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Advisor contact information
Elisa Palmer
231 Science Laboratory Building
Appointments by phone (438-8581) or email (elpalme@ilstu.edu)
Plan of study
Suggested 4 year plan of study
Plan of study checklist
Declaring the major
Requirements: This major at Illinois State University requires the completion of 40 credit hours of Biology course work. Twenty-nine of the biology credits are earned in courses required for all BTC majors. The remaining 11 are taken as electives but must include two laboratory courses. This program, with its additional course work in chemistry, earth science, and physics, is excellent preparation for both the biology content test required for certification in the state of Illinois and for the knowledge base necessary for effective science teaching.
Biology Course Descriptions
| Required Courses |
Title Credit Hours |
| BSC 161 |
Introduction to Teaching Science Seminar |
2 |
| BSC 196 |
Biological Diversity |
4 |
| BSC 197 |
Molecular & Cellular Biology |
4 |
| BSC 201 |
Evolutionary Ecology |
4 |
| BSC 203 |
Cell Biology |
3 |
| BSC 219 |
Genetics |
3 |
| BSC 220 |
Laboratory in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology |
2 |
| BSC 231 |
Laboratory Methods in Teaching Science |
1 |
| BSC 297 |
Biological Evolution |
2 |
| BSC 302 |
Student Teaching Seminar |
1 |
| BSC 307 |
Methods in the Teaching of Biology |
3 |
| BSC electives* |
Must include 2 laboratory courses (BSC 182 and above) |
11 |
| CHE 140 |
General Chemistry I |
4 |
| CHE 141 |
General Chemistry II |
4 |
| CHE 220** |
Elem. Organic Chemistry |
5 |
| PHY 105** |
Fundamentals of Physics |
4 |
| GEO 102 or 202 |
Principles of Geology or Evolution of the Earth |
3 |
| MAT 120 or MAT 145 |
Finite Mathematics or Calculus I |
4 |
| ECO 138 or GEO 138 or PSY 138 or POL 138 |
Applied Statistics course |
3 |
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Total Hours |
67 |
MAJOR GPA. All the required and elective courses listed above are used in the calculation of the Major GPA. The Major GPA required for a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences Teacher Certification is 2.50.
* Electives : The 11 elective credits in biology may be selected from a wide variety of offerings. This flexibility allows students to take extensive course work in one particular area of specialization or sample courses in a variety of areas. BSC 202 and Biological Science courses below 182 may not be used in the major. High recommended electives include BSC 291, BSC 260, & BSC 182/183.
**Chemistry and Physics : All BTC majors must take chemistry courses through a laboratory course in Organic Chemistry, either CHE 220 - Elementary Organic Chemistry or CHE 230, 231 - Organic Chemistry I, lab and lecture, and at least one semester of physics with a laboratory, either PHY 105 - Fundamentals of Physics or PHY 108 - College Physics I. Physics 108 & 109 are high recommended.
***Mathematics : All BTC majors must take two math-related courses. Majors can choose between MAT 120 (Finite Mathematics) and MAT 145 (Calculus I). All BTC majors must take either ECO 138, GEO 138, PSY 138, or POL 138.
**** In addition to the major courses listed above, BTC majors are required to complete 26 hours of professional education courses. Those courses are listed below.
| Required Courses |
Title Credit Hours |
| PSY 215 |
Education Psychology |
3 |
| C&I 212 |
Curriculum and Organization Issues in Secondary Education |
2 |
| C&I 214 |
Literacy in the Content Areas of Secondary Education |
3 |
| C&I 216 |
Instructional and Evaluative Methods in Secondary Education |
3 |
| EAF 228 or 231 or 235 |
Social Foundations or Introduction to Philosophy of Education or Historical Foundations |
3 |
| STT 399.03 |
Student Teaching in Biological Sciences |
12 |
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Total Hours |
26* |
*Please note: PSY 302 & C&I 233.01 are highly recommended education courses and are necessary to earn middle school certification in the state of Illinois.
Further Questions? Please contact BTC advisor Elisa Palmer at elpalme@ilstu.edu
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