Biology: Adolescence Education – BS

Program Overview:

The programs in Biology provide excellent preparation for laboratory work, research, teaching, medical school, veterinary school, allied health professions (such as physical therapy or physician’s assistant), or graduate study. The curriculum provides a thorough grounding in modern biology from the molecular to the organism level. After completing their introductory courses, students will choose one of two tracks. The first is a Cell and Molecular Biology track that prepares students for careers or graduate study in medically-related fields, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, microbiology, genetics, animal biology, and other areas. The second, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, is offered to students who wish to pursue a more field-oriented degree that emphasizes how organisms interact with their environment. Biology/Adolescence Education qualifies students for initial certification by New York State to teach biology in grades 7 through 12. Refer to the Adolescence Education catalog section for the education sequence program requirements and policies.

Once a student has matriculated, all major requirements must be taken at The College of Saint Rose unless formal written permission to do otherwise is given by the advisor and Dean of the School of Mathematics and Sciences with consultation of the instructor.

Students may opt to combine a science major with minors from disciplines such as political science, psychology, art and business. These combinations acquaint the student with important knowledge of a world increasingly influenced by science. Saint Rose graduates have had career opportunities in varied fields such as forensic science, law, medical illustration and genetic counseling.

Program Contacts:

To email the Department Chairs,

Ann Zeeh, Associate Professor of Biology

Program Webpage:

Biology Adolescence Education, BA

Program Requirements:

Major in Biology: Adolescence Education (93-96 credits)

Required Courses for Adolescence Education (36-39 credits)

Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12): Certification Sequence

The Teacher Education Department identifies the purposes of its education sequence for Adolescence Education students seeking initial certification at the undergraduate level as the development of education professionals who are reflective practitioners able to link content, theory, and practice, and create effective learning environments for pupils with the full range of abilities and experiential backgrounds.

The Adolescence Education program offers both theoretical and practical experience and prepares students to teach in the secondary (and, in some districts, middle) school (grades 7-12). The program has three components: an education sequence, the Liberal Education requirements and an academic major in one of the following disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Spanish. Students admitted into the Adolescence Education program are required to major in the subject matter they plan to teach. Course requirements for each of the majors can be found under the discipline listings. Adolescence Education majors follow the College’s 41-credit Liberal Education requirements. For this requirement, students need 3 credits of “further disciplinary study” in the liberal arts, selected in consultation with the advisor.

Good standing in the Adolescence Education program, permission to student teach and recommendation for certification are contingent upon maintaining the following academic status: a 2.5 cumulative grade point average and a 2.75 index in both the education sequence and in the academic major. A minimum grade of C must be earned in each required education course. Students are allowed to repeat only once courses in the required education sequence for which they have earned C+ or below. Required courses may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. A significant portion of the content major and all education requirements must be completed prior to student teaching. To ensure rigorous preparation for student teaching, students may find it desirable to complete the entire content major prior to student teaching.

In order to be eligible for initial teacher certification in New York State, students must pass required New York State Teacher Certification Examinations. Fingerprinting clearance from The New York State Department of Education is required for all field experiences. Fingerprinting information is available on the New York State Department of Education “TEACH” website http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach. Students should note that education courses with field experiences have catalog course descriptions that include a statement on mandatory fingerprinting.

Upon fulfilling the academic requirements of the program, receiving fingerprint clearance and passing examinations required by the New York State Education Department, students qualify for grades 7-12 initial certification in New York State. Within five years, teachers with initial certification must apply for professional certification, which is contingent upon earning a relevant master’s degree and obtaining teaching experience that includes mentoring.

Grade 5-6 Extension (7 credits)

Extensions are not required as part of the Adolescence Education program at Saint Rose. The New York State Education Department offers an extension for grades 5-6 to the teaching certification for Adolescence Education grades 7-12. This extension to teach in grades 5 and 6 is designed to enable students to create developmentally appropriate classroom contexts for learning in the content areas of their certification (biology, chemistry, mathematics, English/language arts, or social studies). An extension will show that the certified adolescence teacher has added expertise in the area of extension. Students must obtain fingerprint clearance prior to beginning field experiences. Adolescence Education students who wish the College to recommend them to the New York State Education Department for the extension must complete all the requirements for Adolescence Education certification and the additional requirements shown below:

Bilingual Education Extension: Spanish (12 credits)

Extensions are not required as part of the Adolescence Education major at Saint Rose. The New York State Education Department offers an extension for Bilingual Education to the initial/provisional or permanent/professional teaching certificate obtained for Adolescence Education grades 7-12. An extension will show that the certified adolescence teacher has additional expertise to teach bilingual education in middle childhood education, adolescence education, a special subject, literacy education, or career and technical education. Adolescence Education majors who wish the College to recommend them to the New York State Education Department for an extension must complete the major in the subject area they plan to teach and all the requirements for the Adolescence Education grades 7-12 program; and complete the following additional requirements:

BLE 300         Foundations of Bilingual Education                 3

BLE 308         Sociolinguistics and Psycholinguistics              3

BLE 380         Methods for Teaching Native Language Arts

                        and Content Areas to Bilingual Learners          3

                        (25-hour field experience outside of class is required)          

BLE 381         Methods for Teaching English Language Arts
and Content Areas to Bilingual Learners          3

                        (25-hour field experience outside of class is required)          

The New York State Teacher Certification Examination required for the Bilingual Education Extension in Spanish: Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) in Spanish (prior to BLE 308).

All 4-credit science courses have a required laboratory component.

The Department of Physical and Biological Sciences highly recommends that all students majoring in the sciences take CSC 202 in fulfillment of their L08 Liberal Education requirement.

In order to promote undergraduate research within The College of Saint Rose, the School of Mathematics & Sciences has created a research honors concentration program.  Please refer to the School of Mathematics and Sciences information in the School Information section of this catalog.

Internship/Field Experiences/Service:

Required Course

Culminating Academic Experiences:

Required Course

Professional Accreditation:

The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.

The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.msche.org/

Programs offered by The College of Saint Rose for the preparation of all school professionals, leading to initial and advanced certifications, are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.ncate.org/

Career Opportunities and Graduate Study:

Biology: Adolescence Education qualifies students for initial certification by New York State to teach biology in grades 7 through 12. Once a student has matriculated, all major requirements must be taken at The College of Saint Rose unless formal written permission to do otherwise is given by the advisor and Dean of the School of Mathematics and Sciences with consultation of the instructor.

Minor(s):

• Biology Minor
• Environmental Affairs Minor

Complete minors listing

Admissions and Financial Aid Information:

The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of Freshman applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete an application as early as November. The Admissions Team will return a decision on complete applications within just three weeks. The College awards academic scholarships at the same time.

What Makes an Application Complete

• Online or Paper application (fee waived for online applicants!)
• Official High School Transcripts
• Official Transcripts for any College Level Courses
• SAT or ACT scores  (See Test Optional FAQ's)
• Letter of Recommendation from a Counselor or Teacher
• Essay or Graded Paper
• Applicants may also apply via the Common Application Online.
• Art applicants are required to complete a portfolio review.

Admissions contact information (telephone number, admissions web pages)

Scholarships and Financial Aid

See Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid section for more information.

The Bottom Line

The total cost of The College of Saint Rose (including tuition, fees, room and board) is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast, and we still award more than $25 million in Saint Rose scholarships, grants and financial aid.

Take a look at our bottom line, and view a cost comparison with a four-year public institution.

More about Financial Aid

Financial Aid is defined as any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity given with the express purpose of assisting you with education-related expenses to make you education affordable. Financial Aid is awarded on the basis of student need and the availability of funds.

The Admission and Financial Aid teams have designed a Guide to Scholarships and Financial Aid to help prospective students and families get to the bottom line and find that The College of Saint Rose is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast--while maintaining powerful academic opportunities.

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