Program Requirements
The Secondary Licensure Emphasis requires a minimum of 59 credits including the 26-credit Biology Nucleus, eight additional credits in Biology and/or ESS, and 25 credits in supporting courses.
Students must fulfill the requirements for the Secondary Licensure Option (described under Education). Students interested in pursuing this comprehensive program should consult with the Teacher Education Program advisor in addition to the advisor in their major as soon as possible.
All Biology majors require the 26-credit Biology Nucleus.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Biology Nucleus | ||
| BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 310 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 312 | Genetics (with recitation) | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Biology and/or ESS courses | ||
| BIOL 201 | Introduction to Microbiology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| or BIOL 342 | Microbiology (with laboratory) | |
| Select one of the following: | 4-8 | |
| Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (with Lab) | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with laboratory) and Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with laboratory) | ||
| Total Credits | 8-12 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum supporting courses | ||
| CHEM 231 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 234 | Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| GEOL 201 | Historical Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| PHYS 110 | Introductory Astronomy (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| PHYS 120 | Meteorology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Total Credits | 25 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
EDUC 409 Secondary Student Teaching fulfills the Capstone Requirement for students completing this emphasis.
Western Watershed General Education Requirements
Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
Degree Plans are for planning purposes. They reflect a suggested plan to complete the degree in a projected timeframe per program of study.
"Western Watershed Course(s)” refers to a course from the Tributaries area of the Western Watershed program. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor.
Sample Plan
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BIOL 151 | Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) | 4 |
| CHEM 111 | General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| EDUC 000 | Education Gateway Course | 0 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters | 2 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 150 | Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| CHEM 113 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 |
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| Non-specific Western Watershed Course(s) | 6 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ESS 201 or BIOL 372 |
Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (with Lab) or Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with laboratory) |
4 |
| CHEM 231 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 234 | Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 301 | General Ecology | 3 |
| MATH 141 | Precalculus (GT-MA1) | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 310 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| PHYS 120 | Meteorology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| Non-Specific Western Watershed Course(s) | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 312 | Genetics (with recitation) | 4 |
| PHYS 110 | Introductory Astronomy (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| Non-Specific Western Watershed Course(s) | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| GEOL 201 | Historical Geology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| BIOL 201 | Introduction to Microbiology (with laboratory) | 4 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
| WWGE 301/302/303/304 | Delta | 1 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDUC 403 | Instruction & Assessment in Content Area | 3 |
| EDUC 404 | Creating Positive Learning Environments | 3 |
| EDUC 405 | Data-driven Instructional Practices | 3 |
| EDUC 409 | Secondary Student Teaching | 3 |
| EDUC 424 | Differentiation: Applying Learner-Centered Instruction | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 406 | Content Area Literacy | 3 |
| EDUC 407 | Maximizing Learning through 21st Century Skills | 3 |
| EDUC 409 | Secondary Student Teaching | 3 |
| EDUC 429 | Teaching English Learners for Secondary and K-12 Teachers | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Western is committed to doing our part to provide each student a clear path to graduation. This four‐year degree plan is a sample map for fulfilling requirements in the major and General Education. The pathway that you take to your degree may differ somewhat from this illustration, depending on where you start and the detours and side trips you may take along the way. You are responsible for ensuring your overall, upper division, and major‐specific credits as well as GPA requirements are fulfilled for graduation.