Prospective Certification Candidates
Retention in Program
Sample Undergraduate Course Sequence
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Prospective
Certification Candidates in
Earth and Space Science or
Environmental Science
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Prospective Certification Candidates Retention in Program Sample Undergraduate Course Sequence Home |
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Individuals
wishing to receive an Initial
Secondary Teaching Certificate
to teach Earth and Space Science
or Environmental Science at
the middle or high school
levels
should apply for admission to NIU. Students may not be admitted to the
Initial
Teacher Certification program until they are enrolled at NIU. Admission to the university or to a degree
program does not necessarily constitute acceptance into the Geology
certification programs. If prospective teacher candidates are
not admitted to a Geology certification program, they cannot take the
requisite certification courses in the program and they will not be
recommended by NIU for licensure.
Certification requires the minimum of a baccalaureate degree or 32 upper division credit hours. Certification may be obtained concurrently or after successful completion of a degree program. Students may pursue certification under four student classifications. Undergraduate: Student is seeking certification and a first baccalaureate degree. Normally, the degree will be the Bachelor of Science in Geology and Environmental Geosciences: Earth Science Education Emphasis. Postgraduate: Student already holds a baccalaureate degree but has chosen to pursue certification as an undergraduate. If the first degree is in another area, a second baccalaureate degree may also be sought. Students often select this option when they do not have a geology degree and need to take undergraduate level geoscience courses, usually electing to obtain a B.S. in Geology concurrently. It is possible to switch status from post-graduate to either student-at-large or graduate student. Graduate: Student has been admitted to the graduate program and is concurrently pursuing both certification and an advanced degree. It is not necessary to complete the degree before completing the teacher certification program. One advantage of being either a graduate student or student-at-large is that either graduate or undergraduate courses may be taken to meet some requirements. Student at Large: Student is pursuing certification as a graduate student but has not been admitted to a degree program. Students elect this option when they are unsure whether they wish to pursue a Masters or if they do not have time to complete the lengthy application process for admission to a graduate program before starting certification course work. It is always possible to switch status from student-at-large to graduate student if admitted to the graduate program. Application for admission to the certification program must be made, in writing, to the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences. The application packet may be downloaded here. Due to the additional courses required for certification, the regular undergraduate program is very difficult to complete in eight semesters. Therefore, prospective students should immediately consult the Geology Certification Coordinator. Early advising may significantly shorten the amount of time required to complete both the degree and certification. Top |
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| Retention |
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Admission
to the Department of Geology and
Environmental Geosciences teacher certification program does not guarantee continued acceptance. A
student must:
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| Sample
Undergraduate Course Sequence |
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The Programs of Courses and associated Four-Year Schedules of Courses below
are examples of how an undergraduate student might meet specific course
requirements and be given appropriate opportunities to demonstrate
competencies in the required certification standards. Note that the
examples make certain assumptions concerning the student's academic
preparation and needs that may not apply to a specific
individual. These examples are
for illustrative purposes only and should never be used for
self-advising.
Top
Example
Program of Courses for Initial Teacher Certification Program in
Earth and Space Science
with B.S. Degree in Geology and Environmental Geosciences General Education
Content and Pedagogy
Total Program Hours - Degree and Certification2: 120 1The science area content exam covers all areas of science. To assure the best possible performance on the test, candidates must take a full year of both biological science (208/210 & 209/211) and physics (210 & 211), in addition to GEOG 105 and the year of chemistry (210/212 & 211/213) that fulfilled the general education science requirements. 2Total assumes that candidate is able to place into the required mathematics and chemistry courses. Top Example
Four-Year Class Schedule for Initial Teacher Certification Program in
Earth and Space Science
with B.S. Degree in Geology and Environmental Geosciences
*Note: students normally spend 60-80+ in school observations during this semester. Top Example
Program of Courses for Initial Teacher Certification Program in
Environmental Science
with B.S. Degree in Geology and Environmental Geosciences General
Education
Content and Pedagogy
Total Program Hours - Degree and Certification2: 124 1The science area content exam covers all areas of science. To assure the best possible performance on the test, candidates must take a full year of both biological science (208/210 & 209/211) and physics (210 & 211), in addition to GEOG 105 and the year of chemistry (210/212 & 211/213) that fulfilled the general education science requirements. 2Total assumes that candidate is able to place into the required mathematics and chemistry courses. Top with B.S. Degree in
Geology and Environmental Geosciences
1Students normally spend 60-80+ in school observations during this semester. 2No other courses are to be taken while student teaching as this is more than a fulltime job. Home |
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