B.A. in Biology (Presecondary Education)

The major in Biology (B.A.) Presecondary Education Program is designed to provide students with a well-rounded knowledge of fundamental concepts and research techniques at the ecosystem, organismal, physiological, and molecular levels.

Biology majors wishing to prepare for careers teaching High School biology should take courses designated for pre-secondary education students in the course lists below. This curriculum is designed to provide the content courses required for admission to Masters degree programs in secondary education at Illinois universities and colleges. Undergraduate students who complete a major in Biology will receive automatic acceptance into the Secondary Education Master of Arts in Teaching Program in the National College of Education, provided they meet all current admission requirements. (a 3.0 G.P.A. in the last 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate courses, a 2.5 G.P.A. in content area courses, a score of 33 on the Miller Analogies Test, and a pass on the Basic Skills Test). Students completing the pre-secondary education curriculum will satisfy the standards for Biology Designation recommended by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Requirements for a B.A. in Biology are as follows:

1. Completion of 55 quarter hours of biology coursework with a grade of C or better (5 required biology courses plus 6 biology electives). Twenty-five of these 55 hours must be upper level (300 or higher) and a minimum of 15 of the 25 upper level quarter hours must be taken at National-Louis University.
2. Completion of 37 quarter hours of required courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry (see course list below).
3. Completion of the general education core (69QH), of which 15 QH must be natural sciences (biological, physical, or chemical). If appropriate, the 15 QH of natural sciences may also be used to fulfill specific course requirements of the Biology Major (see below). In addition, students must pass the English Competency Test.
4. To reach the 180 quarter hours required for graduation, students must complete an additional 34 quarter hours of free electives.

Required courses for major in biology

The state of Illinois requires that secondary education students complete at least two courses in each of the following three areas: botany, zoology, and physiology. Courses offered in these areas are as follows: