Science Education B.S.

• Information and Policies
• Requirements and Planners

Information and Policies

Introduction Expand and Collapse

Twenty-first century science educators must be able to help their students develop and apply a scientific perspective to a wide range of information. The science education major is designed to prepare future secondary science teachers in California with a broad background across the sciences—the physical sciences, life sciences, Earth sciences, and space sciences—with advanced specialization in two fields of science (chosen from physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth sciences). The major integrates education coursework and middle and high school classroom internships designed to develop skills and knowledge relevant to teaching K-12 students in the state of California. The major is mainly intended to prepare students for teacher certification programs and the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET), so that they can teach science in California high schools. 

Cal Teach is one home base for all students in this major, no matter the choices for specialization. Cal Teach (CaT) provides the required sequence of middle and high school-based internships and associated courses in partnership with schools throughout Santa Cruz County. Each internship placement depends on school schedules and the intern’s schedule, interests, and academic preparation. The CaT seminar courses provide the framework for science education majors to develop classroom-management strategies, practice communicating scientific concepts for non-specialists (children), and design lessons to teach the science standards currently used in K-12 education. Departmental advising is provided by the Physics Department and the program faculty.

The program is designed to prepare outstanding candidates to enter teaching credential programs after completion. Students earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. They do not earn a teaching credential. Most students elect to complete this after graduation. Details of how to prepare for admission to a teaching credential program are available on the Education Department's Careers in K-12 School Teaching page.

Academic Advising for the Program Expand and Collapse

Academic advising for the major is provided by the Physics Department undergraduate advisor, [e-mail]. Transfer students should also consult the Transfer Information and Policy section of this program statement. Students should contact [e-mail] as early as possible to be set up to enroll in the Cal Teach internship courses, which are required for the major.

Getting Started in the Major Expand and Collapse

Because of the broad based nature of the major, with introductory courses in physics, chemistry and mathematics, there is considerable flexibility in what courses are taken in the first two years, as long as enough courses required for the major are completed. However, it is simplest to follow the appropriate major planner given below; students should consult with the physics undergraduate advisor if they want to do something different.

Students should complete at least two courses in the calculus sequence (MATH 11A and MATH 11B or MATH 19A and MATH 19B) in the first year; MATH 19A and MATH 19B are required for students who choose physics as one of their specializations.

Program Learning Outcomes Expand and Collapse

Learning outcomes summarize the most important knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes that students are expected to develop over the course of their studies. The program learning outcomes communicate the faculty’s expectations to students, provide a framework for faculty evaluation of the curriculum based on empirical data, and help improve and measure the impact of implemented changes:

• Students will demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of scientific connections across the broad spectrum of the sciences.
• Students will demonstrate advanced knowledge in two areas of specialization.
• Students will show that they have learned laboratory skills in multiple scientific fields, enabling them to take measurements in a laboratory and in the field and analyze the measurements to draw valid conclusions.
• Students will communicate scientific concepts effectively and accurately, both orally and in writing, for both college-level and secondary audiences
• Students will apply strategies to address a diversity of K-12 learners’ needs.

Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process Expand and Collapse

Major Qualification Expand and Collapse

Students must complete at least six courses from the lower-division course requirements before they can declare the major. (Lecture/lab combinations count as one course.)

Appeal Process Expand and Collapse

Students who are informed that they are not eligible to declare the major may appeal this decision by submitting a letter to the program director through [e-mail]  by the later date of either 15 days from the date the notification was sent, or one week after the start of instruction during the quarter after the final relevant grade was received. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the program director will either finalize the denial of admission or specify further conditions for admission, and will notify the student and their college of the decision.

How to Declare a Major Expand and Collapse

Students should submit  a petition to declare as soon as they complete the major qualification requirements or reach their declaration deadline quarter (whichever comes first).

Students petitioning when the campus declaration deadline is imminent (i.e., in their sixth quarter, for students admitted as frosh), will either be approved, denied, or provided with conditions (e.g., completion of some courses with certain grades) that will be resolved within at most one more enrolled quarter, even if they have not completed major qualification courses.

Students should meet with the Physics Department undergraduate advisor and prepare an academic plan when they declare the major.

Transfer Information and Policy Expand and Collapse

Transfer Admission Screening Policy Expand and Collapse

Note: This major is intended for students who are interested in teaching science in high schools in the state of California. For more information, please see the program statement for this major in the UCSC General Catalog.

Six of the following courses or their equivalents are required prior to transfer, by the end of the spring term for students planning to enter in the fall.

BIOE 20B	Development and Physiology	5
BIOE 20C	Ecology and Evolution	5
BIOL 20A	Cell and Molecular Biology	5
CHEM 1A	General Chemistry	5
CHEM 1B	General Chemistry	5
CHEM 1C	General Chemistry	5
MATH 11A	Calculus with Applications	5
MATH 11B	Calculus with Applications	5
PHYS 6A	Introductory Physics I	5
PHYS 6B	Introductory Physics II	5
PHYS 6C	Introductory Physics III	5
STAT 5	Statistics	5

In addition, students are recommended to complete three more courses from the above course list prior to transfer to ensure timely graduation.

Prospective students are encouraged to prioritize required and recommended major preparation, and may additionally complete courses that articulate to UC Santa Cruz general education requirements as time allows.

Getting Started at UCSC as a Transfer Student Expand and Collapse

Transfer students admitted to UC Santa Cruz in this major may declare the major at any time after coming to UC Santa Cruz. Contact [e-mail] for details. Also contact the faculty program director for the Science Education program at [e-mail] immediately after coming to UC Santa Cruz, with the two fields out of physics, chemistry, biology and Earth sciences which you wish to specialize in, to prepare an academic plan. Students should also contact [e-mail] as soon as possible after coming to UC Santa Cruz to be set up to enroll in the Cal Teach internship courses, which are required for the major.

Students who are proposed in a different major and have advanced standing when they come to UC Santa Cruz require permission from the Science Education faculty program director to change into the major.

Letter Grade Policy Expand and Collapse

All courses used to satisfy any of the major requirements must be taken for a letter grade.

Honors Expand and Collapse

Honors in the major are awarded to graduating students whose academic performance demonstrates excellence at a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or above in the courses used to satisfy major requirements. Highest honors are awarded to those students whose performance demonstrates the highest level of excellence and results in a GPA of 3.8 or above in the courses used to satisfy major requirements. The program faculty reserve the right to withhold honors and highest honors based on other criteria such as an incident of academic dishonesty.

Requirements and Planners

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Course Requirements Expand and Collapse

Lower-Division Courses Expand and Collapse

Choose one of the following courses:

MATH 19A	Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics	5
MATH 11A	Calculus with Applications	5

Plus one of the following courses:

MATH 19B	Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics	5
MATH 11B	Calculus with Applications	5

Plus the following course:

MATH 22

Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables

5

MATH 22 is waived for a student who chooses their electives from chemistry and biology or from Earth sciences and biology.

Plus one of the following options:

Either these courses
PHYS 5A	Introduction to Physics I	5
PHYS 5L	Introduction to Physics I Laboratory	1
PHYS 5B	Introduction to Physics II	5
PHYS 5M	Introduction to Physics II Laboratory	1
PHYS 5C	Introduction to Physics III	5
PHYS 5N	Introduction to Physics Laboratory III	1
or these courses
PHYS 6A	Introductory Physics I	5
PHYS 6L	Introductory Physics I Laboratory	1
PHYS 6B	Introductory Physics II	5
PHYS 6M	Introductory Physics II Laboratory	1
PHYS 6C	Introductory Physics III	5
PHYS 6N	Introductory Physics III Laboratory	1

Plus all of the following courses:

CHEM 1A	General Chemistry	5
CHEM 1B	General Chemistry	5
CHEM 1M	General Chemistry Laboratory	2
CHEM 1C	General Chemistry	5
CHEM 1N	General Chemistry Laboratory	2

Plus one of the following options:

Either these courses
EART 5	California Geology	5
EART 5L	California Geology Laboratory	1
or these courses
EART 10	Geologic Principles	5
EART 10L	Geologic Principles Laboratory	1
or these courses
EART 20	Environmental Geology	5
EART 20L	Environmental Geology Laboratory	1

Plus all of the following courses:

BIOL 20A	Cell and Molecular Biology	5
BIOE 20B	Development and Physiology	5
BIOE 20C	Ecology and Evolution	5
ASTR 2	Overview of the Universe	5

Plus one of the following options:

Either this course
STAT 5	Statistics	5
or these courses
STAT 7	Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences	5
STAT 7L	Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory	2

Plus the following course:

EDUC 50C

CAL Teach 1: Science

2

EDUC 50C, EDUC 100A, EDUC 100C and EDUC 185L are Cal Teach internship courses (see "Program Description"). The first course in this sequence is offered in the fall and winter terms. Students must apply to enroll in these courses before the priority application deadlines in early May (for fall) and early November (for winter). See the application website for details, or contact [e-mail]

A student who has passed the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) General Science Examination will have the lower-division courses in the two fields that they are not specializing in (see the sections on “Electives” below) waived.

Upper-Division Courses Expand and Collapse

All of the following courses:

EART 110A	Evolution of the Earth	5
EART 110L	Evolution of the Earth Laboratory	2

Plus one of the following courses:

EDUC 100A	Cal Teach 2: Science and Mathematics	2
EDUC 100C	Cal Teach 2: Science	2

Plus all of the following courses:

EDUC 185L	Introduction to Teaching: Cal Teach 3	3
EDUC 185C	Introduction to Teaching Science	5

Plus one of the following courses:

EDUC 177	Teaching Linguistically Diverse Students	5
EDUC 128	Immigrants and Education	5
EDUC 140	Language, Diversity, and Learning	5
EDUC 181	Race, Class, and Culture in Education	5

Electives Expand and Collapse

All the courses from any two of the following fields must be completed:

Field 1: Physics

PHYS 5D	Introduction to Physics IV	5
PHYS 102	Modern Physics	5
PHYS 133	Intermediate Laboratory	5

Field 2: Chemistry

CHEM 8A	Organic Chemistry	5
CHEM 8L	Organic Chemistry Laboratory	2
CHEM 8B	Organic Chemistry	5
CHEM 8M	Organic Chemistry Laboratory	2

And one additional 5-credit, upper-division chemistry course (CHEM 163B is strongly recommended for students in chemistry/physics; CHEM 103 for students in chemistry/biology; CHEM 163A for students in chemistry/Earth sciences)

Field 3: Biology

BIOL 105	Genetics	5
BIOE 107	Ecology	5
BIOE 109	Evolution	5

Field 4: Earth Sciences

EART 110B	Earth as a Chemical System	5
OCEA 90	Fundamentals of Climate	5

And one additional 5-credit, upper-division EART course

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement Expand and Collapse

The disciplinary communication requirement for this major is fulfilled by completing:

Choose one of the following courses:

EDUC 100A	Cal Teach 2: Science and Mathematics	2
EDUC 100C	Cal Teach 2: Science	2

Plus the following course:

EDUC 185L

Introduction to Teaching: Cal Teach 3

3

Comprehensive Requirement Expand and Collapse

The senior capstone requirement for this major is fulfilled by completing:

EDUC 185C

Introduction to Teaching Science

5

Planners Expand and Collapse

Four-Year Planner

There are several alternatives to this planner. However, changes to an individual plan must take into account various prerequisites, both within the sequence of courses in a single discipline and between disciplines. Consult with an advisor before attempting an alternative path.

	Fall	Winter	Spring
1st (frosh)	MATH 11A#	MATH 11B	STAT 5
	CHEM 1A	CHEM 1B & CHEM 1M	CHEM 1C & CHEM 1N
2nd (soph)	PHYS 6A & PHYS 6L#	PHYS 6B & PHYS 6M	PHYS 6C & PHYS 6N
	BIOL 20A	BIOE 20B	BIOE 20C
	EART 5 & EART 5L	EDUC 50C**	EDUC 100C
3rd (junior)	ASTR 2	MATH 22*	EDUC 185C
	EART 110A & EART 110L	EDUC diversity course	Field A course
	Field A course	Field A course
4th (senior)	Field B course	Field B course	Field B course
			EDUC 185L

In addition to the specific courses shown in these planners, a student must complete courses satisfying the CC, IM and TA general education requirements.

^#Students choosing physics as one of their fields of specialization must take MATH 19A and 19B instead of MATH 11A and MATH 11B, and the PHYS 5 series of courses instead of PHYS 6.

*MATH 22 is a prerequisite for CHEM 163A (recommended for chemistry + Earth sciences) and CHEM 163B (recommended for chemistry + physics). MATH 22 is required for this major only if a student chooses physics as one of their fields or chooses the combination chemistry + Earth sciences. Consult your advisor with questions.

**See advance enrollment requirements and process in the Lower-Division Courses section above.

Field A and B refer to the two subject areas a student chooses for specialization. Courses in each field are:

1. Physics: PHYS 5D (fall), PHYS 102 (winter), PHYS 133 (spring)
2. Earth sciences: OCEA 90 (fall), EART 110B & EART 110M (winter), Earth science upper-division elective (spring).
3. Biology: BIOL 105 (fall), BIOE 107 (winter), BIOE 109 (spring)
4. Chemistry (three options):
   1. CHEM 163A (fall), CHEM 8A & CHEM 8L (winter), CHEM 8B & CHEM 8M (spring) for chemistry with Earth sciences
   2. CHEM 8A & CHEM 8L (fall), CHEM 163B (winter), CHEM 8B & CHEM 8M (spring) for chemistry with physics
   3. CHEM 8A & CHEM 8L (fall), CHEM 8B & CHEM 8M (winter), CHEM 103 (spring) for chemistry with biology

Transfer Planner

	Fall	Winter	Spring
1st (junior)	EART 5 & EART 5L	EDUC 50C**	EDUC 100C
	ASTR 2	MATH 22	Field A course
	Field A course	Field A course	EDUC 185C
2nd (senior)	Breadth course 1	Breadth course 2	Breadth course 3
	EART 110A & EART 110L	EDUC diversity course	EDUC 185L
	Field B course	Field B course	Field B course

*MATH 22 is a prerequisite for CHEM 163A (recommended for chemistry + Earth sciences) and CHEM 163B (recommended for chemistry + physics). A student who has completed the equivalent at their community college will not need to complete this course at UCSC. MATH 22 is required for this major only if a student chooses physics as one of their fields or chooses the combination chemistry + Earth sciences. Consult your advisor with questions.

**See advance enrollment requirements and process in the Lower-Division Courses section above.

This planner assumes that the student has completed all general education requirements, and nine courses out of the 12 breadth requirements in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics & statistics. The remaining three “breadth courses” can be taken in the three slots shown.

Elective courses for each field are described below the four-year planner. If courses in Field A cannot be taken in the junior year, they can be exchanged with the breadth courses shown in the senior year.