Distinctive features of this program:
- Graduates of the program are licensed to teach high school biology.
- Teacher candidates have the opportunity to be placed in high school classrooms every semester during their academic program and minimally accumulate more than 750 hours of actual teaching experience in diverse settings.
- Teacher candidates will have two academic advisors to assist them in completing their program and planning for future careers.
The Biology/Science concentration is for students who are pursuing a Secondary Education License. The major is jointly administered by the College of Education and the Biology department. Students must fulfill requirements for General Education, the Biology major, and a Secondary Education License.
The University of St. Francis is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. College of Education programs are further approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (isbe.net).
The College of Education has several years of experience preparing teacher candidates to successfully complete the edTPA, a national assessment designed to lead aspiring teachers to a high level of professional performance. The assessment requires teacher candidates to demonstrate substantial academic and cultural knowledge of their students, as well as use data to improve instruction. USF teacher candidates can count on extensive support and guidance to ensure positive results on the edTPA.
