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2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin
Biology, Adolescence Education: Biology & General Science, B.A.
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Students who intend to become secondary school biology teachers qualify for New York State initial certification by completing the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts degree and the requisite courses in education (see School of Education program description). These students may use INTD 302 in place of one 3-credit 300-level Biology elective. Certification in adolescence education is not available with the Bachelor of Science in Biology.
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NSTA Adolescence Science Program Learning Outcomes
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
General Education Requirements (30-40 Credits)
Prerequisite coursework may be required to satisfy certain General Education courses and will count as elective credit.
Total Credits Required to Complete Major: 59-61
Basic Requirements: (33 Credits)
Electives in Biology including the following:
- Two additional laboratory courses.
- A minimum of 18 credits at the 300-level or above.
- No more than 4 credits from the following may count for elective credit: BIOL 395 , BIOL 396 , BIOL 397 , BIOL 398 BIOL 399
Related Requirements: (26-28 Credits)
Minimum Competence Requirement
To graduate with a biology major, students must attain a grade of C- or better in these courses: BIOL 117, BIOL 118, BIOL 119, BIOL 120, BIOL 203, BIOL 222, and the required 200-level biology lab. Note that some BIOL courses require a grade of C- in prerequisite courses. Students who wish to repeat a course assume responsibility for knowing what, if any, repeat restrictions apply to any particular course. Restrictions are noted in individual course descriptions in the Undergraduate Bulletin. We remind students they must also achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average at Geneseo, at least a 2.00 cumulative average in all courses in their major department applied toward completion of the major, and a 1.67 average or better in required related courses.
Department Writing Requirement
Students must demonstrate writing skills to the satisfaction of the Biology department. These skills will be evaluated in laboratory reports and in written assignments in 200- and 300-level biology courses.
Adolescence Education: (34 Credits)
Blocks Required * (in sequence)
Two Courses from the following:
Footnotes:
*Note: Students may not advance in blocks until all previous work is completed satisfactorily
**In the Review Process, a teacher candidate may be allowed one retake of a Student Teaching experience.
Related Requirements: (7 Credits)
Sample Course Map
For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2022: please select the bulletin year in which you entered the college (matriculated) at the top right of this page.
Curriculum Map
- First Year
- Fall - 15 Credit Hours
- Spring - 14 Credit Hours
- Second Year
- Fall - 16 Credit Hours
- Spring - 16 Credit Hours
- Third Year
- Fall - 17 Credit Hours
- Spring - 16 Credit Hours
- Fourth Year
- Fall - 15 Credit Hours
- Spring - 11 Credit Hours
- Biology 3xx-4xx Elective - Credit(s): 3
- Biology 3xx-4xx Elective - Credit(s): 3
- Biology 3xx-4xx Elective - Credit(s): 3
- Electives - Credit(s): 2
Total Credit Hours: 120
Program notes: Students typically take their mathematics courses in their first year, but this is not required. Several biology electives have BIOL 203 , BIOL 222 , or BIOL 335 as a prerequisite. Consequently, putting off these courses beyond the above recommendations can limit the choice of electives later.
Note that students must complete two-thirds (22 credits) of their major coursework (not including related requirements) before they are eligible to student teach. Ultimately, in New York State, students will need 30 credits using the BIOL prefix for certification. INTD 302 can count as a biology elective with a waiver.
INTD 203 counts for the DPP and DEI requirements, while BIOL 203 counts for the CGC requirement. However, since students can only double dip once in their major to satisfy the “Participation in a Global Society” areas, they will have to fulfill either the CGC or DPP requirement from a course outside their major. Note that INTD 203 is a prerequisite for H&PE 350 and a pre- or corequisite for PSYC 216 .
Electives in Biology: Eighteen credits must include (1) two additional biology laboratory courses (of which only one can be at the 200-level) (2) a minimum of 18 credits at the 300-level or above.
Note: Variation in the order of courses is possible, depending upon prerequisites. Consult course information in the bulletin or your academic advisor to customize your eight semester plan.
KEY - Participation in a Global Society (PGS)
Attributes:
Sub Areas
| Abbreviation |
Definition |
| DPP |
Diversity, Pluralism, Power |
| WCV |
World Cultures & Values |
| CGC |
Contemporary Global Challenges |
| CAI |
Creativity & Innovation |
| SST |
Sustainability |
Learning Areas
| Abbreviation |
Definition |
| ARTS |
Arts |
| HUMA |
Humanities |
| SOSC |
Social Science |
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