School of Education

Mathematics-Science Dual Minor

This minor is intended for all Elementary Education and Special Education majors wishing to enhance their content preparation in mathematics and science. It is particularly suitable for those Elementary Education majors who are seeking Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence certification and who intend to teach mathematics and science in the middle school. See the bottom of the page for information on scholarship awards related to this minor. Consult with advising staff at Education Academic Services (EAS), Rust-Schreiner Halls, 115 North Orchard Street, 262-1651.

Mathematics Component

The mathematics sequence emphasizes problem solving, mathematical reasoning and justification, communicating, and building on students' mathematical ideas in areas such as algebraic thinking, calculus, and probability and statistics. The capstone course, Math 138, is for students to build connections across core ideas in upper-level elementary and middle school mathematics and to understand how these evolve from and into elementary and higher level mathematics. This sequence is also intended to prepare students to take the Praxis examination for middle school mathematics, thereby permitting certification and licensure in most other states that require more in depth content preparation.

Complete the following courses:

Science Component

The aim of the Science component of this minor is for students to understand science as an intellectual activity. The goals of science and the diverse means by which scientific knowledge is generated and validated should be at the core of the Science portion of this minor. Upon its completion, students should have had opportunities to understand some of the most powerful organizing ideas in the various scientific disciplines as well as how those ideas have been and are generated. Such an understanding should provide students with the fundamental tools and outlook necessary to teach the variety of science content typically taught in middle schools. The committee that developed this Science component has indicated that the primary purpose for the minor should be consistent with the goals of a liberal or general education—thus viewing the minor as an extension of the current Liberal Studies requirement. This minor is also expected to provide Elementary Education program students with a background in the sciences that are most commonly taught at the middle school level. 

Besides the 9 credits of science required for the Liberal Studies requirement, students completing this minor must also take 9 credits in science that are to be a part of the Math-Science dual minor. With these 18 credits it is possible to provide a minimal level of breadth and depth of science coursework. Students must complete the following between their Liberal Studies Science course work and the additional 9 credits:

  1. At least one course in each of three of four science areas—biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space science. (Integrated Liberal Studies 153 does not count as falling into any one of these areas.)
  2. No more than 12 credits at the introductory level—those courses below marked with an asterisk (*)—will count toward the 18 credits required. (Students who have already entered the Elementary Education program by the spring semester 2008 may take up to 15 credits at the introductory level.)

The following courses are approved for inclusion in the science component of the Math/Science minor:

Integrated Liberal Studies
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Earth and Space Science

Scholarship Awards for Elementary Education Majors Choosing This Minor

Elementary Education majors are eligible for scholarship awards of up to $2000 from the Brookhill Foundation for completing the Mathematics portion of this minor. Please see this Web site for details.