Biology Education, B.S.
Students interested in becoming a biology teacher in a 7th-12th grade setting must complete an accredited program which includes a baccalaureate degree and pass a licensure assessment. Students that successfully complete both the UVU professional teacher education program and meet licensure requirements will receive a baccalaureate in science degree in Biology Education and a Level two endorsement in Biology. This will allow them to teach Biology in 9th-12th grade as well as middle school science in 7th and 8th grade.
Matriculation Requirements
Admission to Professional Education status is a requirement for enrollment in professional studies level courses. Admission criteria includes:
- ENGL and MATH QL courses must have a grade C or higher.
- GPA of 3.0 or higher with no grade lower than a C in content area courses.
- Completion of all General Education requirements and 70% of content area courses.
- Pass LiveScan Criminal Background Check.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
| General Education Requirements | 38 Credits | |
| ENGL 1010 | Introduction to Academic Writing CC | 3 |
| or ENGH 1005 | Literacies and Composition Across Contexts CC | |
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing CC | 3 |
| MATH 1050 | College Algebra QL | 4 |
| or MATH 1055 | College Algebra with Preliminaries QL | |
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| US History to 1877 AS and US History since 1877 AS (6) | ||
| American Civilization AS (3) | ||
| US Economic History AS (3) | ||
| American Heritage AS (3) | ||
| American National Government AS (3) | ||
| Complete the following: | ||
| PHIL 2050 | Ethics and Values IH | 3 |
| or PHIL 205G | Ethics and Values IH GI | |
| HLTH 1100 | Personal Health and Wellness TE | 2 |
| or EXSC 1097 | Fitness for Life TE | |
| Distribution Courses: | ||
| BIOL 1610 | College Biology I BB | 4 |
| CHEM 1110 | Elementary Chemistry for the Health Sciences PP | 4 |
| PHYS 1010 | Elementary Physics PP | 3 |
| Humanities Distribution | 3 | |
| Fine Arts Distribution | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science Distribution | 3 | |
| Discipline Core Requirements | 83 Credits | |
| BIOL 1615 | College Biology I Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 1620 & BIOL 1625 | College Biology II and College Biology II Laboratory | 4 |
| Complete one of the following series: | 4 | |
| Microbiology for Health Professions BB and Microbiology for Health Professions Laboratory (4) | ||
| Cell Biology and Cell Biology Laboratory (4) | ||
| Take one of the following series: | 4 | |
| Vertebrate Zoology and Vertebrate Zoology Laboratory (4) | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology and Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory (4) | ||
| Human Physiology and Human Physiology Laboratory (4) | ||
| Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Laboratory (4) | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 6 | |
| Environmental Biology BB (3) | ||
| Guided Research Experience (1-3) | ||
| Developmental Biology (3) | ||
| Conservation Biology (3) | ||
| Freshwater Ecology (4) | ||
| Bioinformatics and Genome Analysis (4) | ||
| Genomics (3) | ||
| Biology Colloquium (0.5-1) Max of 1 credit | ||
| Student Research (1-4) Max of three credits. | ||
| Field Botany BB (3) | ||
| Plant Kingdom BB (4) | ||
| Flora of Utah BB (3) | ||
| Integrated Pest Management (undefined) | ||
| Mycology (4) | ||
| Plant Propagation (3) | ||
| Ethnobotany WE (4) | ||
| Plant Pathology (3) | ||
| Native Trees and Shrubs of Utah (3) | ||
| Microbial Ecology WE (4) | ||
| Microbiomes WE (3) | ||
| Pathogenic Microbiology (4) | ||
| Immunology (3) | ||
| Virology (3) | ||
| Emerging and Re Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses (3) | ||
| Herpetology (3) | ||
| Herpetology Laboratory (1) | ||
| Entomology (3) | ||
| Entomology Laboratory (1) | ||
| Mammalogy (3) | ||
| Mammalogy Laboratory (1) | ||
| Animal Behavior (3) | ||
| Parasitology (4) | ||
| Histology (4) | ||
| Comparative Vertebrate Zoology (3) | ||
| Comparative Vertebrate Zoology Laboratory (1) | ||
| Ornithology (4) | ||
| Neuroscience (4) | ||
| SCIE 2400 | Measurement and Analysis for Science Teachers | 3 |
| BIOL 3500 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 3550 | Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 3700 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 4500 | Principles of Evolution WE | 3 |
| BIOL 4940 | Student Seminar WE | 2 |
| BOT 3340 | Plant Biology | 4 |
| SCIE 4210 | Science Teaching Methods I | 3 |
| SCIE 4220 | Teaching Methods in Science II | 3 |
| CHEM 1115 | Elementary Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| GEO 1010 & GEO 1015 | Introduction to Geology PP and Introduction to Geology Laboratory | 4 |
| Education Courses: 1 | ||
| EDSC 1010 | Introduction to Education | 2 |
| EDSC 3000 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDSC 325G | Equitable Technology Integration GI | 2 |
| EDSP 340G | Exceptional Students GI | 2 |
| EDSC 4200 | Classroom Management I | 2 |
| EDSC 4250 | Classroom Management II | 2 |
| EDSC 445G | Multicultural and Multilingual Education | 3 |
| EDSC 4440 | Content Area Literacies | 3 |
| EDSC 455G | Secondary Curriculum Instruction and Assessment GI | 3 |
| EDSC 4850 | Student Teaching Secondary | 8 |
| EDSC 4990 | Teacher Assessment Project | 2 |
- 1
Must be completed with a grade of B- or higher.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the required minimum 121 credit hours.
- If an AA or AS degree has been earned, a maximum of 64 of these credits may apply toward the BS.
- At least 30 credit hours in residence at UVU or satellite sites are required, with 10 hours earned during the last 45 hours.
- A minimum of 40 credits must be upper-division (numbered 3000 or above).
- A minimum of 30 credits must be in the major (BIOL, BOT, MICR, or ZOOL prefixes), courses as follows: minimum of 9 Biology credits must be taken at UVU and a minimum of 20 Biology credits must be upper-division.
- Complete the appropriate application for graduation form.
- Successful completion of at least one Global/Intercultural course.
- Overall Grade of 3.0 (B) or above with no grade lower than a C or better in major required content courses and no grade lower than a B- in Licensure and Methods courses.
- Successful completion of at least two Writing Enriched courses.
Graduation Plan
This graduation plan is a sample plan and is intended to be a guide. Your specific plan may differ based on your Math and English placement and/or transfer credits applied. You are encouraged to meet with an advisor and set up an individualized graduation plan in Wolverine Track.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | |
| BIOL 1610 | College Biology I BB | 4 |
| BIOL 1615 | College Biology I Laboratory | 1 |
| ENGL 1010 or ENGH 1005 | Introduction to Academic Writing CC or Literacies and Composition Across Contexts CC | 3 |
| MATH 1050 or MATH 1055 | College Algebra QL or College Algebra with Preliminaries QL | 4 |
| American Institutions | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing CC | 3 |
| PHIL 2050 | Ethics and Values IH | 3 |
| HLTH 1100 or EXSC 1097 | Personal Health and Wellness TE or Fitness for Life TE | 2 |
| Fine Arts Distribution | 3 | |
| BIOL 1620 | College Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 1625 | College Biology II Laboratory | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Semester 3 | ||
| BIOL 3700 | General Ecology | 3 |
| CHEM 1110 | Elementary Chemistry for the Health Sciences PP | 4 |
| CHEM 1115 | Elementary Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| GEO 1010 | Introduction to Geology PP | 3 |
| GEO 1015 | Introduction to Geology Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 1010 | Elementary Physics PP | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| ZOOL 2320 | Human Anatomy | 3 |
| ZOOL 2325 | Human Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| Complete one of the following Combinations: | 4 | |
| MICR 2060 and MICR 2065 OR | ||
| BIOL 3400 and BIOL 3405 | ||
| SCIE 2400 | Measurement and Analysis for Science Teachers | 3 |
| BIOL 3550 | Molecular Biology | 3 |
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| Field Botany BB | ||
| Flora of Utah BB | ||
| Native Trees and Shrubs of Utah | ||
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Semester 5 | ||
| BOT 3340 | Plant Biology | 4 |
| Humanities Distribution | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science Distribution | 3 | |
| BIOL 3500 | Genetics | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| EDSC 1010 | Introduction to Education | 2 |
| BIOL 4940 | Student Seminar WE | 2 |
| EDSC 325G | Equitable Technology Integration GI | 2 |
| BIOL 4500 | Principles of Evolution WE | 3 |
| SCIE 4210 | Science Teaching Methods I | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Semester 7 | ||
| SCIE 4220 | Teaching Methods in Science II | 3 |
| EDSC 3000 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDSC 4440 | Content Area Literacies | 3 |
| EDSC 445G | Multicultural and Multilingual Education | 3 |
| EDSC 455G | Secondary Curriculum Instruction and Assessment GI | 3 |
| EDSC 4200 | Classroom Management I | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| EDSC 4250 | Classroom Management II | 2 |
| EDSC 4850 | Student Teaching Secondary | 8 |
| EDSC 4990 | Teacher Assessment Project | 2 |
| EDSP 340G | Exceptional Students GI | 2 |
| MICR 4500 | Virology | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
Program Learning Outcomes
- Apply the process of science through the use of hypothesis testing in the design and completion of scientific experiments.
- Critically evaluate scientific and educational information to make educational decisions.
- Quantitatively analyze educational data through graph interpretation, statistical analysis, and problem solving.
- Effectively communicate scientific information in both written and oral formats as is appropriate for a 7-12th grade classroom.
- Explain fundamental biological concepts including cell biology, genetics, evolution, ecological principles, organismal biology, and biodiversity.
- Apply scientific concepts to everyday life in a way that is relevant to 7-12th grade students.