Applicants to the UW Bothell Secondary Teacher Certification M.Ed. who plan to earn an endorsement in Biology must have completed coursework in the following areas prior to starting the fieldwork portion of the program. Courses must have been completed with a minimum grade of 2.5.
Please note: it is not necessary to have completed an entire course in the content area. One course may cover multiple content areas if content was addressed in depth.
The following list contains examples of course content that meet the requirements for each subject area. Applicants may have completed the approved courses or courses with equivalent content.
General Biology - 3 quarter courses or 2 semester courses
Examples of course content:
- Introductory Biology: Mendelian genetics, evolution, biodiversity of life forms, ecology, conservation biology, metabolism,structure and function of biomolecules, cell structure and function, animal development, animal physiology, plant development and physiology.
- General Biology: Living systems viewed from the subcellular to the community level, emphasizing the diversity, functioning, and interaction of whole organisms. Topics covered include cell structure and function, energy, genetics, animal physiology and development. Emphasizes the position of humans in the biological world.
Significant Laboratory Experience - 1 course
Examples of course content:
- Soils Laboratory: Introduces the types of soils analyses necessary to understand the physical and chemical state of soils. Includes an introduction to soils in general, and local soils in particular.
- Cell Biology Laboratory: Investigative projects using modern molecular methods (restriction enzyme digestion, blotting, hybridization, immunochemistry, density gradient centrifugation, electrophoresis) and other methods currently used to study plant and animal cells, nucleic acids, and proteins.
Lab Safety - 1 course
Example of course content:
- Peer Teaching Assistants in Biology: Direct experience in the classroom, typically teaching a lab section.
The following coursework must have been completed in addition to the General Biology courses
Botany/Plants - 1 course
Examples of course content:
- Introductory Plant Biology: Basic concepts in plant biology, with emphasis on plant diversity and how plants grow and reproduce. Modern ideas concerning biotechnology, ecology, agriculture, and conservation and environmental issues discussed. Laboratories include greenhouse studies.
- Plant Identification and Classification Plant classification and diversity of seed plants; field study and laboratory identification of the common plant families and the conspicuous flora of western and central Washington.
Zoology/Animals - 1 course
Examples of course content:
- Introductory Biology: Animal physiology, plant development and physiology.
- Diversity in Animals: Morphological, functional, and ecological diversity within the major phyla of animals.
Human Anatomy - 1 course
Example of course content:
- Human Biology: Introduction to the systems of the human body. Structures and functions of these systems will be stressed along with unifying principles such as nutrition, sex, genetics, environment, exercise and the aging process.
Ecosystems - 1 course
Examples of course content:
- Ecology: Introduces major concepts of ecology and relates these concepts to current environmental issues. Topics include the relationship between organisms and the physical environment, evolutionary processes, the structure and function of ecosystems, population biology, forest management, pesticide use, and global warming.
- Foundations in Ecology: Ecology core course for biological sciences majors. Emphasizes understanding species interactions in biological communities and relationships of communities to environment.
Molecular Cell Biology - 1 course
Examples of course content:
- Introductory Biology: Metabolism and energetics, structure and function of biomolecules, cell structure and function, animal development.
- Foundations in Molecular Cell Biology: Emphasis on molecular approaches to understand cell structure, function, and regulation, and the analysis of experimental design and data interpretation.
Evolution - 1 course
Example of course content:
- Foundations in Evolution and Systematics: Evolution and systematic core course for biological sciences majors. Emphasizes patterns, processes, and consequences of evolutionary change.
Calculus and/or Statistics/Probability - 2 courses
Example of course content:
- Calculus I: Develops modern calculus by investigating the questions, problems, and ideas that motivated its discovery and practice. Studies the real number system and functions defined on it, focusing on limits, area and tangent calculations, properties and applications of the derivative, and the notion of continuity.
- Calculus II: Focuses on the historical emergence of modern calculus, the Fundamental Theorem, area, volume, and area length calculations, properties and applications of the integral, infinite series, Taylor and Fourier expansions, and the Weierstrass definition of limit. Emphasizes problem-solving and mathematical thinking.
Chemistry - 2 courses
Example of course content:
- General Chemistry: Atomic nature of matter, stoichiometry, periodic table, quantum concepts, and gas laws.
- General Chemistry: Includes matter and energy, chemical nomenclature, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, modern atomic theory, chemical bonding.
- Principles of Chemistry: Includes gases/liquids/solids, solutions, acids and bases, equilibrium, oxidation-reduction, electrochemistry, organic compounds, hydrocarbons, aromaticity, stereochemistry.
Microbiology - 2 courses
Example of course content:
- General Microbiology: Acquaints students with microorganisms and their activities. Topics include microbial cell structure and function, metabolism, microbial genetics, and the role of microorganisms in disease, immunity, and other selected applied areas.
Scientific Ethics - 1 course
Example of course content:
- Introduction to Bioethics: Basic concepts, principles, and methods of analysis, with application to some major issues in the field of bioethics. Case studies utilized to illustrate nature of questions arising in bioethics and to provide students with opportunity to develop skills in ethical analysis.
Genetics - 1 course
Example of course content:
- Introductory Genetics: Covers gene transmission, including chromosome mapping, genetic pathways; mutational analysis biological processes emphasizing mutations affecting chromosome transmission. Introduction to genomics--cloning and sequence analysis of whole genomes. Emphasizes formal genetic mechanisms, molecular technique.
Social Issues in Science - 1 course
Example of course content:
- Introduction to Environmental Issues: Introduction to the major environmental challenges confronting society, and the science of understanding and addressing those challenges. Provides an overview of major issues such as global climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability; as well as in-depth understanding of specific issues.
- Introduction to Restoration Ecology: An introduction to ecological restoration of damaged ecosystems. Students learn about the philosophical base of restoration as well as the social, biological and political forces that impact the success of any restoration project. Includes lectures, readings, case studies and field trips.
Student conducted and presented research - 1 course
Example of course content:
- Course must contain a student conducted, investigative research component.