Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education
There are seven available programs to choose from for those who want to be teachers in middle and highschool classrooms. Each concentration or program in Secondary Education offers an Honors in the Major option.
Students can choose from the following:
- English Education
- Mathematics Education
- Social Studies
- Science Education: Biology
- Science Education: Chemistry
- Science Education: Physics
- Middle School Math/Science
Admission to the Program
Those entering the College of Education and Human Services must meet University admissions requirements as well as specific COEHS admissions criteria.
Satisfactory completion of 60 semester hours of credit from UNF or other regionally accredited institution(s).
- An Associate in Arts Degree (AA) from one of Florida's public community/state colleges or SUS schools satisfies General Education and Gordon Rule requirements.
- A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 or better in all college level course work.
- Passing scores (no exemptions) on all four parts of the Florida General Knowledge (GK) Test. Transferring students, students changing majors, or students who have not presented passing scores on all four parts of the GK exam will not be permitted to enroll in any upper level education courses until they have been admitted into COEHS Teacher Preparation Programs.
English Education (6-12)
The English Education program strives to prepare teacher candidates to become practitioners in diverse and dynamic school settings. The skills and knowledge required for these candidates to function effectively in such an environment include both subject matter content and teaching strategies. The first is acquired primarily through coursework completed in the College of Arts and Sciences; the second is incorporated into the education component of the program. Congruent with professional standards and expectations, this program requires that graduates demonstrate knowledge of a broad range of language skills which include: understanding of the history and structure of English; familiarity with a range of literary genres, styles, and devices, as well as selections representing the cultural diversity of our world; the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; awareness of the many purposes for which one uses speaking, writing, reading, and listening; and an appreciation of the impact of nonverbal communication modes on our culture.
English Education Course Catalog
Mathematics Education (6-12)
The Mathematics Education program is designed for the preparation of mathematics teachers who can effectively design instruction, implementation, and assessment of mathematical concepts, principles, and skills that have been identified by national and state educational bodies as fundamental mathematical standards. The goals, objectives, and experiences incorporated into the program reflect the current state of professional knowledge and recommended practices deduced from professional literature and experience. The Mathematics Education program includes the philosophical, historical, and psychological foundations; a sequence of generic courses in preparation for teaching; and additional content courses. The final experiences allow for synthesis of the program's fabric and the emergence of a highly trained, knowledgeable, and proactive individual who is inspired to learn and teach mathematics.
Mathematics Education Course Catalog
Social Studies
The Secondary Social Science Education program is designed to prepare teachers of social studies, history, economics, government, sociology, and/or psychology in grades 6 - 12. It is designed to build upon a two-year program completed in liberal arts containing beginning-level coursework in the social sciences and history.
It includes:
- The completion of a set of program prerequisites;
- A professional core of courses that provide the social, philosophical, historical and philosophical foundations of social science education;
- A sequence of generic courses in preparation for teaching; and
- Additional content courses.
The culminating experience in the program is participation in a series of apprentice-like teaching experiences: two pre-internships and a semester-long internship, which allow for a synthesis of the program's coursework and the emergence of a highly trained secondary social science teacher who can effectively disseminate knowledge and skills in stimulating ways and encourage competent and responsible citizen participation. The goals, objectives, and experiences incorporated into the program reflect the current state of professional knowledge in the field at the state and national level.
Middle School Math/Science
The Middle School Mathematics/Science Education program is designed to prepare teachers to teach middle school students in two content areas. The track is intended for undergraduate students who wish to teach middle level mathematics and science. This model of two certification areas conforms to the certification patterns recommended by the National Middle School Association. The Middle School program provides preservice teachers with an appropriate knowledge base and needed experiences in curriculum, instruction, and evaluation of ten- to fourteen-year-old students. The program is particularly aimed at helping provide qualified entry-level teachers for area middle/junior high schools. Those who take the Mathematics/Science track will be prepared to teach mathematics/science in the middle grades. Studying many of the college-level mathematics courses will not only strengthen these future teachers understanding and ability to do mathematics but will also improve their knowledge of science. Much of what these future teachers study in college-level science courses will also broaden their knowledge of concepts and applications of mathematics.
Middle School Math/Science Course Catalog
Science Education
The National Science Education Standards and the Florida Science Curriculum Framework and Sunshine State Standards promote the importance of an inquiry orientation in science teaching. The Biology Education program supports less "coverage" of material and increased depth of understanding, appropriate use of instructional technology, and use of strategies to promote meaningful learning by all students. The science education programs emphasize a sound background in the instructional processes that help future teachers to justify and modify what they do in the classroom. In accordance with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommendations, they give teachers of each content area a general science background, as well as a specialized content emphasis.