Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education - Biology

at MSM Group - University of Missouri-St. Louis USA

The Bachelor of Liberal Studies enables students to combine structured areas of academic emphasis in ways more relevant to their interests than the standard academic major. This degree may be completed online, at one of UMSL’s off-campus sites or in person on the UMSL campus offering convenience and flexibility. Students who participate in this online program must declare their areas of study (two minors or a minor and undergraduate certificate) at the time they declare that BLS is their intended degree. The plan of study must be approved at the beginning of the program.

The Bachelor of Arts in Modern Language, with an Emphasis in Japanese develops linguistically and culturally competent and ready-to-be global citizens. Students who choose to study Japanese at UMSL benefit from faculty who are dedicated to creating a challenging but supportive learning environment. Engage with the language and culture in the classroom, out of the classroom through on-campus events and Japan-America Student Association involvement and in a variety of study abroad opportunities.

The long-term goal of the Japanese Language Program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis is to produce learners of Japanese who possess the linguistic and cultural competence to express themselves in a culturally coherent and appropriate manner when interacting with native speakers of Japanese. This solid foundation in speaking and listening supports the development of competency in the Japanese reading and writing system.

The BS in Secondary Education, with an emphasis in Mathematics, prepares students to teach in secondary school settings, grades 9-12. This program requires the selection and completion of required coursework in Mathematics and includes field and practicum experiences in high school settings, culminating in Missouri teacher certification.

This program coordinates with the Department of Mathematics. Much of the discipline-specific coursework parallels the BA or BS degrees in Mathematics; however, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires specific coursework for teacher certification.

The master’s degree in Secondary Education is an accredited program appropriate for secondary teachers, specialists, department chairpersons, and those who work in informal learning or international educational settings. Candidates choose electives that will support their personal growth and development as an educational leader to impact the communities with which they work.

Diverse candidates will engage in a learner-centered environment committed to the success of historically marginalized and diverse students, research, and community engagement. Within diverse education settings, candidates will: advance pedagogical knowledge, recognize inequalities in educational opportunity, design differentiated assessments to inform practice, critically examine professional practice, and demonstrate commitment to ethical professional practice.  

It is important that both candidates and advisors plan ahead to ensure courses are taken when they are offered in the schedule. Programs must be planned with an academic advisor and meet the approval of the faculty advisor, adhering to the College of Education and UMSL Graduate School policies.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Continually and systematically reflect on professional growth to enhance student learning.
• Integrate technology to create meaningful student learning within the context of a global digital society.
• Apply advanced content and pedagogical knowledge to create authentic and deep learning experiences.
• Extend learning science principles to design, implement, and evaluate curriculum based on learning standards.
• Create and foster effective working relationships with students, school colleagues, families, and community members to enhance student learning and well-being.
• Design and establish a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment that nurtures the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.
• Utilize equitable frameworks and inclusive practices to expertly create a variety of instructional and assessment opportunities adapted to diverse learners to encourage all students’ critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

The Master of Arts in Political Science is a general post-baccalaureate degree that gives students a broad understanding of political science and a firm grounding in scientific-based inquiry into problems in politics.

Students learn how institutional design and economic and cultural factors shape the distribution of power and patterns of cooperation and conflict in society within and outside of government.

Students master the postulating of cause-effect relationships, and the marshalling of evidence using quantitative or qualitative methods to test hypotheses about problems in politics.

Students learn their skills through intensive study of several fields within the discipline. In the general program it is possible to specialize in urban politics, policy processes and institutions, American political behavior, political economy, public administration, comparative politics, international relations, public law, and political theory. The Master of Arts is useful for students who are already in or planning on a career in secondary education, public policy, or politics. It is also useful for students who are considering doctoral education. It is particularly valuable for students simply interested in learning more about subjects that interest them.

The BS in Secondary Education, with an emphasis in Chemistry, prepares students to teach in secondary school settings, grades 9-12. This program requires the selection and completion of required coursework in chemistry and includes field and practicum experiences in high school settings, culminating in Missouri teacher certification.

This program coordinates with the Department of Chemistry where you’ll be exposed to research and teaching laboratories and a wide variety of modern research instrumentation. Much of the discipline-specific coursework parallels the BA or BS degree in Chemistry; however, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires specific coursework for teacher certification.

The program is designed for students and professionals with diverse undergraduate backgrounds. MSIST students interact extensively with their peers as well as with industry executives in a carefully curated academic environment to gain a well-rounded perspective on the strategic role of IT in contemporary organizations. Students are able to customize their degree by choosing two four-course sequences that permit them to specialize in areas of interest to them. These specializations include Information Systems and Technology, Business Intelligence, Enterprise Systems Development, Information Security Management and Auditing, and Cybersecurity.

This program was designed with the busy working adult in mind. The program can be completed in 12 to 18 months. Flexible class schedules (day and evening, weekends, 8- or 16-week sessions and course delivery formats (in-person, blended and online) enable students to balance school, work and life.

The Bachelor’s degrees in Biology are available as both a BA and a BS, with both designed to prepare students for basic technical positions and graduate or professional studies in the life sciences. Both have the same core courses and general education requirements, but the BA has more emphasis on associated humanities areas, while the BS requires additional in-depth study, laboratory experience, communication skills and background in associated science areas.

The Creative Writing Program at the University of Missouri – St. Louis offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in fiction and poetry. Our MFA is a 39 credit-hour program designed as a terminal degree. It allows a select group of student writers an extraordinary opportunity to learn the craft of writing from the inside out. The methods of instruction are simple but effective: writing workshops in fiction and poetry; seminar classes on writing craft; assistant editorial work in conjunction with internationally-renowned literary magazine Boulevard. Students in the UMSL MFA program work closely with our distinguished faculty. In the final semesters of study, each student develops a book-length thesis. UMSL MFA graduates have published books in fiction and poetry, won prestigious awards, and placed poems, stories and essays in hundreds of esteemed literary journals.

The BS in Physics with an Emphasis in Biophysics is designed to prepare students for a professional career in biophysics, biological physics or a related interdisciplinary field; for graduate studies in biophysics, biological physics, or a related interdisciplinary field; for training as a medical physicist; or for professional training such as medical school. Other emphasis areas offered include: Astrophysics; Engineering Physics; and General Physics.