A Combined Degree program enables undergraduate students to enroll in graduate courses in their senior year, which can be counted towards the completion of both their Bachelor's and Master's degree requirements. The ability to take these "swing courses" allows students to earn both their Bachelor's and Master's degrees in a shortened period of time, typically within five years. Undergraduate students interested in this option can find more information regarding program requirements on the University's Combined Programs website.
The Combined Degree with Dual Certification program is a 5-year program that leads to teacher certification in Earth Science (grades P-12), teacher certification in Teacher of Students with Disabilities, a baccalaureate degree and a master’s degree. Interested students must apply to and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program as an undergraduate. Students must successfully complete the undergraduate portion of the program in order to be admitted to the Graduate School and complete the one-year master’s portion of the program.
Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required undergraduate professional sequence of courses, overall course outline, and other important Program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students also are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook.
120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA. Major GPA requirements differ depending on field of study. Consult the Teacher Education Program Handbook for more information.
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Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 19 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-6 | |
| Major Requirements | 59-62 | |
| Teacher Education Program Requirements | 36 | |
| Free Electives | 3-0 | |
| Total Credits | 120-123 | |
Major Requirements
Requirements for the graduate portion of this combined program can be found here.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| EAES 105 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| EAES 220 | Mineralogy | 4 |
| EAES 240 | Earth System History | 4 |
| EAES 302 | Structural Geology | 3 |
| EAES 320 | Igneous Metamorphic Petrology | 4 |
| EAES 441 | Stratigraphy | 4 |
| Collateral Chemistry Courses | ||
| Complete one of the following sequences: | 7-8 | |
| Introductory Chemistry and Environmental Geochemistry | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II | ||
| Collateral Math Courses | ||
| Complete two courses from the following: | 8 | |
| Applied Calculus A | ||
or MATH 122 | Calculus I | |
| Applied Calculus B | ||
or MATH 221 | Calculus II | |
| Applied Precalculus | ||
| Data Science and Statistics | ||
| Collateral Physics Courses | ||
| Select one of the following sequences: | 7-8 | |
| University Physics I and University Physics II | ||
| College Physics I and College Physics II | ||
| Collateral Biology Course | ||
| BIOL 112 | Principles of Biology: Introduction to the Cell | 4 |
| or BIOL 113 | Principles of Biology: Organisms and Diversity | |
| Major Electives | ||
| Select one course each in Meteorology, Astronomy and Oceanography for a total of 10-11 credits from the list below. | 10-11 | |
| Total Credits | 59-62 | |
Major Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Meteorology | ||
| EAES 201 | Understanding Weather and Climate | 4 |
| EAES 301 | Climatology | 3 |
| EAES 403 | Meteorology | 4 |
| Astronomy | ||
| PHYS 180 | Astronomy for Everyone | 4 |
| PHYS 280 | Astronomy for Physicists | 4 |
| Oceanography | ||
| EAES 150 | General Oceanography | 3 |
| EAES 250 | Introduction to Marine Sciences | 4 |
| EAES 350 | Oceanography | 3 |
Teacher Education Program Requirements
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course. | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| Complete one course from D. Fine and Performing Arts or F1. Great Works and Their Influences or F2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives. | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Fulfilled by collateral mathematics courses in the major. | 0 | |
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Physical Geology (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. Complete one course from K1. American and European History or K3. Social Science. | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Public Purposes of Education: Democracy and Schooling (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.) | ||
| Total Credits | 19 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in a single language. | 3-6 | |
| Total Credits | 3-6 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree(s)
This recommended five-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within five years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
Fifth year courses are taken at the graduate level, after matriculation into the graduate portion of this combined degree program.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar | 1 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication | 3 |
| 4 | 6 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SASE 320 | 3 | SASE 322 | 3 |
| SASE 321 | 3 | SPED 469 | 3 |
| SPED 279 | 3 | ||
| 9 | 6 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SPED 483 | 3 | SPED 566 | 3 |
| SPED 488 | 3 | SPED 586 | 3 |
| SPED 690 | 3 | ||
| 6 | 9 | ||
| Total Credits 40 | |||
| Fifth Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SASE 526 | 3 | SASE 529 | 6 |
| SASE 527 | 3 | SASE 543 | 3 |
| SPED 584 | 3 | ||
| Teaching Methods Course | 3-4 | ||
| 12-13 | 9 | ||
| Total Credits 21-22 | |||