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Undergraduate Catalog 2006-2007 
 

Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
I. Introduction
The College of Science and Technology is committed to the support of students seeking to become science, mathematics and technology educators at all levels. The Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (SMTE) program offers content courses for students seeking K-12 science, mathematics and technology education. SMTE classes are also an integral part of the course work for degrees preparing students for Teacher Certifications. The SMTE program does not offer a degree; rather, degrees leading to Teacher Certification are offered by other Science and Technology programs and by the College of Education. Students seeking to teach in the elementary and secondary schools of Texas must meet both degree requirements as well as certification requirements. The requirements and procedure to become a science, mathematics or technology teacher in Texas are outlined below; presentation of such details about multiple programs in a single catalog section is intended for clarity and ease of readers in locating information.

II. How to Become a Science, Mathematics or Technology Teacher in Texas
In order to be recommended for teacher certification at this university, a candidate must fulfill three basic requirements: (1) have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university that includes an academic major and teacher training courses, (2) complete teacher training through an approved program, and (3) successfully complete the appropriate teacher certification tests for the subject and grade level that the candidate wishes to teach. Additional information on the requirements to become a teacher in Texas can be obtained at the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) website:

http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/certinfo/becometeacher.asp. This website also provides information on the resources available to help students pay for a teacher training program.

SBEC has approved three levels of teacher certification for regular educators: (1) Early childhood to grade 4 which includes foundation subjects and enrichment areas such as art, PE, and music, (2) Grade 4-8 which includes the foundation areas only, and (3) Grade 8-12 certification. Students can find information on the different certifications at the official Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) and Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET) Web site: http://www.excet.nesinc.com/. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi offers several degrees leading to a number of these teacher certifications. The College of Education (COE) offers several degrees leading to teacher certification. The College of Science and Technology offers bachelor’s degrees leading to teacher certification in the sciences, mathematics and technology at the 4-8 and the 8-12 levels. These bachelor’s degrees are the following; they are described in Section V below, in the order listed:

 
  • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science – Science Education Concentration leading to the Science 4-8 teacher certification
(136-138 sem. hrs.)
 
  • Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (BSIS, College of Education) leading to the Mathematics 4-8 teacher certification
 
  • Bachelor of Science in Biology – Life Science Education Concentration leading to the Life Science 8-12 teacher certification
(124 sem. hrs.)
 
  • Bachelor of Science in Chemistry – Physical Science Education Concentration leading to the Physical Science 8-12 teacher certification
(124 sem. hrs.)
 
  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science – Computer Science Education Option leading to the Computer Science 8-12 teacher certification
(136 sem. hrs.)
 
  • Bachelor of Science in Mathematics leading to the Mathematics 8-12 teacher certification
(127 sem hrs)

Mathematics 8-12 teacher certification is also possible with an undergraduate major other than mathematics. Details immediately follow the BS in Mathematics listing.

The individual programs, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, and Mathematics offer these degrees and courses.

Students seeking Teacher Certification are also strongly urged to contact the Certification Officer in the College of Education about current requirements and procedures that must be met to obtain the certificate. In particular students following a degree plan leading to teacher certification must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi PRIOR to enrolling in any 4000 level EDCI or EDUC courses. Application forms for admission to the teacher education program may be obtained from the Undergraduate or Certification Office, room FC 201. The students are referred to the College of Education section of this catalog for more information on the Teacher Education Program.

III. Grade Point Average for Students Seeking Teacher Certification
A minimum grade point average of 2.50 (4.0 = A) in all work attempted, a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in all science, math, or specialization areas, and no grade below “C” in any science or mathematics course on a student’s degree plan and/or education courses within the professional block of courses are required. (See College of Education, “Admission to Teacher Education” and “Admission to Student Teaching” for other requirements.)

IV. Alteration of a Certification Plan
Any amendment to a degree plan originally filed must be approved by the student’s academic advisor, the Department Chair, the Dean of the College of Science and Technology, and the Certification Officer of the College of Education for the degree to be granted.

V. Bachelors of Science from the College of Science and Technology leading to Teacher Certification

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE – GRADES 4-8 SCIENCE EDUCATION CONCENTRATION
The minimum requirement for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science with a science education concentration is a total of 136-138 hours. The concentration is designed for those students who plan on obtaining a 4-8 Science certificate. The degree requirements are divided among the following areas:

General Requirements Sem. Hrs.
  A. University Core (47) and First-Year Seminar (2) 49
  B. Foundation Courses  
 

Lower-Division Foundations
Upper-Division Foundations

32-33
18-19
 

C. Mathematics Courses
D. Psychology Course
E. Professional Development and Reading Sequence
Total

7
(3)
30
136-138

Details of each of these areas are described below.

A. University Core and First-Year Seminar
See catalog section on University Core. Students choosing a science education concentration must take Introduction to Modeling (MATH 1470) or Calculus I (MATH 2413), Biology I (BIOL 1406), General Chemistry I with lab (CHEM 1311/1111), and Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 2301). Some of these courses are included in the Foundations requirements; in such cases the semester hours are indicated in parenthesis for the course.

Supporting courses are chosen to provide a context in which to apply mathematics, to provide important career skills for the mathematician, and to motivate many of the important problems studied in mathematics.
    Sem. Hrs.
Core Curriculum 47
First-Year Seminars or Electives  

 

 Full-time, first-year students are required to take the following courses:  
 

UCCP 1101 / UCCP 1102 First-Year Seminar I, II

2
  Students not required to take these courses may substitute electives.  
     
 

Total

49
     
B. Foundation Courses Sem. Hrs.
  Lower-Division Foundations

(4)
4
4
4
4
(3)+1
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
32-33
  BIOL 1406 Biology I (included in University Core)
  BIOL 1407 Biology II
  ESCI 1401 Environmental Science I: Introduction to Environmental Science
  ESCI 1402 Environmental Science II: Systems and Applications
  CHEM 1311/1111 General Chemistry I with lab
  PHYS 1401 General Physics I
  GEOL 1403 Physical Geology
  GEOL 1404 Historical Geology
 

Choose two of the following:

 

BIOL 2472 Principles of Botany
GISC 1470 Introduction to Geospatial System I
ASTR 1311 Introduction to Space Science

 

Total

     
  Upper-Division Foundations Sem. Hrs.
  SMTE 3315 Foundational Approaches to the Physical Sciences 3
3
3
4
2
  SMTE 3316 Foundational Approaches to the Life Sciences
  SMTE 4320 Secondary Science Laboratory Techniques
  SMTE 4270/4271 Science Education Topics I/II
  SMTE 4273 Topics: Historical Development of the Sciences
  Choose one of the following:  
 

ESCI 3351 Oceanography 3
ESCI 3403 Meteorology 4

  
 

Total

18-19
     
C. Mathematics Courses Sem. Hrs.
 

MATH 1442 Statistics Life
SMTE 1350 Fundamentals of Mathematics I
       Total

4
3
7
     
D. Psychology Sem. Hrs.
  PSYC 2301 General Psychology (included in University Core) (3)
 

Total

 (3)
     
E. Professional Development Sequence  
  Students who seek a 4-8 level Science teaching certificate should contact a Certification Office in the College of Education about requirements and procedures that must be met to obtain the certificate. The professional development sequence must be taken in a specific order and it is recommended that students contact the College of Education early in their academic careers for specific details on these courses.
    Sem. Hrs.
  READ 3321 Foundations of Developmental Reading 3
3
3
6
3
3
9
30
  READ 3351 Diagnosis and Correction of Reading Problems
  EDCI 3311 School and Society
  EDCI 4607 Planning Teaching, Assessment and Technology for 4-8
  EDCI 4313 Classroom Management 4-8
  EDCI 4323 Instructional Design for Special Populations 4-8
  EDUC 4992 Student Teaching 4-8
 

Total
     

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES – GRADES 4-8 MATHEMATICS EDUCATION CONCENTRATION
The Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary studies with a Mathematics 4-8 specialization and its requirements are described in the College of Education section of the catalog.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY – GRADES 8-12 LIFE SCIENCE EDUCATION CONCENTRATION
The Life Science Education plan is designed for those students who desire a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and a secondary teaching certificate in life science. The requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree with grades 8-12 Life Science Education Concentration are a minimum of 124* semester hours. Forty-eight are designated University core curriculum courses; 39 are biology teaching core courses, and 27 are professional development courses. Other requirements include a psychology course and upper division elective courses. All students must take the Major Field Test in Biology their senior year, prior to graduation.

*Students may have to take additional hours to meet university requirements such as First-Year Seminar courses.
  General Requirements Sem. Hrs.
  A. University Core (48) and first year seminar (2) 50
39
10
(3)
27
124
  B. Biology Teaching Core
  C. Upper Division Electives
  D. Psychology Course
  E. Professional Development and Reading Sequence
 

Total

     
  Details of each of these areas are described below.  
     
A. University Core Sem. Hrs.
 

Core Curriculum

48
 

First-Year Seminars or Electives

 
     
 

Full-time, first-year students are required to take the following courses:

 
 

UCCP 1101 / UCCP 1102 First-Year Seminar I, II

 2
  Students not required to take these courses may substitute electives  
 

Total

 50
     
B. Biology Teaching Core Sem. Hrs.
  BIOL 1406 Biology I (included in University Core) (4)
  BIOL 1407 Biology II (included in University Core) (4)
  Choose one of the three following classes  
 

BIOL 2401 Anatomy and Physiology I or
BIOL 3425 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy or
BIOL 3430 Physiology

  
 
4
  BIOL 2416 Genetics 4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
39
  BIOL 2421 Microbiology
  BIOL 3410 Cell Biology
  BIOL 3413 Invertebrate Biology
  BIOL 3414 Vertebrate Biology
  BIOL 3428 Principles of Ecology
  BIOL 2472 Principles of Botany
  SMTE 4320 Secondary Science Laboratory Techniques
  SMTE 4270 & 4271 Science Education Topics I & II
 

Total

     
C. Upper-Division Electives Sem. Hrs.
  Choose from courses in the Sciences, Psychology, and Mathematics  
 

Total

10
     
D. Psychology Sem. Hrs.
  PSYC 2301 General Psychology (included in University core) (3)
 

Total

 (3)
     
E. Professional Development and Reading Sequence  
  Students who seek a 8-12 level Life Science teaching certificate should contact a Certification Officer in the College of Education about requirements and procedures that must be met to obtain the certificate. The professional development sequence must be taken in a specific order and it is recommended that students contact the College of Education early in their academic careers for specific details on these courses.
    Sem. Hrs.
  READ 3353 Content Area Reading for Secondary Students 3
3
6
3
3
9
27
  EDCI 3311 School and Society
  EDCI 4606 Planning, Teaching, Assessment and Technology for 8-12
  EDCI 4312 Classroom Management 8-12
  EDCI 4322 Instructional Design for Special Populations 8-12
  EDUC 4993 Student Teaching 8-12
 

Total

     
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMISTRY – GRADES 8-12 PHYSICAL SCIENCE EDUCATION CONCENTRATION
The Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a Physical Science Education concentration is designed for those planning to teach chemistry or physics at the 8-12 level, or who need chemical knowledge and skills relevant to future studies in the sciences. The BS in Chemistry requires at least 124 semester hours with a university required 45 upper-division hours. Students may have to take additional hours to meet university general education requirements such as First-Year Seminar courses. The degree requirements for the physical science education concentration are as follows:
General Requirements Sem. Hrs.
  A. University Core (48) and first year seminar (2) 50*
4-16
45-46
  B. Special Foundation Courses
  C. Chemistry Major
  D. Psychology Course (3)
  E. Professional Development and Reading Sequence 27
     
A. University Core Sem. Hrs.
Core Curriculum
48*
First-Year Seminars or Electives  
  Full-time, first-year students are required to take the following courses:
  
 

UCCP 1101/ UCCP 1102 First-Year Seminar I, II

2
  Students not required to take these courses may substitute electives  
 

Total

50
     
* See catalog section on University Core. Students choosing a physical science education concentration must take Calculus I (MATH 2413), Biology I (BIOL 1406), General Chemistry I with lab (CHEM 1311/1111), and Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 2301). Some of these courses are included in the Foundations requirements.
     
B. Special Foundations for Physical Science Education Concentration Sem. Hrs.
  PHYS 2425 University Physics I 4**
4**
4**
4
4-16**
  PHYS 2426 University Physics II
  MATH 2413 Calculus I
  MATH 2414 Calculus II
 

Total
     
**Twelve of these hours may also be used to fulfill the University Core Curriculum science and mathematics requirements. In that case, the lesser total shown does not included the 12 hours applied to the core.
     
C. Chemistry Major for Physical Science Education Concentration Sem. Hrs.
  CHEM 1311/1111 and 1312/1112 General Chemistry I and II (6) + 2
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
7-8
  (Six hours may be included in the University Core)
  CHEM 3411 Organic Chemistry I
  CHEM 3412 Organic Chemistry II
  CHEM 3417 Quantitative Analysis
  CHEM 4443 Environmental Chemistry
  CHEM 4401 Biochemistry I
  SMTE 3315 Foundational Approaches to the Physical Sciences
  PHYS 3312 Modern Physics
  PHYS 3490 Advanced Modern Physics
  SMTE 4320 Secondary Science Laboratory Techniques
  SMTE 4270 and 4271 Science Education Topics I and II
  Two of the following courses  
 

PHYS 3490 Geophysics
PHYS 3490 Environmental Physics
PHYS 3490 Medical Physics
PHYS 3490 Electromagnetic Field Theory
CHEM 4344 Chemical Oceanography

  
 

Total

45-46
     
D. Psychology  
  PSYC 2301 General Psychology (included in University Core) (3)
(3)
 

Total
     
E. Professional Development Sequence  
Students who seek an 8-12 level Physical Science teaching certificate should contact the Certification Office in the College of Education about requirements and procedures that must be met to obtain the certificate. The professional development sequence must be taken in a specific order and it is recommended that students contact the College of Education early in their academic careers for specific details on these courses.
    Sem. Hrs.
  READ 3353 Content Area Reading for Secondary Students 3
3
6
3
3
9
27
  EDCI 3311 School and Society
  EDCI 4606 Planning, Teaching, Assessment and Technology for 8-12
  EDCI 4312 Classroom Management 8-12
  EDCI 4322 Instructional Design for Special Populations 8-12
  EDUC 4993 Student Teaching 8-12
 

Total

     
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE – GRADES 8-12 EDUCATION CONCENTRATION
The Computer Science Education option is designed for those students who desire a Bachelor of Science Degree and a secondary teaching certificate (grades 8-12) in Computer Science. The requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science with secondary teaching certification are a minimum of 136 semester hours. The degree requirements are as follows:
     
General Requirements Sem. Hrs.
  A. University Core (46) and first year seminar (2) 48
37
18
27
130
  B. Computer Science Major Curriculum
  C. Computer Science Education Option
  D. Professional Development and Reading Sequence
 

Total

     
A. University Core  
  See catalog section on University Core. Students choosing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science must take Calculus I (MATH 2413).  
    Sem. Hrs.
  Core Curriculum
UCCP 1101/UCCP 1102 First-Year Seminar I, II

Students not required to take these courses may substitute electives

46
2
   
 

Total

 48
     
B. Computer Science Major Curriculum Sem. Hrs.
  COSC 1435 Introduction to Problem Solving with Computers I 4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
  COSC 1436 Introduction to Problem Solving with Computers II
  COSC 2434 Computer Organization and Assembly Language
  COSC 2437 Data Structures
  COSC 3336 Introduction to DBMS
  COSC 3346 Computer Systems Software
  COSC 3370 Software Engineering
  COSC 4354 Senior Capstone Project
  MATH 2413 Calculus I (included in University Core)  
  *MATH 2305 Discrete Mathematics I 3
3
3
  *MATH 3342 Applied Probability and Statistics
  ENGL 3301 Professional and Report Writing
 

Total

 37
     
*These are supporting courses that can be used toward a minor in mathematics.  
     
C. Computer Science Education Option Sem. Hrs.
  COSC 3324 Object Orientated Programming 3
3
3

3
3
3
18
  COSC 3342 Network Design and Management
  One of:
 
COSC 3353 Survey of Programming Languages
 
COSC 4360 Theory of Programming Languages
  COSC 4342 Distributed Processing and Networking
  COSC 4343 Algorithmic Processes
  COSC 4330 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
 

Total

     
D. Professional Development and Reading Sequence
Students who seek an 8-12 level Computer Science teaching certificate should contact a Certification Officer in the College of Education about requirements and procedures that must be met to obtain the certificate. The professional development sequence must be taken in a specific order and it is recommended that students contact the College of Education early in their academic careers for specific details on these courses.
    Sem. Hrs.
  READ 3353 Content Area Reading for Secondary Students 3
3
6
3
3
9
27
  EDCI 3311 School and Society
  EDCI 4606 Planning, Teaching, Assessment and Technology for 8-12
  EDCI 4312 Classroom Management 8-12
  EDCI 4322 Instructional Design for Special Populations 8-12
  EDUC 4993 Student Teaching 8-12
 

Total

     
E. Psychology  
  PSYC 2301 General Psychology (included in University Core) (3)
 
Total
 (3)
     
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS – GRADES 8-12 EDUCATION CONCENTRATION
This plan is designed for those students who desire a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and a secondary teaching certificate in mathematics. The requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree are a minimum of 124 semester hours. Fifty are designated University core curriculum courses; 38 are mathematics courses. All students must take the Major Field Test in Mathematics their senior year, prior to graduation.
     
General Requirements Sem. Hrs.
  A. University Core Curriculum and First-Year Seminars 50
32
6
8
(3)
27

124
  B. Mathematics Core
  C. Mathematics Electives
  D. Supporting Courses
  E. Psychology Course
  F. Professional Development and Reading Sequence
  G. Electives (as needed to fulfill University graduation requirements)
 

Total

     
The following describes each of the components of the mathematics major in more detail.  
     
A. University Core Curriculum and First-Year Seminars.
See catalog section on University Core. Students choosing a mathematics education concentration must take Calculus I, (MATH 2414), University Physics I (PHYS 2425), University Physics II (PHYS 2426), and General Psychology (PSYC 2301).
    Sem. Hrs.
  Core Curriculum 48
  First-Year Seminars or Electives
Full-time, first-year students are required to take the following courses: 		 
 

UCCP 1101/UCCP 1102 First-Year Seminar I, II

2
 

Students not required to take these courses may substitute electives.

  
 

Total

50
     
B. Mathematics Core
The following courses are required of all mathematics majors.		 Sem. Hrs.
  MATH 2305 Discrete Mathematics I 3
(4)
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
32
  MATH 2413 Calculus I*
  MATH 2414 Calculus II*
  MATH 3311 Linear Algebra
  MATH 3313 Foundation to Higher Mathematics
  MATH 3315 Differential Equations
  MATH 3470 Calculus III
  MATH 4301 Introduction to Analysis
  MATH 4306 Modern Algebra
  MATH 4342 Introduction to Mathematics Statistics
 

MATH 4385 Applied Modeling
 

Total

     

*May be waived with suitable placement; see placement section below for more details. Upper-division classes may be required to increase total hours to the university minimum. See the degree requirements section of the catalog for details.

C. Mathematics Electives
  MATH 3312 College Geometry
One of the following: 		3
3
 

MATH 4315 Partial Differential Equations
MATH 4328 Discrete Mathematics II
MATH 4342 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
SMTE 4370 Mathematics Education Topics I

 
 

Total

6

D. Supporting Courses
    Sem. Hrs.
  COSC 1435 Introduction to Problem Solving with Computers I 4
4
(4)
(4)
8
  COSC 1436 Introduction to Problem Solving with Computers II
  PHYS 2425 University Physics I
  PHYS 2426 University Physics II
 

Total
     
E. Psychology Sem. Hrs.
  PSYC 2301 General Psychology (included in University Core) (3)
 

Total

 (3)
     
F. Professional Development and Reading Sequence
Students who seek a 8-12 level Mathematics teaching certificate should contact a Certification Officer in the College of Education about requirements and procedures that must be met to obtain the certificate. The professional development sequence must be taken in a specific order and it is recommended that students contact the College of Education early in their academic careers for specific details on these courses.
    Sem. Hrs.
  READ 3353 Content Area Reading for Secondary Students 3
3
6
3
3
9
27
  EDCI 3311 School and Society
  EDCI 4606 Planning, Teaching, Assessment and Technology for 8-12
  EDCI 4312 Classroom Management 8-12
  EDCI 4322 Instructional Design for Special Populations 8-12
  EDUC 4993 Student Teaching 8-12
 

Total

     
MATHEMATICS GRADES 8-12 TEACHER CERTIFICATION WITHOUT A MATHEMATICS MAJOR
Mathematics 8-12 teacher certification without a mathematics major requires at least 26 hours of mathematics and 27 hours of professional development and reading courses. The required mathematics courses are listed below, and the other courses are listed directly above. Students seeking certification through this route should contact a Certification Officer in the College of Education. The mathematics major as described above includes all required courses.
  Courses Sem. Hrs.
  MATH 1314 College Algebra

(3)
(3)
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
26
  MATH 2312 Precalculus
  MATH 2413 Calculus I
  MATH 2414 Calculus II
  MATH 2305 Discrete Mathematics I
  MATH 3311 Linear Algebra
  MATH 3312 Geometry
  MATH 3313 Foundations to Higher Mathematics
  MATH 4306 Modern Algebra
 

Total

 

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

 

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