TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS
(TPP)
The Department of Physics and Astronomy participates in teacher preparation programs for undergraduate students who wish to pursue teacher certification. The University of South Carolina-Columbia has an innovative five-year program which is closely coupled with a student's undergraduate major. This special program leads to a bachelor's degree after the fourth year and a master's degree in teaching (MT) after the fifth, leading to teacher certification. Because the University of South Carolina is committed to preparing professionals who will serve as leaders in education, admission to the master's degree program is highly competitive. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for certification.
Within this program the Bachelor of Science degree offered by the Department is appropriate for students seeking certification as secondary teachers in Physics. In addition, students may apply for the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies degree program (BSIS) to achieve certification in both Chemistry and Physics.
Students wishing to pursue a BSIS degree that leads to certification in more than one discipline must apply for admission to the degree program in the Office of the Assistant Dean. For details on the requirements for admission and the procedures see the University Bulletin in the College's section, under Interdisciplinary Studies.
The following pages list the requirements for the BSIS degree program in Chemistry/Physics offered by the College of Science and Mathematics for prospective teachers. (Other BSIS programs include Biology/Chemistry and Earth Science/Life Science.
The following are prerequisite for application to the M.T. Degree (fifth year):
| 1. | B.S. Degree in Physics or B.S.I.S. in Chemistry/Physics. | ||
| 2. | A 12 hour education component: | EDUC 300 (3 hrs.) | |
| EDUC 400 (1 hr.) | |||
| EDUC 401 (3 hrs.) | |||
| EDUC 401p (1 hr.) | |||
| EDUC 402 (3 hrs.) | |||
| EDUC 402p (1 hr.) | |||
| 3. | Special (additional) requirements for Physics and Chemistry/Physics majors: | ||
| Undergraduate science courses for students majoring in Physics or in a B.S.I.S. curriculum in Chemistry/Physics must include at least one course in each of the following areas: biology, chemistry, and earth sciences. (Earth sciences may include astronomy; geography, e.g., physical geography, weather and climate, etc; and marine science). | |||
BSIS
CHEMISTRY/PHYSICS
(TPP)
| Credits | |||||
| 1. | General Education | ||||
| (Must include one Biology and one Earth Science in Group V) | 43-53 | ||||
| Content Area (Chemistry-Physics) | |||||
| a) | CHEM 111, 112 | 8 | |||
| CHEM 321, 333, 334 | 9 | ||||
| CHEM 321L, 331L, 332L | 3 | ||||
| One Additional CHEM course at 300 level or higher selected with advisor | 4 | ||||
| b) | PHYS 206, 211L, 207, 212L | 8 | |||
| PHYS 208, 307, 308, 308 | 10 | ||||
| 42 | |||||
| 2. | Other Requirements | ||||
| MATH 241, 242 | 6 | ||||
| STAT 201 | 3 | ||||
| Education | 12 | ||||
| 21 | |||||
| TOTAL CREDITS | 128 | ||||