Four new programs at St. Bonaventure University enable students who want to teach secondary biology, chemistry, mathematics or physics to earn a bachelor’s degree in one of those subjects while completing initial New York state teaching certification requirements.

 

The new programs complement the university’s existing adolescence education program, whereby students enroll in the School of Education and pursue a Bachelor of Science in adolescence education, choosing a particular subject (biology, chemistry, etc.) in which to become certified to teach.

 

The difference is in the academic degree earned. Rather than earning a Bachelor of Science in education, students in the new programs earn a B.S. in one of the four STEM fields: biology, chemistry, mathematics or physics.

 

“Some students know they want to teach secondary math or biology, for instance, but they want their degree to be in that particular STEM field. These new programs give them that opportunity,” said Dr. David Hilmey, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

 

Students in these programs complete a major in one of the four STEM fields that is especially tailored to New York state adolescence education requirements for that field. So a biology-adolescence education major, for instance, earns a Bachelor of Science in biology. At the same time, the program ensures that the student has met the academic requirements for initial certification in adolescence education in biology.

 

The programs are quite rigorous, requiring more courses and credit hours than most undergraduate majors. Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average to advance through the program, as well as complete School of Education student-teaching and other requirements.

 

For more information on these programs, visit www.sbu.edu and search for biology, chemistry, mathematics or physics.

 

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2020, St. Bonaventure was named the #2 regional university value in New York and #3 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.