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Physics Major for the High School Teaching Certificate (6-12) Bachelor of Arts

Total Credit Hours: 128

Major Credit Hours: 66

The Department of Physics features a fully approved Physics program that prepares candidates to teach grades 6-12 in Illinois public and private schools. The program is approved by the State Teacher Certification Board, in conjunction with the Illinois State Board of Education, and includes all the requirements for a major in Physics.  Physics majors must declare a major in Secondary Education.  See advisors in the Department of Physics and College of Education for specific approval and a list of required courses.


Degree Requirements

The Department of Physics features a fully approved Physics program that prepares candidates to teach grades 6-12 in Illinois public and private schools. The program is approved by the State Teacher Certification Board, in conjunction with the Illinois State Board of Education, and includes all the requirements for a major in Physics. Physics majors specializing in this Concentration must declare a major in Secondary Education. See advisors in the Department of Physics and College of Education for specific approval and a list of required courses.

Teacher Candidates seeking a Teaching Certificate in Science with a designation in Physics must complete the following coursework in the content area as well as professional education courses. For a detailed description of the courses please click on the appropriate link. Only grades of “C” and above are acceptable in professional education courses and in any courses counted toward any endorsement or certificate. A “C-” or lower grade will require that the course be repeated

Department of Physics Policies:

At least 85% of content course grades must be at the level of “C+” or better. A grade of "C-" or better must be earned in a prerequisite course in order to advance to the next course in the sequence; however, students may have to retake courses in order to meet the grade requirements of the Secondary Education Program.

Physics majors and minors may take a Physics class only two times. If a student has not achieved a minimum of a "C-" after the second attempt, the student may not repeat the class.

Physics majors may not double major in Chemical Physics.

I. Courses in Physics Major for Teaching Certification (66)

A. Core Courses

02-140Molecular and Cellular Sciences for Secondary Educators

1
02-142Environmental Science for Secondary Educators

1
02-144Fundamentals of Earth Science

1
03-110General Chemistry I

4
03-111General Chemistry I Lab

1
03-115General Chemistry II

4
03-116General Chemistry II Lab

1
13-200Calculus I

4
13-201Calculus II

4
13-250Calculus III

4
13-300Differential Equations

3
17-140Fundamentals of Space Science

1
17-210General Physics I

3
17-211General Physics I Lab

1
17-215General Physics II

3
17-216General Physics II Lab

1
17-218General Physics III

3
17-219General Physics III Lab

1
17-296Research Methods Seminar

1
17-300Mechanics

4
17-341Modern Physics

3
17-365Intermediate Physics Laboratory

3
17-465Capstone Project

1
17-496Physics Seminar

1

B. Select one of the following courses:

17-310Electricity and Magnetism

4
17-311Analog and Digital Electronics

4

C. Select one of the following Mathematics courses:

13-305Linear Algebra

3
13-315Probability and Statistics I

3

D. Select one Computation course:

13-425Mathematical Modeling

3
70-200Introduction to Computer Science

3
70-315Scientific Computing

3
13-425 cannot be used to satisfy this requirement and the Mathematics minor requirements.

E. Select at least two additional credit hours from the following courses:

13-305Linear Algebra

3
13-315Probability and Statistics I

3
13-320Theories of Geometry

3
13-330History of Mathematics I

3
13-331History of Mathematics II

3
13-425Mathematical Modeling

3
17-306Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences

2
17-311Analog and Digital Electronics

4
17-318Optics

4
17-342Applied Modern Physics: Atoms, Molecules, and Condensed Matter

2
17-343Applied Modern Physics: Nuclear and Particle Physics

2
17-371Workshop in Physics

1 - 2
17-401Computational Mechanics

2
17-411Computational Electrodynamics

2
17-470Undergraduate Research

1-6
17-498Special Topics in Physics

1-4
Mathematics minors cannot use any 300- or 400-level Mathematics course to satisfy both this requirement and a Mathematics minor requirement.

F. The advanced writing requirement is satisfied for Physics majors by successful completion of 17-296 Research Methods Seminar, 17-365 Intermediate Physics Lab, and 17-465 Capstone Project.

II. Please see Secondary Education / Bachelor of Arts for required Education courses.