Secondary Education MAT Biological Science Concentration Alternative Florida Program

This program is designed for students with baccalaureate degrees and undergraduate coursework in Biological Science who seek Florida state secondary education certification. Graduates will be eligible for a Professional Educator Certification endorsed for secondary education/ Biological Science (grades 6 to 12) .

For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page.

Program Details

• Requires 35 SH for completion
• Requires practicum and student teaching
• Requires a min grade of C in program coursework
• Requires a min grade of B in the following methods courses: EDUF 540, EDUF 502, EDUF 541, EDUF 500, EDUF 505, and SECF 510
• Requires the Education Preparation Institute (EPI) completion statement and the M.A.T. degree to be awarded simultaneously

Licensure Requirements:

• Requires passing score on the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations
  • Professional Education Test
  • Subject Area Test
  • General Knowledge test – waived with master’s degree

Program Learning Outcomes

PLO 1: Develop and practice a philosophy of education based on self-reflection.

PLO 2: Use knowledge of students to design a respectful learning community in which learning experiences are engaging, challenging, and meet the needs of all learners.

PLO 3: Develop instructional practices that facilitate higher-order thinking and depth of student understanding.

PLO 4: Design and use formative and summative assessments that align with learning outcomes, inform instruction, and measure multiple forms of evidence.

PLO 5: Provide ongoing, meaningful performance feedback to enhance student learning.

PLO 6: Use current technology that is appropriate to the instructional outcomes, complements content-specific material, and actively engages students.

PLO 7: Exhibit a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of being a teacher.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the National College of Education Graduate Admission requirements, candidates must:

• Provide a statement of status of eligibility (SOE) from the Florida Department of Education that says they are eligible for the subject area and grade level listed on the statement. Secondary Education candidates must also:
  • Biology Concentration:
    • Have a major in Biology from a school with regional accreditation or a minimum of 24 SH of coursework in science with 18 SH in Biology completed with a grade of "C" or better including (6 SH of coursework that contains a lab or two lab courses equivalent to at least 2 SH for students who don't have a major in the designation area)
      • Have at least one course in the following areas:
        • One course in Chemistry
        • One course in Earth Science/Space Science or Environmental Science or Physics
  • Candidates may be admitted to the program with up to 24 SH of content/subject area coursework deficiency. These courses must be completed before degree conferral.
• Provide an official letter of recommendation, signed and sealed by the writer (emailed letters are acceptable provided they are submitted directly by the writer to [e-mail])
• Have a faculty review of all documents
• The candidate’s academic achievement requirements are a prior cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher OR three references who vouch for the candidate’s ability to meet the rigors of the EPI program and teaching in public education in Florida

Required Courses

Program Requirements

The program requires 22 SH of shared coursework plus 13 SH of concentration.

EDUF 500	Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities	3
EDUF 502	Teaching Comprehension and Content Area Reading	3
EDUF 505	Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language	3
EDUF 511	Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts	2
EDUF 512	Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of Education	2
EDUF 540	Teaching Content Area Literacy at the Middle and Secondary Level	3
EDUF 541	Teaching Writing	3
SECF 502	Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level	3
SECF 510	Methods of Teaching Biological Sciences at the Secondary Level	3
SECF 581A	Secondary Education Practicum	4
SECF 590A	Student Teaching Seminar	2 TO 6

Note: SECF 581A must be completed for a total of 4SH. SECF 590A must be completed for a total of 6SH.