Academic
Catalog August 2009 - August 2010 Undergraduate
and Graduate
This degree is intended for secondary education students whose primary emphasis area is physics. This academic plan also prepares you to obtain additional certification in mathematics or chemistry. This plan meets or exceeds the No-Child-Left-Behind “highly qualified” national and state standards.
To earn this degree, complete at least 120 units of coursework, which we describe in the sections that follow:
at least 35 units of liberal studies requirements Required courses in this major also satisfy 16 of your 35 liberal studies units. See you advisor for details. Be aware that you may not use courses with a PHY prefix to satisfy these liberal studies requirements.
at least 38 units of major requirements
at least 12 or 14 units to meet the mathematics or chemistry emphasis, respectively
at least 33 units of teacher-preparation requirements
elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units
Be aware that some courses required for your degree may have prerequisites that you must also take. Check the courses in the appropriate subject. (You may be able to count these prerequisites toward your liberal studies or general elective credit.)
Please note that you must complete NAU’s diversity requirements by taking two 3-unit courses, one in U.S. ethnic diversity and one in global diversity awareness. These courses may be used to meet other requirements within your academic plan if you choose them carefully. Click here for a list of the available diversity courses.
Also be aware that NAU requires that at least 30 units of the courses you take for your degree must be upper-division courses (those numbered 300 and above). This academic plan includes 40 units of such upper-division courses. Because this plan is an extended major, no minor is required.
Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement; however, you must still meet the total of at least 120 units to graduate. Contact your advisor for details.
Also be aware that, for the B.S.Ed. degree, you must have the following:
a grade of at least B for the English foundation requirement (ENG 105 or equivalent) (If you don’t receive a 3.0, you may complete an additional writing course, at the 200 level or above, with at least a B, to meet this requirement.)
a grade of at least C for the mathematics foundation requirement (MAT 125 or 125H, 136 or 136H, or equivalent)
A grade point average of at least 2.5 in all of your NAU coursework in order to graduate. This requirement applies to all B.S.Ed. majors at NAU.
Complete the following 38 units. You may not count more than one D toward the major and emphasis requirements for this degree.
PHY 161, 262, 262L, 263, 264, and 361 (17 units)
AST 183/184L or 180/181 (4 units)
BIO 100 (3 units)
MAT 136 or 136H and 137 (8 units)
PHY 333W, which meets NAU’s junior writing requirement (3 units)
PHI 359 or 359H (3 units)
Students may choose either chemistry emphasis or mathematics emphasis depending on their preference for additional certification.
CHM 151, 151L, 152, 152L, 230, 230L, and 295 (14 units)
MAT 185 (3 units)
MAT 401 or 402 (3 units)
MAT 365 or 320W (3 units)
One of the following: MAT 226, STA 270 or STA 275 (3 units)
Note: It is highly recommended that all new students take our 1 credit hour first year seminar (PHY 103).
You must complete the following 33 units of professional courses to qualify for certification to teach mathematics in Arizona and most other states:
TSM 101 and 102 (2 units)
TSM 300, 350, 404, 450 (12 units)
TSM 495C, TSM 496C (13 units)
BME 300 and 437 (6 units)
TSM 495C and TSM 496C meet NAU’s senior capstone requirement. You must have an academic advisor in both your major department and in the NAUTeach program for the teacher-preparation portion of the plan.
Click here for more information about Science and Mathematics Teacher Preparation in Secondary Education.
Click here for more information about the NAUTeach Program: NAUTeach.nau.edu
Additional coursework is required, if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you. (Please note that you may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren’t used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.)
Click here for Physics undergraduate courses, here for Astronomy undergraduate courses, and here for Physical Sciences undergraduate courses.
Click here for Physics and Astronomy faculty.