Geology Comprehensive Major: Secondary Licensure in Earth-Space Science Emphasis (with a 3+2 Master of Arts in Education)

The 3+2 Secondary and K-12 Licensure Program allows students to complete a B.A. in their academic major with an emphasis in Secondary and K-12 Licensure and a Master of Arts in Education in five years. Students apply to the program by December of their junior year. MUS majors interested in the program need to set up an individualized plan with their MUS and EDUC advisors.  To be accepted into the 3+2 Program, each student must: 

  • Provide letters of recommendation from at least one Education Department faculty member and one faculty member from the student's major
  • Prove content, as defined by the Colorado Department of Education
  • Be accepted into Western's Teacher Licensure Program
  • Successfully complete EDUC 340 (by Spring of junior year)
  • Be on track to complete all coursework required within the academic major

Upon satisfactory completion of these requirements, students will be designated as "MAED candidates with provisional acceptance." Upon completion of the final undergraduate credits for the Western B.A., students will be designated as "MAED degree-seeking students." Students who have completed all other requirements of the 3+2 Secondary and K-12 Licensure Degree Program and all Western undergraduate requirements, yet choose to leave the MAED program before Year Five, will still have completed the BA in Secondary and K-12 Licensure, have earned 120 credits necessary for a Western undergraduate degree, and be eligible to apply for initial teacher licensure . 

Program Requirements


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.

The Secondary Licensure in Earth-Space Science Emphasis requires a minimum of 64 credits.  In addition, the student must fulfill the requirements of the Secondary Licensure 3+2 Program (see description under Education), and the following:

Geology Requirements
GEOL 101Physical Geology (GT-SC2)3
or GEOL 103 Earth and Energy Systems
GEOL 105Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1)1
GEOL 201Historical Geology (with laboratory)4
GEOL 302Geoscience Writing2
GEOL 310Stratigraphy and Sedimentation (with laboratory)4
GEOL 315Earth Materials (with laboratory)4
GEOL 320Geomorphology (with laboratory)4
GEOL 345Structural Geology (with laboratory)4
GEOL 450Field Geology4
Required Supporting Courses
BIOL 150Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1)4
BIOL 151Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory)4
CHEM 111General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)3
CHEM 112General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1)1
CHEM 113General Chemistry II3
CHEM 114General Chemistry Laboratory II1
MATH 141Precalculus (GT-MA1)4
or MATH 151 Calculus I (GT-MA1)
PHYS 110Introductory Astronomy (GT-SC2)3
PHYS 120Meteorology (GT-SC2)3
Select one of the following pairs of courses:8
Principles of Physics I (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1)
AND
Principles of Physics II (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1)
OR
General Physics I (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1)
AND
General Physics II (GT-SC2)
and Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1)
Total Credits64
Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
Gen Ed General Education courses 6
GEOL 101 Physical Geology (GT-SC2) 3
GEOL 105 Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) 1
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
 Credits14
Spring
BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) 4
Gen Ed General Education course 3
GEOL 201 Historical Geology (with laboratory) 4
MATH 141 Precalculus (GT-MA1) (or higher, depending on MATH placement) 1 4
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) 3
CHEM 112 General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) 1
Gen Ed General Education course 3
GEOL 302 Geoscience Writing 2
GEOL 310 Stratigraphy and Sedimentation (with laboratory) 4
PHYS 110 Introductory Astronomy (GT-SC2) 3
 Credits16
Spring
BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with laboratory) 4
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
CHEM 113 General Chemistry II 3
CHEM 114 General Chemistry Laboratory II 1
GEOL 345 Structural Geology (with laboratory) 4
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
BIOL 301 GENERAL ECOLOGY 3
GEOL 305 Mineralogy (with laboratory) 4
GEOL 320 Geomorphology (with laboratory) 4
GEOL 495 Geology Seminar 1
PHYS 170
Principles of Physics I (GT-SC2)
or General Physics I (GT-SC2)
3
PHYS 185 Laboratory Physics I (GT-SC1) 1
 Credits16
Spring
EDUC 340 Application of Pedagogy and Practice 3
Gen Ed General Education courses 6
PHYS 120 Meteorology (GT-SC2) 3
PHYS 171
Principles of Physics II (GT-SC2)
or General Physics II (GT-SC2)
3
PHYS 186 Laboratory Physics II (GT-SC1) 1
 Credits16
Summer
GEOL 450 Field Geology 4
 Credits4
Year Four
Fall
EDUC 603 Content Area Learning 3
EDUC 604 Learning Environments 3
EDUC 605 Curriculum Development and Assessment 3
EDUC 609 Secondary Student Teaching 3
EDUC 624 Managing to Differentiate 3
 Credits15
Spring
EDUC 606 Reading and Writing Across the Content Areas 3
EDUC 607 Rethinking Learning in the 21st Century 3
EDUC 609 Secondary Student Teaching 3
EDUC 629 Inclusion and English Learners 3
 Credits12
 Total Credits123
1

Geology requires completion of mathematics through Calculus II.  Additional mathematics courses may be required and would fill Elective courses as needed.