+1 Accelerated Master's (Dual-Degree) Program in Biology (BA/BS) + Middle Grades Education (MEd)

This +1 Accelerated Program offers Biology undergraduate majors in the College of Science and Technology the exciting opportunity to complete their undergraduate degree AND, then, in the year following, a Master’s in Middle Grades Education.  The master's program meets the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s program requirements for Teacher Certification in Middle Grades Education (Grades 4-8). In addition to becoming certified to teach all elementary subjects in 4-6th, all Middle Grades Education students will pursue certification for 7-8th grades in one of the following certification areas:

• Double certifications: Mathematics and Science; Mathematics and Language Arts/English; or Science and Language Arts/English
• Single certification: Language Arts/English; Mathematics; Science; or Social Studies

Graduate Coursework and Tuition

Four graduate courses (12 credits) are to be completed by the end of your senior year and will count towards both your undergraduate and graduate degree program requirements. Only students who have been accepted for the +1 Accelerated Program will be able to register for these classes. The graduate courses will be coded as undergraduate courses on your undergraduate transcript and undergraduate tuition will be applied. After you matriculate into the +1 Accelerated Program, the graduate level indicator will be added to these courses so that they may also count towards your master's degree.

Prerequisite Requirements for Middle Grades Education MEd

In your senior year, after you have been admitted to the +1 Accelerated Program in Middle Grades Education, you will be required to make a formal application to the Graduate School.  In order to be approved to complete your graduate degree with an additional year of coursework, by the time of this application, you must have completed all the required prerequisites for admission to the Master's in Education program in Middle Grades Education with a concentration in your anticipated teacher certification area(s).

Prerequisite Coursework for Graduate Study

• At least four courses (or 12 semester hours) each in two of the chosen concentration areas (i.e., math and science, science and language arts, or math and language arts).  
  • Students pursing science as one of their two concentration areas are advised to have at least one life science, one earth science, and one physical science course.  
  • Students pursing math as one of their two concentration areas are advised to have at least three credits of calculus, with other math credits being at a similar level or beyond.  
  • Students pursuing language arts should have at least one composition course and at least one American or British literature course.  Basic or remedial courses do not count towards the language arts prerequisites.
• At least two courses (6 semester hours) in the other content area (i.e., math, science, or language arts).
• At least two courses (6 semester hours) in U.S. History, American Government, or World History.

Prerequisites can be undergraduate or graduate level courses with a grade of "C" or better. The middle grades advisor makes the determination of which courses can count as fulfilling these subject matter prerequisites.