Secondary Education Chemistry [BS]

Location(s): In-person/hybrid

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A Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education - Chemistry provides students with an opportunity to begin an exciting and rewarding career in science teaching (Grades 6-12).

Learn

Graduates of this program are proficient in chemistry content knowledge, educational theories, and effective teaching practices and are adept at disseminating knowledge to young students in laboratory and lecture settings.

Opportunities

While pursuing their degree, students will observe and participate in teaching activities at multiple schools and student teaching. Students will also have opportunities to engage young people through community outreach. Upon graduation and endorsement, the secondary education program in chemistry enables students to teach chemistry in various educational settings, including public and private middle schools and high schools. In addition to educational settings, graduates have also found work in science museums, state agencies, or public service.

Important Information (click on the link below for details)

Biochemistry and Chemistry - Math Prerequisites Flow Chart [PDF]

Secondary Education Chemistry Major - Flow Chart [PDF]

Department Information

Chemistry 541 Science Complex, 734.487.0106

Harriet Lindsay, PhD, Department Head

Advisor Information

Larry Kolopajlo, Ph.D., 541 Science Complex, 734.487.0106, lkolopajl@emich.edu

Teacher Certification

Successful completion of this course of study, coupled with the Teaching and Learning (with Secondary Certification) [BS] , in the context of other program requirements, qualifies the student for a recommendation for the Michigan Department of Education Secondary Standard Certificate endorsed in chemistry, certification code DC, and, depending on the minor selected, an additional endorsement. This program of study meets all requirements of the National Science Teachers Association. The Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) covering this field is #018, “Chemistry.”

Initial Teacher Preparation Program

Initial teacher certification requires a student to complete two majors: a major in a secondary education subject and a Teaching and Learning (with Secondary Certification) Major .

To pursue the sequence of courses necessary to complete eligibility for a recommendation for certification, one must apply for and be recommended for teacher preparation program continuation. Continuance requirements are standard for all teacher preparation programs, except that specific special education programs have additional requirements.

Teacher preparation program continuation is not automatic. Only those persons who have formally applied are considered for continuation. Not all persons who apply become eligible for continuation.

Teaching majors and minors are unofficial until that student is recommended for continuation. Students pursuing teacher certification should follow the catalog requirements in place when they reach teacher preparation program candidacy. Students must apply to the teacher preparation program as soon as they have earned 56 credit hours. Please see the Teaching and Learning (with Secondary Certification) [BS] for specific criteria.

General Education Requirements:

For specific requirements, see General Education or view the General Education Worksheet [PDF] .

Major Requirements: 49-51 hours

Students must complete a Writing Intensive Course in Teaching and Learning (without certification) [BS] . Upon successfully completing the course, students will satisfy the Writing Intensive general education requirement and are not required to complete one as part of this major’s required courses.

Required Courses: 43-45 hours

Chemistry: 31 hours
CHEM 121 General Chemistry I [GEKN] 3 hrs
CHEM 122 General Chemistry I Laboratory [GEKN] 1 hr
CHEM 123 General Chemistry II 3 hrs
CHEM 124 General Chemistry II Laboratory 1 hr
CHEM 283 Introduction to Analytical Chemistry 3 hrs
CHEM 284 Introduction to Analytical Chemistry Lab 1 hr
CHEM 325 Methodology for Secondary Chemistry Teachers 3 hrs
CHEM 361 Fundamentals of Physical Chemistry 4 hrs
CHEM 371 Organic Chemistry I 3 hrs
CHEM 372 Organic Chemistry II 3 hrs
CHEM 373 Organic Chemistry Laboratory 3 hrs
CHEM 481 Instrumental Analysis Lecture 3 hrs
Mathematics: 4 hours
MATH 120 Calculus I [GEQR] 4 hrs
Physics: 8-10 hours

Choose one course from the following:
PHY 221 Mechanics, Sound and Heat [GEKN] 4 hrs
PHY 223 Mechanics and Sound [GEKN] 5 hrs
Choose one course from the following:
PHY 222 Electricity and Light 4 hrs
PHY 224 Electricity and Light 5 hrs

Restricted Elective Courses: 6 hours

Satisfy one of the following options.

Option I:
CHEM 351 Foundations of Biochemistry 4 hrs
Select an additional course or courses from the list of Chemistry electives below 2 hrs
Option II:
CHEM 451 Biochemistry I 3 hrs
CHEM 452 Biochemistry II 3 hrs
Chemistry Restricted Electives
CHEM 321 Sensory Analysis of Fermented Products 2 hrs
CHEM 332 Fundamentals of Bioinorganic Chemistry 2 hrs
CHEM 341 Fundamentals of Material Science 3 hrs
CHEM 387L4 Cooperative Education in Chemistry [GELB] 1 hr
CHEM 388L4 Cooperative Education in Chemistry [GELB] 2 hrs
CHEM 389L4 Cooperative Education in Chemistry [GELB] 3 hrs
CHEM 397L6 Undergraduate Research in Chemistry [GELB] 1 hr
CHEM 398L6 Undergraduate Research in Chemistry [GELB] 2 hrs
CHEM 399L6 Undergraduate Research in Chemistry [GELB] 3 hrs
CHEM 411 Toxicology I 2 hrs
CHEM 415 Environmental Chemistry 3 hrs
CHEM 455 Neurochemistry 3 hrs
CHEM 456 Cell Signaling and Disease 3 hrs
CHEM 457 Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design 3 hrs
CHEM 487L4 Cooperative Education in Chemistry [GELB] 1 hr
CHEM 488L4 Cooperative Education in Chemistry [GELB] 2 hrs
CHEM 489L4 Cooperative Education in Chemistry [GELB] 3 hrs
CHEM 497L6 Undergraduate Research in Chemistry [GELB] 1 hr
CHEM 498L6 Undergraduate Research in Chemistry [GELB] 2 hrs
CHEM 499L6 Undergraduate Research in Chemistry [GELB] 3 hrs
CHEM 571 - Advanced Organic Chemistry 3 hrs
CHEM 572 - Spectrometric Organic Structure Determination 3 hrs
Other courses 300-level or above, by department permission

Minor Requirement:

This major does not require a minor. Students are required to pair this major with the Teaching and Learning (with Secondary Certification) Major .

Program Total:

Students must earn a minimum total of 120 credits at the 100-level or above.

Critical Graduation Information

Each undergraduate student will be responsible for fulfilling the requirements (or their equivalents) of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration at a college or university or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

In the event an undergraduate student does not complete the degree requirements within seven years of the date of their original registration at a college or university, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their major/minor in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

Minimum requirements for all bachelor’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University

Some majors and minors require more than the minimum in one or more of the areas below; students are urged to consult this catalog for the requirements of their particular programs.

Earn a minimum total of 120 credit hours at the 100-level and above.
- Courses numbered below 100 are not counted toward this degree requirement.
- At most, eight credit hours of physical education (PEGN) activity courses are counted toward this requirement.
Meet the requirements of the General Education program (see information below), including completing a Writing Intensive (GEWI) course in the student’s major.
Earn a minimum of 60 credits from a four-year college or university; courses taken at community colleges cannot be used to meet this requirement (Some formal program-to-program articulation agreements modify this requirement. See specific agreements for details).
Earn a minimum of 30 credits from courses taken at EMU.
Complete 10 of the last 30 hours for the degree from courses taken at EMU.
Have a minimum of 30 unique credit hours in their major and 20 unique credit hours in their minor for a total of at least 50 unique credit hours between them. Some majors that require 50 or more hours themselves do not require a minor. A double major automatically satisfies the need for a minor unless one of the two majors requires a specific minor. Students should check the requirements of the selected major in the undergraduate catalog to see if a minor is required.
Earn no more than 60 credit hours in one subject area (prefix). Credits over the 60 maximum will not be counted toward the minimum of 120 credits required for a bachelor’s degree.
Earn the minimum number of credits in 300-level and above courses in each major and minor as specified below - these credits must be earned in distinct courses; that is, no course can be used to fulfill this requirement in more than one major or minor.
- Earn a minimum of 6 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each minor
- Earn a minimum of 9 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that requires a minor.
- Earn a minimum of 15 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that does not require a minor
Transfer credit will be awarded for courses taken at colleges and universities that are accredited by one of the recognized regional accrediting bodies only if the courses are college-level (equated to 100-level or above at EMU) and the student earned a “C” (or 2.0 on a 4 point scale) or better. Transfer credit may be awarded on a case-by-case basis for college-level courses in which a “C” (2.0) or better was earned at institutions outside the U.S. or at non-accredited U.S. institutions; individual departments/schools conduct the internal review of such courses within EMU, and additional documentation may be required. Please note: EMU awards only credit for transferred courses; grades are not used to calculate an EMU GPA.
Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken at EMU to graduate. In addition, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be reached in each major and minor. Only courses a student takes at EMU and those applied to their major or minor are used to calculate their major and minor cumulative GPAs. (Note: some programs may require a higher GPA - check with your program advisor.)

General Education Requirements - EMU’s General Education Program requires students to choose from a menu of approved courses in several different areas; do not assume that other courses in the same department or similar names will fulfill these requirements. A detailed description of General Education requirements is available in the General Education section of the catalog.

Students who transferred to EMU may have modified general education requirements based on Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) or articulation agreements; consult your academic advisor for additional information.