Natural Sciences Education Minor

Natural Sciences Education Core Requirement [20 Units]

Complete the following courses, all of which must be taken for a letter grade.

• PSY 130: Developmental Psychology [4 units] (Prerequisite: PSY 001 )
• NSED 100: Project Based Instruction: Assessment and Management for Beginning Teachers [4 units]
• NSED 120: Classroom Interactions in Science and Mathematics: A Focus on Equity in Urban and Rural Schools [4 units]
• WRI 115: Topics in Science Writing [4 units] or another approved upper division writing course

•  

• HIST 016: Forging of the United States, 1607-1877 [4 units] or
• POLI 001: Introduction to American Politics [4 units]

Seminar Courses [2 Units]

Complete two of the following seminar courses:

• NSED 023: Introduction to Teaching Science in Elementary School [1 unit]
• NSED 043: Introduction to Teaching Science in Middle School [1 unit]
• NSED 063: Introduction to Teaching Science in High School [1 unit]
• NSED 033: Introduction to Teaching Mathematics in Elementary School [1 unit]
• NSED 053: Introduction to Teaching Mathematics in Middle School [1 unit]
• NSED 073: Introduction to Teaching Mathematics in High School [1 unit]

Fieldwork Courses [2 units]

Complete two of the following fieldwork courses—total 60 hours of fieldwork:

• NSED 024: Fieldwork: Introduction to Teaching Science in Elementary School [1 unit]
• NSED 044: Fieldwork: Introduction to Teaching Science in Middle School [1 unit]
• NSED 064: Fieldwork: Introduction to Teaching Science in High School [1 unit]
• NSED 034: Fieldwork: Introduction to Teaching Mathematics in Elementary School [1 unit]
• NSED 054: Fieldwork: Introduction to Teaching Mathematics in Middle School [1 unit]
• NSED 074: Fieldwork: Introduction to Teaching Mathematics in High School [1 unit]

Natural Sciences Education Minor Program Learning Outcomes

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

1. Comprehensively articulate what constitutes a profession of a science or mathematics teacher including being able to address the following questions:
   1. What constitutes responsibilities and duties of a teacher?
   2. What skills and knowledge are necessary to become a successful professional?
2. Demonstrate skills of a beginning teacher such as:
   1. Ability to develop a lesson plan and deliver an effective lesson at the secondary school level,
   2. Design different types of assessments to evaluate students learning,
   3. Distinguish between students with different learning abilities and needs and adapt their teaching methodology to address this diversity.
3. Demonstrate familiarity with requirements, special aspects and structure of California educational system such as:
   1. Credentialing process,
   2. Instructional state standards and requirements,
   3. Strategies to address diverse demographics of California schools such as instruction to English Learners.

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.