networking opportunities including a seminar series, career development activities and the Student PSEA (Pennsylvania State Education Association) Club.

Faculty Spotlight

Learn best practices for teaching science from professors with real-world experience, such as Dr. Joseph Zisk, who obtained his B.S.Ed. in Chemistry from PennWest California in 1973, has a doctorate in education from Temple University, has taught high school biology, chemistry and physics, and was a district-wide K-12 science and technology superior.

Course Spotlight: Methods of Science Education

Biology can be a daunting subject for middle and high school students. In this course you'll learn proven methods for teaching scientific concepts that will help your students understand and absorb key principles while igniting their wonder for the natural world.

Biology Concentration - Secondary Education Bachelor's Degree Courses

Rigorous biology and education courses will deepen your scientific knowledge base while equipping you with the latest theories and practices in biology and life science education. This undergraduate degree program meets all education requirements for Pennsylvania teaching certification.

Curriculum

Course	Credits
General Education Courses	41
Building a Sense of Community UNI 100 First-Year Seminar	1
Composition ENG 101 English Composition I	3
Public Speaking EDU 350 Supporting English Language Learners	3
Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy MAT 199 Pre-Calculus	3
Health and Wellness HSC 315 First Aid	3
Technological Literacy EDU 333 Technology in Teaching and Learning	3
Humanities ESP 210 Special Education Foundation and Collaboration	3
Fine Arts Any Fine Arts Course	3
Natural Sciences CHE 101 General Chemistry	4
Social Sciences PSY 100 General Psychology	3
Ethics and Multicultural Awareness Emphasis EDU 310 Teaching in a Multicultural Society	3
General Education Options PSY 206 Adolescent Psychology MAT Course Approved U.S. or British Literature Course	9

Required Concentration Courses	39
SEC 210 Intro to Secondary Ed	3
SEC 220 Standards-based Instruction	3
SEC 310 Instructional Strategies	3
SEC 350 Content Area Literacy	3
SEC 360 Technology Integration	3
SEC 395 Teaching of Science	3
SEC 400 Classroom Management	3
SEC 420 Assessment and Interventions	3
SEC 460 Professional Practices	3
SEC 461 Student Teaching	12

Required Education Foundation Courses*	6
ESP 311 Assessment and Positive Interventions	3
ESP 413 Evidence-Based Practices	3

Related Content Courses	36
CHE 102 Gen Chemistry II	4
PHY 121 Gen. Physics	4
BIO 120 Gen. Zoology	4
BIO 125 Gen. Botany	4
BIO 215 Cellular and Molecular	4
BIO 305 OR 306 Anatomy	4
BIO 248 Gen. Ecology	4
BIO 318 Genetics	4
BIO 328 OR 486 Physiology	4

Total	122

Additional requirements not counted toward the General Education requirements and included in this program are:

Special Experience Course (1 course required): SEC 461 Student Teaching
Writing-Intensive Component Courses (2 courses required): SEC 420 Assessment and Interventions AND SEC 460 Professional Practices
Laboratory Course (1 course required): CHE 101 General Chemistry

* EDU 333, 310, 350; PSY 206; and ESP 210 fulfill general education requirements but are also considered "Required Education Foundation Courses."

Program Notes: This is a professional program. All courses listed as program requirements must be passed with a grade of C or higher. Math and English courses must also be passed with a grade of C or higher. Many SEC courses are linked to include field experiences and must be taken together as co-requisites. LiveText software is a requirement of this program.

Secondary Education

Bachelor's Degree Concentrations

8

Secondary Education - Biology Concentration Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.)

About Secondary Education Biology Concentration