University Catalog 2024-2025

Science Education (BS): Physics Concentration

The Science Education: Physics concentration (BS) degree is one of five undergraduate degree options in the Science Education program in the Department of STEM Education. 

This degree program prepares teacher-leaders to have a deep understanding of the pedagogical strategies to teach high school Physics. Students complete courses focused on Physics and Science education, obtain relevant pedagogical experiences while immersed in rich field experiences in science classrooms, and emphasize teaching science with technology. Upon successful completion of the program, students are recommended for an initial North Carolina teaching license in grades 9-12. They will be able to seek employment opportunities in education and make a positive difference in their communities.

The goals and objectives of the BS degree in Science Education are:

  • To enable and ensure that each prospective teacher enriches his/her life through a comprehensive university education
  • To develop the professional qualities and academic background needed to teach science to all student levels in the grade for which the teacher is certified
  • To develop a general knowledge foundation upon which specialized professional knowledge is built, and upon which a well-rounded university education is the base


Coursework for the degree is divided into four types of knowledge:

  • General pedagogical knowledge — the nature of learners and general principles of instruction
  • Content-area knowledge — knowledge of the natural sciences
  • Pedagogical content knowledge — principles of curriculum, instruction and assessment directly related to the natural sciences
  • Context knowledge — understanding the culture of the school, community and society in which educational institutions exist and function


Students in this program also have the opportunity to participate in: 

  • Undergraduate research 
  • The student chapter of the NC Science Teachers Association (NCSTA), and other high impact experiences such as Passport to Success, SAY Village, and study abroad 
  • Outreach and tutoring in local schools
     

For more information about this program, visit our website

Contact

Department of STEM Education
North Carolina State University
208 Poe Hall, 2310 Stinson Drive
Raleigh, NC 27695

Matt Reynolds, Ph.D.
Assistant Teaching Professor
Undergraduate and MAT Program Coordinator for Science Education
NC State University Campus Box 7801
Poe Hall 326P Raleigh, NC 27695
ced.ncsu.edu

 

Plan Requirements

Orientation
ED 100Intro to Education 12
or ED 150/151 Students Advocating for Youth I
Communication/Advanced Writing3
Choose from:
Public Speaking
Interpersonal Communication
Argumentation and Advocacy
Science Communication and Public Engagement
Literature and Medicine
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Science and Research
Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing
(Physics BA double major choose ENG 331 or ENG 333)
Mathematics
MA 141Calculus I4
MA 241Calculus II4
MA 242Calculus III4
MA 341Applied Differential Equations I3
Sciences
BIO 181Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 24
BIO 183Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 24
CH 101
CH 102
Chemistry - A Molecular Science
and General Chemistry Laboratory 2
4
Earth and Environmental Science Electives 26
PY 205
PY 206
Physics for Engineers and Scientists I
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 2
4
or PY 201 University Physics I
(Physics BA double major choose PY 201)
PY 208
PY 209
Physics for Engineers and Scientists II
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory 2
4
or PY 202 University Physics II
(Physics BA double major choose PY 202)
Physics Electives 100/200 Level 23
(Physics BA double major choose PY 203)
Physics Electives 300/400 Level 29
(Physics BA double major choose PY 401, PY 411, PY 413, and PY 414)
Advised Science Electives 26
Science Education
EMS 205Introduction to Teaching Science 32
EMS 373Instructional Materials in Science 13
EMS 375Methods of Teaching Science I 33
EMS 475Methods of Teaching Science II 33
EMS 476Student Teaching in Science 3, 410
EMS 495Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1, 42
General Education and Psychology
ED 204Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 12
EDP 304Educational Psychology 13
ED 311
ED 312
Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices
and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1
3
ELP 344School and Society 13
ECI 416Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 13
History and Philosophy of Science Education Elective3
Free Electives0-4
GEP Courses
ENG 101Academic Writing and Research4
GEP Humanities (verify requirement)0-6
GEP Social Sciences (verify requirement)0-6
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts)3
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement)
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
World Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Total Hours120
1

A grade of C or higher is required.

2

A grade of C or higher is required for science content courses, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted

3

A grade of B- or higher is required.

4

Admission to the Professional Semester is required.

Earth and Environmental Science Electives

Choose from:
Introduction to Environmental Sciences
Earth from Space
Water and the Environment
Climate Change and Sustainability
Energy and Environment
Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections
Geology I: Physical
Geology I Laboratory
Introduction to Weather and Climate
Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory
Environmental Issues in Water Resources
Introduction to Oceanography
Geology II: Historical
Oceanography Lab
Geology II Laboratory
Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences
Introduction to Coastal Environments
Introduction to Coastal Environments Laboratory
Human Dimensions of Climate Change
Environmental Geology
Fundamentals of Air Pollution
Fundamentals of Air Quality and Climate Change

Physics Electives 100/200 Level

Choose from:
PY 123Stellar and Galactic Astronomy3
PY 124Solar System Astronomy3
PY 125Astronomy Laboratory1
PY 203University Physics III4
PY 251Introduction to Scientific Computing3
PY 252Instrumental and Data Analysis for Physics2
PY 299Special Problems in Physics1-3
Physics Electives 300/400 Level

Physics Electives 300/400 Level

Choose from:
PY 301Introduction to Quantum Mechanics3
PY 328Stellar and Galactic Astrophysics3
PY 341Relativity, Gravitation and Cosmology3
PY 401Quantum Physics I3
PY 402Quantum Physics II3
PY 407Introduction to Modern Physics3
PY 411Mechanics I3
PY 412Mechanics II3
PY 413Thermal Physics3
PY 414Electromagnetism I3
PY 415Electromagnetism II3
PY 452Advanced Physics Laboratory3
PY 456Senior Design Project in Physics3
PY 489Solid State Solar and Thermal Energy Harvesting3
PY 495Special Topics in Physics1-4
PY 499Independent Research in Physics1-6

 Advised Science Electives

ANY 200+ Level AEC, BIO, BCH, BSC, CH, ENT, ES, MB, MEA, PB, PY, ZO
ANY GEP Natural Sciences course (except BIO 105/106, CH 111)
ANS 150Introduction to Animal Science3
ANS 205Physiology of Domestic Animals3
ANS 206Anatomy of Domestic Animals Lab1
ANS 220Reproductive Physiology3
ANS 221Reproductive Physiology Lab1
BIO 165
CS 211Plant Genetics3
ES 100Introduction to Environmental Sciences3
ES 111Applications of Environmental Sciences1
ES 150Water and the Environment3
FOR 252Introduction to Forest Science3
FOR 260Forest Ecology4
FOR 261Forest Communities2
FOR 264Forest Wildlife1
FOR 339
FW 353Wildlife Management3
FW 404Wildlife Habitat Management3
FW 405Tropical Wildlife Ecology3
FW 444Mammalogy3
FW 453Principles of Wildlife Science4
FW 460International Wildlife Management and Conservation3
NR 303Humans and the Environment3
NR 406Conservation of Biological Diversity3

Semester Sequence

This is a sample.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ED 100 Intro to Education 1 2
PY 205
PY 206
Physics for Engineers and Scientists I 2
or University Physics I
4
MA 141 Calculus I 4
ENG 101 Academic Writing and Research 4
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours15
Spring Semester
PY 208
PY 209
Physics for Engineers and Scientists II 2
or University Physics II
4
MA 241 Calculus II 4
CH 101
CH 102
Chemistry - A Molecular Science
and General Chemistry Laboratory
4
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
Communication/Advanced Writing Req. 3
Choose from:
Public Speaking
Interpersonal Communication
Argumentation and Advocacy
Science Communication and Public Engagement
Literature and Medicine
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Science and Research
Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing
 Hours16
Second Year
Fall Semester
Physics Elective 100/200 Level 2 3
MA 242 Calculus III 4
BIO 181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 2 4
Earth and Environmental Science Elective 2 3
GEP Humanities 3
 Hours17
Spring Semester
EMS 205 Introduction to Teaching Science 3 2
ED 204 Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 1 2
EDP 304 Educational Psychology 1 3
MA 341 Applied Differential Equations I 3
BIO 183 Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 2 4
 Hours14
Third Year
Fall Semester
EMS 373 Instructional Materials in Science 1 3
ELP 344 School and Society 1 3
History and Philosophy of Science Education Elective 3
Physics Elective 300/400 Level 3
Free Elective 4
 Hours16
Spring Semester
EMS 375 Methods of Teaching Science I 3 3
ED 311
ED 312
Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices
and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1
3
Physics Elective 300/400 Level 2 3
Earth and Environmental Science Elective 2 3
Advised Science Elective 2 3
 Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
EMS 475 Methods of Teaching Science II 3 3
ECI 416 Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 1 3
Physics Elective 300/400 Level 2 3
Advised Science Elective 2 3
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
EMS 476 Student Teaching in Science 1 10
EMS 495 Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1 2
 Hours12
 Total Hours120
1

A grade of C or better is required.

2

A grade of C or better is required, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted.

3

A grade of B- or better is required.

Career Opportunities

Career Titles

  • Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
  • Biology Professor
  • Chemistry Professor
  • Elementary School Teacher
  • Environmental Science Professor
  • High School Teacher
  • Middle School Teacher
  • Physics Professor

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