Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education - Biology Specialization Thiel College

The Department of Education provides students with an opportunity to gain a firm foundation in the elements of secondary education. As a student in the Thiel College Education Department, students will experience high-quality education programs based on the latest “Effective Schools” research that includes instructional teaching strategies based on the work of Robert Marzano, Jay McTighe, Grant Wiggins, Charlotte Danielson, and other current leaders in the field of education.

Teaching Biology

Biology teachers guide students to understand how things happen in the natural and physical environment and illustrate the simplicity of design that underlies the complex events that occur in nature.

A student who graduates from Thiel College with a major in English, History, Mathematics, Biology, or Chemistry and a secondary education certificate will:

• Teacher candidates will demonstrate oral, written, and presentation communication skills appropriate to the field.
• Teacher candidates will demonstrate mastery of major content knowledge areas and pedagogical strategies to design engaging and meaningful instruction and learning activities.
• Teacher candidates will demonstrate their knowledge of diversity by addressing learners’ commonalities and individual differences to design inclusive learning experiences.
• Secondary education teacher candidates will apply the Council for Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP) standards to their discipline in the Secondary Education course of study, as assessed by the content field department.
• Teacher candidates will understand and demonstrate effectiveness by designing rigorous and effective lessons and learning experiences.

Major Requirements

• EDUC 111 Foundations of American Education
• EDUC 112 Psychological Foundations of Education
• EDUC 215 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Note: EDUC 215 is a prerequisite for all other Phase II methodology courses.

• EDUC 220 Integrated Instructional Systems
• EDUC 255 Mentoring I
• SECED 268 Mentoring, Part II: On-Site Secondary Methodology
• SECED 325 Teaching Reading/Writing in the Content Areas
• SECED 340/350/360/370 Teaching in Secondary Schools
• SECED 444 Student Teaching

All students must also take:

• CIS 111 Word Processing Applications
• AH 105 Taking Care of Your Health

The nine credits for special education will come from the following courses:

• SPED 356 Special Education Processes, Procedures, Screening, Assessment, IEP Development, and Evaluation
• SPED 357 Effective Instructional Practices and Delivery Methods in Subject Area Content for All Levels of Special Education Support
• SPED 358 Intensive Reading, Writing, and Math Intervention Approaches

The three credits for ELL will be from:

• EDUC 400 Educating English Language Learners

Courses Required for a Major in Biology

Foundational Courses—This course set is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of the principles of science in general and biology in particular. They are to be taken during the first two years.

• BIO 145 Foundations of Biology

And one of the following four systematics courses:

• BIO 212 Microbiology
• BIO 222 Entomology
• BIO 262 Animal Systematics
• BIO 263 Plant Systematics

Area Studies/Breadth in the Discipline of Biology—This course set is designed to introduce the student to concepts and principles of the major areas within the discipline of biology. They are to be taken after the foundational courses:

• BIO 290 Cell Biology
• BIO 322 Genetics
• BIO 342 Biostatistics and Research Methods
• BIO 392 General Ecology

Students must choose one elective based on availability and intent. The elective must be a 200 or 300-level BIO lab course that is 4 credits except BIO 350 – Principle of Immunology. Students may also choose NSCI 202, 209 or 315.

• BIO XXX

Elective Capstone Experience—These three courses are designed to integrate material from a variety of courses and experiences and to provide the student with opportunities for development as a mature and independent scientist. Independent Research may begin in the junior year.

• BIO 395 Junior Research Seminar
• BIO 462 Senior Seminar

And one of the following two courses:

• BIO 452 Advanced Biology
• BIO 482 Independent Study

A completed research project under the supervision of a biology department faculty member is required of the student majoring in biology.

Related Math and Science Courses – Precalculus and eight credits of another science, either chemistry or physics, are required of the student majoring in biology.

• MATH 142 Precalculus

And one of the following three pairings:

• CHEM 140 General Chemistry I
• CHEM 160 General Chemistry II

OR

• PHYS 154 Physics I (non-calc based)
• PHYS 164 Physics II (non-calc based)

OR

• PHYS 174 Physics I (calculus-based)
• PHYS 184 Physics II (calculus-based)

At Thiel College, education majors not only receive an outstanding liberal arts education and in-depth training in the classroom skills they need, but they also get the hands-on experience they need to be successful on Day 1. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn multiple endorsements with one program so that you’ll have the credentials to get the job you want. By law, teachers are required to be certified to teach in public schools. So, you’ll also receive the preparation you need to sit for state certification exams.