Earth Science Education
This is an archived copy of the 2019-20 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.
Earth Science involves the study of earth and space systems, including areas such as astronomy, geology, meteorology and oceanography.
The Program
Candidates in the Earth Science Education major are prepared to teach a diverse curriculum to a diverse student population. The Earth Science Education student should work closely with an advisor to be sure that the general education courses taken will provide a strong foundation for the advanced courses in the major.
Professional Education Courses
Students may enroll in the 300-level professional education courses before being formally admitted to the School of Education (SOE). Prior to enrolling in the 400-level courses, students must complete the application for admission to the SOE; attain a minimum of a 2.75 grade point average overall in their course work, education courses, and teaching specialty courses; and pass the Core Academic Skills for Educators exam(s). Requirements for admission can be found on the School of Education website.
Student Teaching
Student teaching is the culmination of the teaching program. Students have the opportunity to apply skills acquired in college courses under the supervision of an experienced science educator.
Student Advisement
Students will be assigned individual advisors who will work closely in program planning and in other ways to advise and assist them. Students are encouraged to seek their advisors' help whenever needed.
Certification
Upon completing this program, students are eligible for certification to teach earth science education in most states. The program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Career Opportunities
In many states, Earth Science is taught in middle school. This limits the number of opportunities for candidates. Candidates are encouraged to consider adding coursework in other science disciplines to increase teacher licensure areas. Candidates may also choose to add a Geology/Geosciences major to increase options after graduation.
Plan of Study
Please note this is a sample plan of study and not an official curriculum. Actual student schedules for each semester will vary depending on start year, education goals, applicable transfer credit, and course availability. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor on a regular basis to review degree progress and customize an individual plan of study.
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
CHEM 121 or 150 (Must be matching lecture and lab) | 3 | CHEM 122 or 151 (Must be matching lecture and lab) | 3 |
CHEM 121L or 160 (Must be matching lecture and lab) | 1 | CHEM 122L or 161 (Must be matching lecture and lab) | 1 |
GEOL 105 | 3 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
GEOL 105L | 1 | GEOL 106 | 3 |
ENGL 110 | 4 | GEOL 106L | 1 |
PHYS 110 | 3 | MATH 107 | 4 |
15 | 15 | ||
Second Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
BIOL 124 | 3 | EDUC 322 | 3 |
BIOL 124L | 1 | GEOG 412 | 3 |
BIOL 150 | 3 | SOIL 217 | 3 |
BIOL 150L | 1 | STAT 330 | 3 |
COMM 110 | 3 | Social and Behavioral Science Gen. Ed. | 3 |
EDUC 321 | 3 | Apply to the School of Education | |
PHYS 211 | 3 | ||
PHYS 211L | 1 | ||
Complete Core Academic Skills Exam | |||
18 | 15 | ||
Third Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
EDUC 451 | 3 | EDUC 481 | 3 |
EDUC 489 | 3 | EDUC 486 | 3 |
GEOL 420 | 3 | GEOL 303 | 1 |
GEOL 421 | 1 | GEOL 350 | 3 |
Humanities/Fine Arts and Cultural Diversity Gen Ed | 3 | GEOL 422 | 3 |
Wellness Gen Ed | 2 | GEOL 423 | 1 |
15 | 14 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
ENGL 324 | 3 | EDUC 485 | 1 |
BIOL Elective | 3 | EDUC 487 | 9 |
GEOL Elective | 3 | EDUC 488 | 3 |
Humanities/Fine Arts Gen Ed | 3 | ||
Social and Behavioral Science Gen Ed | 3 | ||
Apply for Student Teaching | |||
Complete PLT (grades 7-12) Exam | |||
Complete Subject Area Assessment Exam | |||
15 | 13 | ||
Total Credits: 120 |