College of Education > Academics > Teacher Education, Kinesiology and Educational Studies > Undergraduate > Secondary Education (BA/BS) > Major Requirements > Secondary Education Biology (BS)

Secondary Education Biology (BS)

Major Requirements

Course Requirements

Content Area Courses

Biology Core: 28 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required
Course Title Quarter Hours
BIO 191GENERAL BIOLOGY I FOR SCIENCE MAJORS4
BIO 192GENERAL BIOLOGY II FOR SCIENCE MAJORS4
BIO 193GENERAL BIOLOGY III FOR SCIENCE MAJORS4
BIO 250CELL BIOLOGY4
BIO 260GENETICS4
Select one of the following:4
BIO 215
ECOLOGY
BIO 235
EVOLUTION
Select one of the following:4
BIO 307
ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
BIO 308
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
BIO 309
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
Biology Electives: 12 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required

Biology electives cannot include courses designated as scientific inquiry. A minimum of 2 lab courses are required.

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select one BIO elective course4
Select one BIO elective course with lab4
Select one BIO elective course with lab4
Mathematics Core: 8 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required
Course Title Quarter Hours
Select one of the following:4-6
MAT 130
FUNCTIONS AND MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MAT 147
CALCULUS WITH INTEGRATED PRECALCULUS I
MAT 150
CALCULUS I
MAT 160
CALCULUS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE MAJORS I
MAT 170
CALCULUS FOR LIFE SCIENCES I
Select one of the following:4-6
MAT 131
PRECALCULUS AND TRIGONOMETRY
MAT 148
CALCULUS WITH INTEGRATED PRECALCULUS II
MAT 151
CALCULUS II
MAT 161
CALCULUS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE MAJORS II
MAT 171
CALCULUS FOR LIFE SCIENCES II
General Chemistry Core: 12 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required
Course Title Quarter Hours
CHE 130
CHE 131
GENERAL CHEMISTRY I
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY
4
CHE 132
CHE 133
GENERAL CHEMISTRY II
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II
4
CHE 134
CHE 135
GENERAL CHEMISTRY III
and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III
4
Organic Chemistry or Physics Series Core: 12 quarter hours required, grade of C- or better required
Course Title Quarter Hours
CHE 230
CHE 231
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I
4
or PHY 150 GENERAL PHYSICS I
CHE 232
CHE 233
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II
4
or PHY 151 GENERAL PHYSICS II
CHE 234
CHE 235
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY III
and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III
4
or PHY 152 GENERAL PHYSICS III
Introductory Courses: 20 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required
Course Title Quarter Hours
SCU 207SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL ISSUES IN EDUCATION4
TCH 302INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLE GRADES AND SECONDARY EDUCATION4
TCH 314THE NATURE OF SCIENCE4
TCH 324INQUIRY & APPLICATION IN DEVELOPING SCIENCE PEDAGOGY4
TCH 303CONCEPTIONS OF HEALTHY ADOLESCENCE4
Advanced Courses: 28 quarter hours required, grade of C or better required
Course Title Quarter Hours
SER 346STRATEGIES FOR MAINSTREAMING AND INCLUSION4
TCH 325LITERACY IN THE CONTENT AREAS4
TCH 374TEACHING THE SCIENCES IN THE MIDDLE GRADES AND HIGH SCHOOL 14
TCH 385TEACHING THE SCIENCES IN THE MIDDLE GRADES AND HIGH SCHOOL 24
TCH 380THE TEACHER AS PROFESSIONAL 14
TCH 395ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN THE MIDDLE GRADES AND SECONDARY EDUCATION4
BBE 301TEACHING ADOLESCENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND DIALECT SPEAKERS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM4
1

Taken in conjunction with TCH 385.

Student Teaching: 10 quarter hours required, grade of B- or better required

Registration in student teaching requires completion of all requirements and procedures in the college core section. EDU 95 indicates to the Illinois State Board of Education that all field experience hours are complete. All students also take TCH 387, Capstone Seminar with student teaching (listed in the Liberal Studies section).

Course Title Quarter Hours
TCH 392MIDDLE GRADES AND SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHING10
EDU 95CLINICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH (non-tuition, PA grade required)0

​​​​​​​Licensure Tests

All individuals licensed by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) are required to complete licensure tests specific to their teaching license. Secondary Education Biology majors must complete the following tests:

  • Science: Biology Content Area Test (test #105) – assesses knowledge of both biological science and physical science. Test is required before Student Teaching (deadlines apply).  ​​ 
  • EdTPA - assessment conducted during the student teaching experience including video clips of instruction, lesson plans, student work samples, analysis of student learning and reflective commentaries. Students will submit an electronic portfolio to an outside agency for independent evaluation and a fee will be imposed by that agency as part of the assessment.

Content displayed from this DePaul University catalog page.