Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure: Earth and Space Science 8–12

Learning Format

Hybrid

Types

Certificate/PBTL
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure: Earth and Space Science 8–12

Teach earth and space science in Massachusetts

The Earth and Space Science 8–12 track prepares you for the Massachusetts Initial Teaching License in Earth and Space Science, grades 8 through 12. It's designed for people who already hold a bachelor's degree, in geology, earth science, astronomy, a related field, or something else, and want to teach it 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 earth and space science courses to meet this license's subject-matter requirements.
 

Why choose Earth and Space Science 8–12

  • Your background is in the earth or space sciences. Geology, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy: this license turns that knowledge into a teaching career. If your science background is broader, 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. Earth and Space Science 8–12 is a single-subject license, so your teaching day centers on it.
  • 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
Massachusetts requires candidates for this license to hold a bachelor's degree and to demonstrate the depth and breadth of content knowledge needed to teach the state's Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework for Grades 6–8 and High School Earth and Space Science.

Faculty in the relevant science department review each applicant's transcript against the subject areas below, which FSU uses to assess that knowledge. Coursework completed at FSU or another institution may satisfy some or all of these areas, and the transcript review identifies any courses that remain.

RequirementFSU courses that meet it
Solar system astronomyASTR 218 Principles of Solar System Astronomy
Stars and galaxiesASTR 230 Stars and Galaxies
Earth systemsEASC 101 Climate Change Is Now: An Introduction to Earth Systems
Physical geologyGEOL 108 Physical Geology or GEOL 208 Principles of Physical Geology
Environmental geologyGEOL 233 Environmental Geology
Global environmentGEOG 212 Geographic Perspectives on the Global Environment
Resource management and ecosystem preservationGEOG 375 Resource Management

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, a statement of purpose, and two recommendations. Your transcript is reviewed course by course for the subject-matter preparation this license requires. 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
  • Earth and Space Science (74), 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

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