Nov 23, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin

Geological Sciences, Adolescence Education: Planetary Geology Track B.S.


Students who intend to become secondary school Earth Science teachers qualify for New York State initial certification by completing the requirements of the B.S. in Geological Sciences degree and the requisite courses in education (see School of Education program description). Students may follow any of the three tracks (Geology, Environmental Geology, Planetary Geology; see Geological Sciences program description). In addition to an initial certification as an Earth Science teacher, students who complete this degree will also graduate with a full BS in the Geological Sciences and be qualified to pursue a career as a professional geologist or enter a graduate school program in the geosciences.

NSTA Adolescence Science Program Learning Outcomes


  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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 GSCI Major: 59-63


Basic Requirements (Required for all Tracks): 15 Credits


Planetary Geology Track Requirements: 21-22 Credits


Planetary Geology Track Related Requirements: 12 Credits


Footnotes:


* Where there are options to fulfill a required class the unused alternative can be used as an elective.

** One 3-credit GSCI 493  or GSCI 499  can substitute for one 300 or 400 level GSCI elective class. 

Minimum Competence Requirement


A grade of C- or better is required for each of the following courses: GSCI 160 , GSCI 161 , GSCI 170 , GSCI 210 , GSCI 301  or GSCI 302 , GSCI 431 , and GSCI 451  or GSCI 452 .

Department Writing Requirement


A portfolio of student term papers will be established. It will contain papers submitted as partial fulfillment of requirements for GSCI 210, and 300-level and 400-level GSCI courses. If the student has passed (i.e. scored a C- or greater) at least 3 of these papers, the student will have successfully completed the writing requirement. This will be reviewed prior to the student’s final semester. If the student has not passed three papers they will be required to complete a course that emphasizes writing skills. (It could be a regularly scheduled course or a directed study course.)

For further information, please contact your advisor or the Department Chair. 

Footnotes:


* 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.

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  

Total Credit Hours: 121-122


Note: Where no prerequisites apply, some variation in the order or semester in which courses are taken is possible. Students should consult their academic advisors for additional information.

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