Comprehensive Science Education

This is an archived copy of the 2020-21 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.

Major Requirements

Major: Comprehensive Science Education

Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 120

University Degree Requirements

  1. Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
  2. Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework.  Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
  3. Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
  4. A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
  5. At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
  6. Transfer Students: Must earn a minimum of 60 credits from a baccalaureate-degree granting or professional institution. 
    1. Of these 60, at least 36 must be NDSU resident credits as defined in #7.
    2. Within the 36 resident credits, a minimum of 15 must be in courses numbered 300 or higher and 15 credits in the major field of study.
  7. At least 36 credits must be NDSU resident credits.  Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.

For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.

University General Education Requirements

Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits39
  •  A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.

Major Requirements

Comprehensive Science Education Requirements
BIOL 124
124L
Environmental Science
and Environmental Science Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S and G)
4
ENGL 324Writing in the Sciences (May satisfy general education category C)3
STAT 330Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R)3
Teaching Specialty Requirements
Primary Concentration - Select one primary concentration from biology, chemistry, earth science, physics. Concentrations listed below.24-25
Secondary Concentration - Two secondary concentrations from the science area not selected for the primary concentration.24-28
Teritary Concentration - One teritary concentration from the science area not selected for the primary or secondary areas.8
Math Requirements
Select the math requirement based on choice of primary concentration. See math requirement section below.3-18
Professional Education Requirements
EDUC 321Introduction to Teaching3
EDUC 322Educational Psychology3
EDUC 451Instructional Planning, Methods and Assessment3
EDUC 481Classroom Practice Methods of Teaching I:2-3
EDUC 482Classroom Practice/Methods of Teaching II:2-3
EDUC 485Student Teaching Seminar1
EDUC 486Classroom Management for Diverse Learners3
EDUC 487Student Teaching9
EDUC 488Applied Student Teaching3
EDUC 489Teaching Students of Diverse Backgrounds3
Total Credits101-123
Primary Concentration
Select one primary concentration from biology, chemistry, earth science, or physics.
Biology (24 credits)
BIOL 150
150L
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory
4
BIOL 151
151L
General Biology II
and General Biology II Laboratory
4
BIOL 252Plant and Animal Diversity3
BIOL 315
315L
Genetics
and Genetics Laboratory
4
BIOL 359Evolution3
BIOL 364General Ecology3
MICR 202
202L
Introductory Microbiology
and Introductory Microbiology Lab
3
Chemistry (24 credits)
Select one introductory chemistry sequence (A or B)8
Sequence A:
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Laboratory
Sequence B:
Principles of Chemistry I
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I
Principles of Chemistry II
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory II
CHEM 341
341L
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
4
CHEM 342
342L
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory
4
CHEM 425Inorganic Chemistry I3
CHEM 431
431L
Analytical Chemistry I
and Analytical Chemistry I Laboratory
5
Earth Science (25 credits)
GEOL 105
105L
Physical Geology
and Physical Geology Lab
4
GEOL 106
106L
The Earth Through Time
and The Earth Through Time Lab
4
GEOL 350Invertebrate Paleontology3
GEOL 303Paleontology Field Course1
GEOL 412Geomorphology3
GEOL 420
GEOL 421
Mineralogy
and Mineralogy Laboratory
4
PHYS 110Introductory Astronomy3
SOIL 217Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology3
Physics (24 credits)
PHYS 171Introductory Projects in Physics1
PHYS 215Research For Undergraduates1-3
PHYS 251
251L
251R
University Physics I
and University Physics I Laboratory
and University Physics I Recitation
6
PHYS 252
252L
252R
University Physics II
and University Physics II Laboratory
and University Physics II Recitation
6
PHYS 350Modern Physics3
PHYS 355Classical Mechanics3
PHYS 361Electromagnetic Theory3
Secondary Concetration
Select two secondary concentrations not selected as the primary.
Biology (14 credits)
BIOL 150
150L
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory
4
BIOL 151
151L
General Biology II
and General Biology II Laboratory
4
BIOL 252Plant and Animal Diversity3
BIOL 359Evolution3
Chemistry (12 credits)
Select one introductory chemistry sequence (A or B)8
Sequence A:
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Laboratory
Sequence B:
Principles of Chemistry I
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I
Principles of Chemistry II
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory II
CHEM 341
341L
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
4
Earth Science (14 credits)
GEOL 105
105L
Physical Geology
and Physical Geology Lab
4
GEOL 106
106L
The Earth Through Time
and The Earth Through Time Lab
4
PHYS 110Introductory Astronomy3
SOIL 217Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology3
Physics (12 credits)
PHYS 110
110L
Introductory Astronomy
and Introductory Astronomy Lab
4
PHYS 211
211L
College Physics I
and College Physics I Laboratory
4
PHYS 212
212L
College Physics II
and College Physics II Laboratory
4
Teritary Concentration
Select one tertiary concentration not selected as the primary or secondary concentrations.
Biology (8 credits)
BIOL 150
150L
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory
4
BIOL 151
151L
General Biology II
and General Biology II Laboratory
4
Chemistry (8 credits)
Select one introductory chemistry sequence (A or B)8
Sequence A:
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Laboratory
Sequence B:
Principles of Chemistry I
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I
Principles of Chemistry II
and Principles of Chemistry Laboratory II
Earth Science (8 credits)
GEOL 105
105L
Physical Geology
and Physical Geology Lab
4
GEOL 106
106L
The Earth Through Time
and The Earth Through Time Lab
4
Physics (8 credits)
PHYS 211
211L
College Physics I
and College Physics I Laboratory
4
PHYS 212
212L
College Physics II
and College Physics II Laboratory
4
Math Requirements
Select the math requirement based on the choice of primary concentration.
Biology or Earth Science (3-4 credits)
MATH 105Trigonometry3 or 4
or MATH 146 Applied Calculus I
Chemistry (8 credits)
MATH 165Calculus I4
MATH 166Calculus II4
Physics (18 credits)
MATH 165Calculus I4
MATH 166Calculus II4
MATH 265Calculus III4
MATH 266Introduction to Differential Equations3
MATH 129Basic Linear Algebra3
or MATH 329 Intermediate Linear Algebra

Degree Requirements and Notes

  • See School of Education for admission requirements.
  • Courses taken P/F may not be used to satisfy any requirements.
  • A grade of ‘C’ or better is required in all professional education courses.
  • To be placed in student teaching, a 2.75 cumulative GPA and a 2.75 GPA in professional education coursework is required.
  • To exit the program, a 2.75 cumulative GPA and a 2.75 GPA in professional education coursework is required as well as completing the Praxis Subject test and the Principles of Learning and Teaching test.