Program: Adolescence Education: Physics (7-12) [APH] - SUNY Cortland

2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog

Apr 21, 2025

This major in the Physics Department leads to New York state certification to teach physics in grades 7-12.

Career Potential

Physics teacher (7-12)
Graduate study in higher education
Technical specialist

Acceptance to the Program

Students will be accepted to the program after 45 credit hours have been completed. At that time students must have an overall grade point average of 2.5, a grade point average of 2.5 in physics and in related areas, and a grade point average of 3.0 in the professional core courses.

A. Required Courses in Physics: 30 credit hours

PHY 150 - Astronomy (3 cr. hr.)
PHY 186 - Introductory Programming (3 cr. hr.)
PHY 201 - Principles of Physics I (4 cr. hr.)
PHY 202 - Principles of Physics II (4 cr. hr.)
PHY 203 - Principles of Physics III (3 cr. hr.)
PHY 357 - Intermediate Physics Laboratory (3 cr. hr.)
PHY 410 - Modern Physics (3 cr. hr.)
PHY 420 - Classical Mechanics (3 cr. hr.)
PHY 450 - Electricity and Magnetism (4 cr. hr.)

B. Required Courses in Related Areas of Science and Mathematics: 32 credit hours

CHE 221 - General Chemistry I (4 cr. hr.)
CHE 222 - General Chemistry II (4 cr. hr.)
MAT 135 - Calculus I (4 cr. hr.)
MAT 236 - Calculus II (4 cr. hr.)
MAT 237 - Calculus III (4 cr. hr.)

Select three of the following four courses:

BIO 201 - Biological Sciences I (4 cr. hr.)
BIO 202 - Biological Sciences II (4 cr. hr.)
GLY 261 - Physical Geology (4 cr. hr.)
GLY 262 - Historical Geology (4 cr. hr.)

C. Required Professional Courses: 41 credit hours

AED 391 - Introduction to Adolescence Education (3 cr. hr.)
AED 442 - Methods I: Teaching the Sciences in the Middle and Secondary Schools (BIO) (3 cr. hr.)
AED 443 - Methods II: Teaching the Sciences in the Middle and Secondary Schools (BIO) (3 cr. hr.)
AED 444 - Laboratory Practicum (BIO) (1 cr. hr.)
AED 445 - Student Teaching: Adolescence Education - Science (BIO) (14 cr. hr.)
HLH 199 - Critical School Health Issues (2 cr. hr.)
LIT 449 - Literacy in the Middle and Secondary School (3 cr. hr.)
PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology (3 cr. hr.)
PSY 232 - Adolescent Psychology (3 cr. hr.)
SPE 275 - Teaching Students with Disabilities in Adolescence Classrooms (3 cr. hr.)

Select one:

PSY 350 - Psychology of Language (3 cr. hr.)
or
SHH 300 - Normal Language Development (3 cr. hr.)

D. Additional Requirements 27-34 credit hours

Composition and General Education Courses: 27 credit hours
Foreign Language Courses: 0-6 credit hours
Foreign Language through the 102 level is required for certification. A student may begin the sequence at the 101 level, however if a score of 85 or better is received on the New York State Regents exam, only the 102 level is required.

E. Admission to the Major

Admission to the major requires completion of at least 45 credit hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 overall; a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in each of the areas A and B, and a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in area C above. Students enrolled in an adolescence education science program will not be allowed to progress through courses in the pedagogical sequence if they have not met all the criteria for admission to teacher education by the time they have completed AED 391: Introduction to Adolescence Education. The pedagogical sequence is designated by:

AED 391 - Introduction to Adolescence Education (3 cr. hr.)
AED 442 - Methods I: Teaching the Sciences in the Middle and Secondary Schools (BIO) (3 cr. hr.)
AED 443 - Methods II: Teaching the Sciences in the Middle and Secondary Schools (BIO) (3 cr. hr.)
AED 444 - Laboratory Practicum (BIO) (1 cr. hr.)
AED 445 - Student Teaching: Adolescence Education - Science (BIO) (14 cr. hr.)

F. Eligibility for Student Teaching

To be eligible for AED 445: Student Teaching, a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 is required. Additionally, a minimum grade point average of 2.5 is required in areas A and B, and a minimum grade point average of a 3.0 is required in area C. A student must complete all program requirements before student teaching can begin with the exception of those courses allowed by the Physics Department and the adolescence education-science coordinator.

G. Other Requirements

Specific information regarding requirements such as state examinations and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment for New York state teaching certification can be found under Degree Requirements .