Biology with Teaching Major
Graduate with the knowledge to teach secondary school biology with the Bachelor of Science in Biology with Teaching in 51¶¯Âþ’s College of Science and Technology. Intended to prepare Biology Majors for a career in STEM education, the 124-credit-hour Biology with Teaching degree is available through 51¶¯Âþ’s interdisciplinary TUteach program. Study the principles that regulate living organisms, from molecules and cells to individuals and ecosystems. Gain the expertise to teach these principles to secondary school students.
Biology with Teaching
The Biology with Teaching degree prepares you to teach secondary school biology with firsthand experience in the classroom through student-teaching apprenticeships in Philadelphia district schools. TUteach coursework helps you create inquiry-based lesson plans, develop impactful teaching skills, manage a classroom, and prepare to work in underrepresented and diverse communities.
Because TUteach includes classes in both the College of Science and Technology and the College of Education and Human Development, you’ll graduate with a solid grounding in STEM education. Coursework focuses on
- designing activities and evaluating their outcomes,
- participating in field work specific to STEM, and
- understanding how students learn and retain information.
The curriculum provides the basis for expertise across disciplines such as cell biology, ecology, microbiology, molecular biology and neurobiology. Study life and living organisms, including their chemical composition and development, in the Biology Department’s state-of-the-art labs. You’ll learn to critically evaluate experimental data, become familiar with laboratory procedures and have opportunities to participate in research.
Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared to use this background in biology to help students in different grade levels and with a variety of learning styles form an understanding of, and an interest in, biology. You’ll become an integral part of their STEM education experience, helping foster their long-term interest in the sciences.
Since the state of Pennsylvania has specific candidacy requirements, TUteach advisors will counsel you on how to successfully submit the documents necessary to become a candidate for the Pennsylvania Department of Education PRAXIS certification exam. The required PRAXIS exam assesses the skills and knowledge of all individuals preparing to become teachers for kindergarten through grade 12. The PRAXIS exam you take depends on the state in which you want to become licensed and the discipline you want to teach.