College Schools, Departments & Programs

Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

B.S. Geological Sciences/M.S. Secondary Education

In an effort to address the shortage of Indiana high school teachers in certain subjects, the College, in conjunction with the IU School of Education, offers an accelerated five-year program in which students can obtain a B.S. in Geological Sciences and an M.S. in Secondary Education and also complete all requirements for State licensure in Secondary Education. Under this program, students complete all of the coursework required for the Geological Sciences concentration (B.S.) by their eighth semester at IU. Continuing in the summer after their fourth year and then in a fifth year of study, students complete all of the requirements for the M.S. in Secondary Education with licensure.

Students must apply and earn admittance to the School of Education's Secondary Transition to Teaching and the Master of Science in Education programs during the fall semester of their senior year. After they have completed a minimum of 90 credit hours in the College of Arts and Sciences and satisfied the Foundations, Intensive Writing, Foreign Language, Breadth of Inquiry and concentration requirements for the B.S. in Geological Sciences, students may apply up to 30 credit hours earned in the School of Education as College electives. The requirements for the B.S. in Geological Sciences must be completed before student teaching begins in the final spring semester of the five-year program. The two degrees (B.S. in Geological Sciences and M.S. in Secondary Education) are awarded simultaneously.

Students considering this program should seek advising from both the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the School of Education. Also, students are advised to check on the effect that the transition to graduate status may have on existing undergraduate funding.