Science Education (BS): Middle Grades Science Concentration
The Science Education: Middle Grades Science concentration (BS) degree is one of five undergraduate degree options in the Science Education program in the Department of STEM Education.听
This degree program prepares teacher-leaders to have a deep understanding of the pedagogical strategies to teach science in the middle grades. Students complete courses focused on the sciences and science education, obtain relevant pedagogical experiences while immersed in rich field experiences in science classrooms, and emphasize teaching science with technology. Upon successful completion of the program, students are recommended for an initial North Carolina teaching license in grades 6-8. They will be able to seek employment opportunities in education and make a positive difference in their communities.
The goals and objectives of the BS degree in Science Education are:
- To enable and ensure that each prospective teacher enriches his/her life through a comprehensive university education
- To develop the professional qualities and academic background needed to teach science to all student levels in the grade for which the teacher is certified
- To develop a general knowledge foundation upon which specialized professional knowledge is built, and upon which a well-rounded university education is the base
听
Coursework for the degree is divided into four types of knowledge:
- General pedagogical knowledge 鈥� the nature of learners and general principles of instruction
- Content-area knowledge 鈥� knowledge of the natural sciences
- Pedagogical content knowledge 鈥� principles of curriculum, instruction and assessment directly related to the natural sciences
- Context knowledge 鈥� understanding the culture of the school, community and society in which educational institutions exist and function
听
Students in this program also have the opportunity to participate in:听
- Undergraduate research听
- The student chapter of the NC Science Teachers Association (NCSTA), and other high impact experiences such as Passport to Success, SAY Village, and study abroad听
- Outreach and tutoring in local schools
听
For more information about this program, visit our .听
Contact
Department of STEM Education
North Carolina State 福利逼站
208 Poe Hall, 2310 Stinson Drive
Raleigh, NC 27695
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | |||
| ED听100 | Intro to Education 1 | 2 | |
| or听ED 150/151 | Students Advocating for Youth I | ||
| Communication/Advanced Writing | 3 | ||
| Choose from: | |||
| Public Speaking | |||
| Interpersonal Communication | |||
| Argumentation and Advocacy | |||
| Science Communication and Public Engagement | |||
| Literature and Medicine | |||
| Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing | |||
| Mathematics | |||
| MA听121 | Elements of Calculus | 3 | |
| or听MA听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | ||
| MA听231 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B | 3 | |
| or听ST听311 | Introduction to Statistics | ||
| Life Sciences | |||
| BIO听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 2 | 4 | |
| BIO听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 2 | 4 | |
| GN听301 | Genetics in Human Affairs 2 | 3 | |
| or听GN听311 | Principles of Genetics | ||
| Plant Biology Elective 2 | 3 | ||
Choose from: | |||
| Plant Life | |||
| Our Green World | |||
| Agricultural Biotechnology: Issues and Implications | |||
| Plants and Civilization | |||
| Local Flora | |||
| Plant Biology | |||
| Food & Nutrition Elective 2 | 3 | ||
Choose from: | |||
| Principles of Animal Nutrition | |||
| Animal Nutrition | |||
| Introduction to Human Nutrition | |||
| Introduction to Food Science | |||
| Physical Sciences | |||
| CH听101 &听CH听102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 | |
| PY听131 | Conceptual Physics 2 | 4 | |
| or听PY听211 | College Physics I | ||
| Earth and Space Sciences | |||
| MEA听101 &听MEA听110 | Geology I: Physical and Geology I Laboratory 2 | 4 | |
| MEA听130 &听MEA听135 | Introduction to Weather and Climate and Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory 2 | 4 | |
| PY听123 | Stellar and Galactic Astronomy 2 | 3 | |
| or听PY听124 | Solar System Astronomy | ||
| or听MEA听240 | The Planets of Our Solar System | ||
| Advised Science Electives 2 | 9 | ||
| Science Education | |||
| EMS听205 | Introduction to Teaching Science 3 | 2 | |
| EMS听373 | Instructional Materials in Science 1 | 3 | |
| EMS听375 | Methods of Teaching Science I 3 | 3 | |
| EMS听475 | Methods of Teaching Science II 3 | 3 | |
| EMS听476 | Student Teaching in Science 3 | 10 | |
| EMS听495 | Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1 | 2 | |
| General Education and Psychology | |||
| ED听204 | Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 1 | 2 | |
| ED听311 &听ED听312 | Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1 | 3 | |
| EDP听304 | Educational Psychology 1 | 3 | |
| ELP听344 | School and Society 1 | 3 | |
| ECI听306 | Middle Years Reading 1 | 3 | |
| ECI听309 | Teaching in the Middle Years 1 | 3 | |
| ECI听416 | Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 1 | 3 | |
| History and Philosophy of Science Education Elective | 3 | ||
| Free Electives | 0-6 | ||
| GEP Courses | |||
| ENG听101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| GEP Humanities (verify requirement) | 0-6 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences (verify requirement) | 0-3 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP Elective | 3 | ||
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives (verify requirement) | |||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 2
A grade of C or higher is required for science content courses, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted.
- 3
A grade of B- or higher is required.
- 4
Admission to the Professional Semester is required.
Advised Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANY 200+ Level AEC, BIO, BCH, BSC, CH, ENT, ES, MB, MEA, PB, PY, ZO | |||
| ANY GEP Natural Sciences course (except BIO听105/106, CH听111) | |||
| ANS听150 | Introduction to Animal Science | 3 | |
| ANS听205 | Physiology of Domestic Animals | 3 | |
| ANS听206 | Anatomy of Domestic Animals Lab | 1 | |
| ANS听220 | Reproductive Physiology | 3 | |
| ANS听221 | Reproductive Physiology Lab | 1 | |
| BIO听165 | |||
| CS听211 | Plant Genetics | 3 | |
| ES听100 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 3 | |
| ES听111 | Applications of Environmental Sciences | 1 | |
| ES听150 | Water and the Environment | 3 | |
| FOR听252 | Introduction to Forest Science | 3 | |
| FOR听260 | Forest Ecology | 4 | |
| FOR听261 | Forest Communities | 2 | |
| FOR听264 | Forest Wildlife | 1 | |
| FOR听339 | |||
| FW听353 | Wildlife Management | 3 | |
| FW听404 | Wildlife Habitat Management | 3 | |
| FW听405 | Tropical Wildlife Ecology | 3 | |
| FW听444 | Mammalogy | 3 | |
| FW听453 | Principles of Wildlife Science | 4 | |
| FW听460 | International Wildlife Management and Conservation | 3 | |
| NR听303 | Humans and the Environment | 3 | |
| NR听406 | Conservation of Biological Diversity | 3 | |
听History & Philosophy of Science Education Elective
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose from: | |||
| ECI听305 | Equity and Education | 3 | |
| HI听321 | Scientific Revolution and European Society, 1500-1800 | 3 | |
| HI听322 | Rise of Modern Science | 3 | |
| HI听323 | Science, American Style | 3 | |
| HI听341 | Technology in History | 3 | |
| HI听481 | History of the Life Sciences | 3 | |
| HI听482 | Darwinism in Science and Society | 3 | |
| HI听483 | Science and Religion in European History | 3 | |
| HI听484 | Science in European Culture | 3 | |
| HI听485 | History of American Technology | 3 | |
| PHI听340 | Philosophy of Science | 3 | |
| PHI听440 | The Scientific Method | 3 | |
| STS听210 | Women and Gender in Science and Technology | 3 | |
| STS听214 | Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | 3 | |
| STS听301 | Science and Civilization | 3 | |
| STS听302 | Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values | 3 | |
| STS听471 | Darwinism and Christianity | 3 | |
| STS听490 | Issues in Science, Technology, and Society | 3 | |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ED听100 or ED 150/151 | Intro to Education 1 or Students Advocating for Youth I | 2 |
| BIO听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 1 | 4 |
| MA听121 or MA听131 | Elements of Calculus or Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | 3 |
| ENG听101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 2 | 4 |
| MA听231 or ST听311 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B or Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| Plant Biology Elective | 3 | |
Choose from: | ||
| Plant Life | ||
| Our Green World | ||
| Agricultural Biotechnology: Issues and Implications | ||
| Plants and Civilization | ||
| Local Flora | ||
| Plant Biology | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Communication/Advanced Writing Req. | 3 | |
Choose from: | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Argumentation and Advocacy | ||
| Science Communication and Public Engagement | ||
| Literature and Medicine | ||
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MEA听101 &听MEA听110 | Geology I: Physical and Geology I Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| PY听123 | Stellar and Galactic Astronomy 2 or Solar System Astronomy or The Planets of Our Solar System | 3 |
| PY听131 or PY听211 | Conceptual Physics 2 or College Physics I | 4 |
| Food & Nutrition Elective 2 | 3 | |
Choose from: | ||
| Principles of Animal Nutrition | ||
| Animal Nutrition | ||
| Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
| Introduction to Food Science | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EMS听205 | Introduction to Teaching Science 3 | 2 |
| ED听204 | Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 2 | 2 |
| EDP听304 | Educational Psychology 2 | 3 |
| CH听101 &听CH听102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| MEA听130 &听MEA听135 | Introduction to Weather and Climate and Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory | 4 |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| EMS听373 | Instructional Materials in Science 1 | 3 |
| ECI听309 | Teaching in the Middle Years 1 | 3 |
| ELP听344 | School and Society 1 | 3 |
| History and Philosophy of Science Education Elective | 3 | |
| Advised Science Elective 2 | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EMS听375 | Methods of Teaching Science I 3 | 3 |
| ED听311 &听ED听312 | Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1 | 3 |
| ECI听306 | Middle Years Reading 1 | 3 |
| Advised Science Elective 2 | 3 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| EMS听475 | Methods of Teaching Science II 3 | 3 |
| ECI听416 | Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 1 | 3 |
| GN听301 | Genetics in Human Affairs 2 | 3 |
| Advised Science Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EMS听476 | Student Teaching in Science 3, 4 | 10 |
| EMS听495 | Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1, 4 | 2 |
| 听 | Hours | 12 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 120 |
- 1
A grade of C (2.0) or better is required for core content courses, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted.
- 2
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 3
B- or better is required
Career Opportunities
Career Titles
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
- Biology Professor
- Chemistry Professor
- Elementary School Teacher
- Environmental Science Professor
- High School Teacher
- Middle School Teacher
- Physics Professor
Learn More About Careers
Explore North Carolina鈥檚 central online resource for students, parents, educators, job seekers and career counselors looking for high quality job and career information.
Browse the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to view state and area employment and wage statistics. You can also identify and compare similar occupations based on your interests.
View videos that provide career details and information on wages, employment trends, skills needed, and more for any occupation. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
(NC State student email address required)
This career, major and education planning system is available to current NC State students to learn about how your values, interests, competencies, and personality fit into the NC State majors and your future career. An NC State email address is required to create an account. Make an appointment with your to discuss the results.
A career assessment tool designed to support prospective students in exploring and choosing the right major and career path based on your unique personality, interests, skills and values. Get started with Focus 2 Apply and see how it can guide your journey at NC State.