Secondary Education, M.A.T., Biological Science Concentration (Traditional Program)
This program is for those with a baccalaureate degree and undergraduate coursework in Biology who seek Illinois secondary education licensure. Graduates will be eligible for a Professional Educator License endorsed for secondary education/Biology (grades 9 to 12). Visit Licensure and Endorsement at NLU for more details.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
PLO1. Content Knowledge: Effective teachers of science understand and articulate the knowledge and practices of contemporary science. They interrelate and interpret important concepts, ideas, and applications in their fields of licensure.
PLO2. Content Pedagogy: Effective teachers of science understand how students learn and develop scientific knowledge. Preservice teachers use scientific inquiry to develop this knowledge for all students.
PLO3. Learning Environments: Effective teachers of science are able to plan for engaging all students in science learning by setting appropriate goals that are consistent with knowledge of how students learn science and are aligned with state and national standards. The plans reflect the nature and social context of science, inquiry, and appropriate safety considerations. Candidates design and select learning activities, instructional settings, and resources--including science-specific technology, to achieve those goals; and they plan fair and equitable assessment strategies to evaluate if the learning goals are met.
PLO4. Safety: Effective teachers of science can, in a P-12 classroom setting, demonstrate and maintain chemical safety, safety procedures, and the ethical treatment of living organisms needed in the P-12 science classroom appropriate to their area of licensure.
PLO5. Impact on Student Learning: Effective teachers of science provide evidence to show that P-12 students’ understanding of major science concepts, principles, theories, and laws have changed as a result of instruction by the candidate and that student knowledge is at a level of understanding beyond memorization. Candidates provide evidence for the diversity of students they teach.
PLO6. Professional Knowledge and Skills: Effective teachers of science strive continuously to improve their knowledge and understanding of the ever changing knowledge base of both content, and science pedagogy, including approaches for addressing inequities and inclusion for all students in science. They identify with and conduct themselves as part of the science education community.
In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better in Biology coursework
- Have 12 semester hours of upper division courses in Biology completed with a grade of "B" or better
- Pass the Content test in Biology
In addition, the Biological Science endorsement requires:
- A major in Biology from a regionally accredited institution or a minimum of 24 SH of coursework in Biology with 10 SH of laboratory courses and at least one course in each of the areas listed below:
- One course in Chemistry
- One course in Earth Science/Space Science
- One course in Environmental Science
- One course in Physics
- 6 SH in Math—must be above College Algebra
Program Details:
- Requires 33 SH for completion
- Requires student teaching. Student teachers spend a minimum of 11 weeks in the classroom at an assigned school.
Required Courses
MAT Core - 2 SH
| EPS 511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | 2 |
Secondary Education – Biological Science Requirements - 25 SH
| CIL 505 | Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| RLR 540 | Teaching Content Area Literacy at the Middle and Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 502 | Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 510 | Methods of Teaching Biological Sciences at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 590A | Student Teaching Seminar | 6 |
| SPE 500 | Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
Note: SEC 510 must be taken for 5 semester hours.
Secondary Education Elective Options - 6 SH
Choose one pair of the courses below:
| CIL 500 | Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education | 3 |
| and | |
| CIL 510 | Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Education Students | 3 |
| or | |
| MGE 501 | Introduction to Middle Grades Education: Young Adolescents in Context I | 2 TO 3 |
| and | |
| MGE 509 | Integrated Curriculum in the Middle Grades | 1 TO 3 |
| or | |
| MHE 509 | Topics in Calculus and Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| and | |
| MHE 512 | Topics and Applications of Statistics and Probability | 3 |
| or | |
| RLW 541 | Teaching Writing | 2 TO 3 |
| and | |
| RLL 520 | Survey of Youth Literature, PreK-12 | 3 |
| or | |
| RLR 502 | Teaching Comprehension and Content Area Reading | 3 |
| or | |
| SPE 501 | Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| and | |
| SPE 506 | Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education | 3 |
The following courses are required for licensure:
| CIL 505 | Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| EPS 511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | 2 |
| RLR 540 | Teaching Content Area Literacy at the Middle and Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 502 | Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 510 | Methods of Teaching Biological Sciences at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 590A | Student Teaching Seminar | 6 |
| SPE 500 | Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
Note: Candidates may become licensed prior to completion of the M.A.T. degree, and have six years from the beginning of coursework to complete the degree. Candidates are strongly advised to complete the degree.
Secondary Education Student Teaching Enrollment Requirements
Admission to and continuance in student teaching are contingent on the following actions.
Candidates must:
- Be accepted into the graduate program of National College of Education
- File, by the designated deadline, the application form for student teaching
- Submit to their advisor a report of a TB test taken within 90 days of the student teaching placement, results of criminal background check and acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter status form
- Turn in a signed log of all the pre-clinical hours specified in their pre-clinical hours required for the program
- Complete all of their licensure courses except for SEC 590A (Student Teaching)
- Pass all methods courses at National Louis University with a grade no lower than a B
- Participate in faculty assessment and receive approval of his or her portfolio (Livetext)
- Provide evidence of emotional stability, adequate personality adjustment and competency as indicated by licensure coursework and departmental assessments