A description of MSUTeach and specific coursework for the MSUTeach Biology Track can be found in the MSUTeach Program section of the College of Science.
TEP Admission Requirements
Students seeking teacher certification must apply for and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP). Additionally, to enroll in the clinical practice and meet state certification requirements, students must maintain a GPA of 2.75 overall (in all course work), as well as in professional education courses, with no grade lower than a "C" in professional education courses.
Courses marked with an asterisk (*) require admission to the Teacher Education Program.
Program Requirements
- Admission to MSU with an assigned academic advisor.
- Pursuance of program completion leading to teacher certification.
- Completion of at least 30 credit hours.
- Minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale; or a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on the last thirty (30) credit hours. All college courses attempted must be a part of the applicant's MSU transcript. Transcripts must reflect all transfer coursework completed to date. All transfer courses, as well as MSU credit, are used in calculating the GPA.
- Completion of the following five core courses with grades of “C” or better:
- ENG 100 – Writing I
- Mathematics General Education Requirement, as required by program
- COMS 108 – Fundamentals of Speech Communication
- EDF 207 – Foundations of Education (CTE and Agriculture Teaching candidates may substitute CTE 207) or UTCH 100 (MSUTeach programs)
- EDF 211 – Human Growth and Development (IECE candidates may substitute EDEC 253) or UTCH 150 (MSUTeach programs)
Testing Requirements
TEP candidates must obtain the following scores on the ACT exam:
- Composite score of 22 or the corresponding minimum scores: Reading (20), English (18), and Mathematics (19),
OR, the following scores on the Praxis I Core Skills for Educators exam:
- Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Combined 5752 Computer OR
- Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics 5733 Computer (Minimum score 150) and
- Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading 5713 Computer (Minimum score 156) and
- Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing 5723 Computer (Minimum score 162)
An applicant may use a combination of ACT and Praxis I minimum scores to meet testing requirements. If an applicant is within five points of one or more of the corresponding minimum scores of the Praxis I assessments, the candidate may be admitted if the candidate has a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. For information about the Praxis exams and to register for the test, please visit the Praxis website at https://praxis.ets.org/.
Program Competencies
Students graduating with the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology should possess the following:
- Written, oral and interpersonal communication skills in the sciences that will allow the graduate to collect, analyze, interpret, utilize and present information that is contemporary in the biological sciences.
- An awareness of the basic concepts of the physical and biological sciences and how these concepts are applicable in the profession.
- An awareness of the importance of the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, health sciences as well as the biological and physical sciences to the human community.
- A basic understanding of literacy of all disciplines of biology, from molecular to cellular to organismal to population levels that unite organismal, continuity, diversity and unity of life.
- A general competency in basic inorganic and organic chemistry as well as in introductory physics, mathematics and statistics.
Assessment
- Department exit examination scores administered in the capstone course.
- Laboratory skills performance assessments administered in selected program core biology courses.
- Performance of graduates on entrance examinations to post-baccalaureate programs (GRE, MCAT, PCAT, DAT).
- Praxis II, Biology Content Knowledge, examination scores.
- Employer feedback.
- Graduate feedback.
- Core Academic Skills for Educators (CASE) Testing Series and/or ACT for TEP admission.
- Praxis II, Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 examination scores.
Program Requirements
General Education
Refer to the General Education section for a complete listing of general education requirements for the University. Program requirements that are also general education requirements will count in both places (as applicable).
Area Requirements
Biological Sciences Core Requirements:
Choose one of the following:
Choose one of the following:
Choose one of the following:
| PHYS 201 | Elementary Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 231 | Engineering Physics I | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4-5 |
Choose one of the following:
Choose one of the following
| MATH 353 | Statistics | 3 |
| MATH 365 | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3 |
MSUTeach Track Requirements
| BIOL 155 | Environmental Biology | 3 |
| UTCH 100 | Step 1: Inquiry Approaches to Teaching | 1 |
| UTCH 150 | Step 2: Inquiry-Based Lesson Design | 1 |
| UTCH 200 | Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science | 3 |
| UTCH 250 | Perspectives on Science and Mathematics | 3 |
| UTCH 300 | Classroom Interactions* | 3 |
| UTCH 360 | Research Methods | 3 |
| UTCH 410 | Project-Based Instruction* | 3 |
| UTCH 450 | Apprentice Teaching | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 32 |
Note: Enrollment in UTCH 450 requires admission into the Teacher Education Program (TEP).
Choose two of the following:
Note: BIOL 317 and BIOL 380 cannot count as both Biology track electives and other required program hours.
Free Electives