Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure: Chemistry 8–12

Learning Format

Hybrid

Types

Certificate/PBTL
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure: Chemistry 8–12

Teach high school chemistry in Massachusetts

The Chemistry 8–12 track prepares you for the Massachusetts Initial Teaching License in Chemistry, grades 8 through 12. It's built for people who already hold a bachelor's degree, in chemistry, a related science, or another field, and want to teach chemistry to high school students.

You take the shared PBTL education core, a methods course for your subject with time in a real public school classroom, and finish with a full semester of student teaching. Depending on your transcript, you may also need a few chemistry courses to meet the state's subject-matter requirements.
 

Why choose Chemistry 8–12

  • Your background is in chemistry. Whether you studied it or worked in a lab, this license puts that expertise to work in a classroom. If your science background spans several fields, compare General Science 5–8.
  • You want to teach teenagers. The 8–12 license prepares you for a high school classroom.
  • You want to teach one subject. Chemistry 8–12 is a single-subject license, so your teaching day centers on chemistry.
  • You already have a bachelor's degree. PBTL leads to your license without a second degree.
Program Requirements

Courses for this license

CourseTitle
EDIL 802Professional Preparation II: Special Needs and Educational Technology
EDIL 825Secondary Methods with Field Study II: Science Grades 8–12
EDPS 865ASecondary Professional Practicum A: Science 8–12
EDPS 865BSecondary Professional Practicum B: Science 8–12

Methods courses run in the fall. Student teaching runs in the spring: Practicum A from mid-January to mid-March, then Practicum B from mid-March to mid-May. Your methods courses and both practicum courses must be taken at FSU.

Subject-matter requirements
The state sets subject-matter requirements for this license, and faculty in the Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Food Science department compare your transcript against each one below. Courses you've already taken, at FSU or another college, may meet some or all of them. Your transcript review shows which ones, if any, you still need.

RequirementFSU courses that meet it
Introductory chemistry I and IICHEM 107 and CHEM 108
Organic chemistry I and IICHEM 207 Organic Chemistry I and CHEM 208 Organic Chemistry II
Advanced chemistry (5 courses)Five of these: CHEM 301 Biochemistry I, CHEM 332 Biochemistry II, CHEM 303 Physical Chemistry I, CHEM 304 Physical Chemistry II, CHEM 321 Instrumental Analysis, CHEM 390 Special Topics in Chemistry, CHEM 401 Inorganic Chemistry. Or at least nine months of related work experience, if faculty approve it at your transcript review
Introductory physicsPHYS 201 Introductory Physics
CalculusMATH 219 Calculus I or MATH 220 Calculus II

Plan to finish any subject-matter courses you still need before student teaching. Exceptions need your coordinator's approval.

Admissions Requirements

To apply, you'll need a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.00 GPA, a statement of purpose, and two recommendations. Your transcript is reviewed course by course against the state's subject-matter requirements for this license. Full admissions detail, including how transcripts from outside the U.S. are handled, is on the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure (PBTL) program page.

Core Courses

Every student on this track takes:

  • EDIL 900 Field Study I in Education and Seminar (spring), or a waiver if you qualify
  • EDIL 910 Education Foundations
  • EDIL 920 Learning and Human Development
  • TESL 910 Sheltered English Immersion

EDIL 910 and EDIL 920 are offered online three times a year. Take them before your methods courses, since they're prerequisites.

Field Experience

Field Study I is observation. Field Study II is part of your methods course, where you take on real teaching. Then comes a full-time, semester-long student teaching practicum. Already working in a school at this level? You can apply to use a semester of that job in place of the practicum.

Application details and deadlines are on the Field Placement & Licensure Information page.

Tests You Will Need

You do not need to pass the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) to apply. You do need these before student teaching and before the state issues your license:

  • Communication and Literacy Skills
  • Chemistry (67), for subject matter knowledge

For registration dates and preparation materials, see Field Placement & Licensure Information.

Meet your coordinator

Kelly Matthews

Kelly Matthews, Ph.D.

Professor and Secondary Education Coordinator, English Department and Interdisciplinary Studies Advisor and Coordinator
(508) 626-4815
kmatthews@framingham.edu
May Hall

Learn More