Offered in: Chicago

Roosevelt undergraduate students aspiring to a career in high school teaching (grades 9-12) can obtain an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) by participating in a joint program. This program allows undergraduate students to start on their MA degrees in Secondary Education by taking graduate level courses during the completion of their undergraduate Biology BA.

Biology majors in the College of Science, Health and Pharmacy can participate in this accelerated program leading to a BA in Biology and a Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education. The program allows students to take three graduate-level education courses as part of their undergraduate degrees. Once students are admitted to the MA in Secondary Education, the courses will apply toward completion of the MA degree.

This joint degree provides the student knowledge and skills in biology content and high school teaching. Currently, there is a teacher shortage in almost all areas of Illinois. The joint Biology BA/MA in Secondary Education makes the graduate an attractive potential employee and positions the student to enter the workforce at a higher salary than the traditional undergraduate seeking employment in the field of education.

• Major in Biology
• Completion of 60 credit hours of undergraduate course work
• Have and maintain a minimum cumulative and Biology grade point average of 3.0
• Obtain permission from the Chair of the Department of Education to take the required MA courses
• Upon completion of the Biology BA, apply for admission to the MA program under the normal admission process.
• At the time of application for admission to the MA program in Secondary Education, submit evidence of a passing score on the ILTS Biology content test.

The student will take the following three MA graduate courses as part of the Biology BA. All of the courses will receive credit toward the Master’s in Secondary Education degree once the student is admitted to the MA program.

Required Courses

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.