Bachelor of Science in Biology:
Grades 8-12 Life Science Education Concentration

Students in the Life Science Education concentration receive the Bachelor of Science in Biology degree. However, this concentration also includes courses from the College of Education, and is administered jointly by the Biology Program and the Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (SMTE) Program. The SMTE program does not offer a degree; rather, it acts as a clearinghouse of information for all students in the College of Science and Technology who are preparing to become K-12 educators, and it offers courses that are required to prepare students for teacher certifications.

The Bachelor of Science in Biology degree with a concentration in grades 8-12 Life Science Education requires a minimum of 124 semester hours. (Students may need to take additional hours to meet university requirements such as First-Year Seminar courses.)

General University Requirements—48 Semester Credit Hours (SCH)

Undergraduate students in the Biology Program take a set of General University Requirements. NOTE: Students in the Life Science Education concentration must choose General Psychology (PSYC 2301) for their University Core Social Science! Students may need to take additional hours to meet university requirements such as First-Year Seminar courses. Transfer students must also meet these requirements unless they have completed a core curriculum of 42 or more semester credit hours at another regionally accredited public institution of higher education in Texas.

A student (in consultation with his or her Faculty Mentor and Academic Advisor) selects appropriate electives to personalize the Sample 8-12 Biology Education Degree Plan. The current Undergraduate Catalog contains a description of the Biology Program and a list of Biology Course Descriptions; and a description of the SMTE Program and a list of SMTE Course Descriptions.

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Important Note: Laboratory Safety Seminar (SMTE 0091) is a co-requisite course for all courses in the Department of Life Sciences that have a laboratory component.

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Biology Teaching Core Courses (39 SCH):

Course #	Course Title	SCH
BIOL 1406	Biology I (hours included in University Core)	(4)
BIOL 1407	Biology II (hours included in University Core)	(4)
BIOL 2416	Genetics	4
BIOL 2421	Microbiology	4
BIOL 2472	Principles of Botany	4
BIOL 3410	Cell Biology	4
BIOL 3413	Invertebrate Zoology	4
BIOL 3414	Vertebrate Biology	4
Animal Structure and Function Choice (choose one)		4*
BIOL 3425	Functional Anatomy
BIOL 3430	Physiology
BIOL 3428	Principles of Ecology	4
BIOL 4085	Major Field Test in Biology	(0)
SMTE 4270	Science Education Topics I	2
SMTE 4271	Science Education Topics II	2
SMTE 4320	Secondary Science Laboratory Techniques	3

*Anatomy and Physiology I (BIOL 2401) will also satisfy this requirement.

Professional Development and Reading Sequence (27 SCH):

Course #	Course Title	SCH
READ 3353	Content Area Reading for Secondary Students	3
EDCI 3311	School and Society	3
EDCI 4606	Planning, Teaching, Assessment and Technology for Grades 8-12 Teachers	6
EDCI 4312	Classroom Management: Grades 8-12	3
EDCI 4322	Instructional Design for Special Populations: Grades 8-12	3
EDUC 4993	Student Teaching: Grades 8-12	9

Upper-Division Electives (choose 10 SCH):

Students may choose any upper-division science, psychology or mathematics courses for which they have taken the appropriate prerequisites.

Contact Information:

Cherie A. McCollough, Ph.D.
Liaison for the Grades 8-12 Life Science Education Concentration
ST-310A, Unit 5800
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive
Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5800
E-Mail: cherie.mccollough@tamucc.edu
Telephone: (361) 825-3166
FAX: (361) 825-2742