Natural Science: Physics

Completion of all program requirements, including passing state tests, qualifies you to teach the science of your major (biology or physics) at all levels in grades 9-12, including honors and AP courses. All science candidates, regardless of major, are required to complete 6 semester hours or 1.5 IWU units of additional coursework in at least one other science area including life sciences (Biology & Environmental Sciences). To qualify for teaching honors and AP courses in areas of science other than your major, plan on obtaining an additional science content specific endorsement by completing 12 semester hours (3 IWU units) or passing the content test.

The Teacher Education Program (TEP) Handbook provides detailed information about the TEP program, admission requirements, field requirements, and state and university licensure requirements.

Secondary Education Major/Professional Education (10.5 units)

Take the courses below in the sequence listed. Refer to the IWU catalog for course prerequisites and restrictions on concurrent enrollment. The professional education courses listed below are used to compute your professional education grade point average (GPA) for TEP and student teaching acceptance.

First Year

Fall/Spring

EDUC 225: Education and Social Justice (CSI)
EDUC 125: Schooling in Society , in most cases, concurrent with 225	20-25 hours field experience
OR
EDUC 255: Child Study and Assessment (W)
EDUC 126: Teaching to the World of the Child , in most cases, concurrent with 255	20-25 hours field experience

Sophomore Year

Fall/Spring

EDUC 225: Education and Social Justice (CSI)
EDUC 125: Schooling in Society , in most cases, concurrent with 225	20-25 hours field experience
OR
EDUC 255: Child Study and Assessment (W)
EDUC 126: Teaching to the World of the Child , in most cases, concurrent with 255	20-25 hours field experience

EDUC 257: Disability Rights(AV,U)

Junior Year*

Fall/Spring

EDUC 257: Disability Rights(AV,U) , if still needed

Fall

EDUC 320: Foundations of Literacy: Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication

25 hours field experience

EDUC 365: Reading, Writing and Communication in the Content Areas

Spring

EDUC 345: Instructional Planning, Assessment and Safe Learning Environments	40-45 hours field experience
EDUC 363: Seminar: Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Natural Sciences

Senior Year

Fall

EDUC 490: Student Teaching Seminar	15 week full time immersion in the field (continues from Jr. year Spring placement)
EDUC 495: Student Teaching: Secondary Science

Spring

EDUC 498: Educational Inquiry (W)

* If planning to travel abroad, do so prior to the junior year, or during any May Term. Plan your enrollment in EDUC 225, 255, and 257 accordingly. EDUC 257 can be taken concurrently with 300 level courses the junior year. Ninth semester graduates take required 300 level courses and EDUC 498 spring semester of the senior year prior to student teaching.

Physics Major Requirements (10 units)

The required Physics courses listed below are used to compute your major grade point average for TEP and student teaching acceptance. Four courses in the major and a GPA of 2.75 is required for TEP admission; six courses and a GPA of 3.00 are required for student teaching acceptance. State law specifies a minimum grade of C- for any course required for licensure and endorsement, including major courses, regardless of GPA.

Physics 105	Physics I Mechanics
Physics 106	Physics II: Electricity, Magnetism, Optics
Physics 207	Physics III: Modern Physics and Thermodynamics
Physics 304	Mathematical Methods of Physical Science
Physics 405 or Physics 406 and Physics 407 or Physics 408.	Theoretical Mechanics OR Electricity and Magnetism and Introduction to Quantum Mechanics or Statistical Physics
Bio 101/102	General Biology ( 2 semesters or one full year)
Chem 201/202	General Chemistry (2 semesters or one full year)
Students must also take four additional courses in Physics selected in consultation with their advisor. Two of the courses must be at the upper level and have a laboratory component. These include: Physics 301 (Intermediate Experimental Methods), Physics 305 (Electronics), Physics 306 (Materials Physics), Physics 307 (Optical Physics), Physics 308 (Scientific Imaging), Physics 339 (Engineering Design), Physics 370 (An Exploration of Advanced Topics in Physics, when it has a lab component) and Physics 399 (Experimental Physics).

Coursework in Environmental Science and Geology 101 is also recommended. Consult with your Physics major and Educational Studies advisors as to the best options. Chemistry, Biology and other science courses are not used to compute your major grade point average for TEP and student teaching acceptance; however you must earn a grade of C- or higher, per state licensure requirements.

IWU General Education

The IWU general education category requirements listed below are met with required major or licensure courses.

Analysis of Values (AV): PHIL 214, Philosophy of Education (recommended but not required).
Contemporary Social Institutions (CSI): EDUC 225 (required).
Formal Reasoning (FR): Consult with your science major advisor regarding recommended mathematics courses for the major.
Life and Physical Science Issues and Lab: Major and licensure requirements.
Writing Intensive (W): EDUC 255 and 498 courses (required). Additional W requirements are in the major.
U.S. Diversity flag (U): EDUC 257 (required).

Additional Content Specific Endorsements in Science

Science candidates may earn additional high school level content specific endorsements in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, and/or Earth and Space Science by passing the applicable content test or completing 12 semester hours of coursework in the content area. This provision only applies if an educator already holds an issued designation science endorsement. For example, an educator would qualify for this provision with a Science-Physics endorsement. Alternatively, you may qualify by completing another major in the area of the endorsement. A content specific endorsement “highly qualifies” you to teach AP or Honors level courses in one of the above science disciplines.

The four year licensure program rarely allows completion of required endorsement coursework in additional areas such as social science, English, mathematics, or foreign language. (See those program handbook pages for specific endorsement requirements.) Please consult with your School of Educational Studies advisor, the Director of Teacher Education, or the Assistant Director for Teacher Licensure about pursuing additional endorsements.

The Assistant Director for Teacher Licensure verifies the completion of endorsement requirements during the entitlement process. You may add endorsements to your license after graduation and any time during your teaching career by completing state requirements (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Subsequent-Teaching-Endorsements.aspx). Applicants apply for additional endorsements using the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS).