Natural Sciences Education Minor

Minimum Requirements

To be awarded a minor in Natural Sciences Education, students must successfully complete at least 24 units.

Natural Sciences Education Minor Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the NSED minor program students are expected to:

1. Be able to comprehensively articulate what constitutes a profession of a science or mathematics teacher and to demonstrate familiarity with the structure of the California K‐ 12 educational system, including being able to address the following:
   1. Identify what constitutes the responsibilities and duties of a teacher.
   2. Identify what skills and knowledge are necessary to become a successful professional.
   3. Describe credentialing process in the State of California.
   4. Articulate instructional state standards and requirements for K‐12 education.
   5. Demonstrate familiarity with educational strategies to address diverse demographics of California schools such as instruction to English Learners.
2. Demonstrate basic teaching skills and familiarity with effective teaching methodologies and learning strategies in science and mathematics, including being able to:
   1. Develop a lesson plan and deliver an effective lesson at the primary or secondary school level.
   2. Design different existing types of assessments to evaluate students learning in the K‐12 environment.
   3. Distinguish between students with different learning abilities and needs and adapt their teaching methodology to address this diversity.
   4. Demonstrate basic understanding of innovative teaching methodologies and learning-enhancing technologies and the ability to use these techniques in the classroom.

Guidelines Applying to all Natural Sciences Minors

To declare a minor, students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 (C) or better. Students should consult an advisor in the School of Natural Sciences to officially declare the minor and plan their courses. The following guidelines must be adhered to:

• At least five courses, four of which must be upper division, must be taken for a letter grade.
• At least three of the required courses must be taken at UC Merced.
• Only one course may be used to satisfy two minor programs’ requirements.
• Only one course may be used to satisfy both a minor and a major requirement.
• Work for the minor must be completed within the 150 unit maximum limit for graduation. If the student’s major and minor are in different schools, the higher unit maximum will apply.
• Students must consult the course descriptions for prerequisites to required courses.
• The minor will appear on the student’s transcript.