B.A. in Biological Sciences Education

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Delaware

Program Overview

The B.A. in Biological Sciences Education combines a strong foundation in biology and the natural sciences with professional preparation for teaching, making it a strong choice for students who want to understand biology and inspire the next generation of science learners. Students study subjects ranging from biology, chemistry and calculus to adolescent development and teaching methods, while building practical classroom experience through fieldwork and a senior student-teaching experience.

Curriculum Structure

Freshman Year: Students begin by developing a strong scientific foundation through courses such as BISC207 Introductory Biology I, BISC208 Introductory Biology II, and CHEM103/107 General Chemistry, alongside ENGL110 Seminar in Composition, MATH115/117 Pre-Calculus, and the First Year Experience. This combination gives students the core biology, chemistry, mathematics and communication skills needed for more advanced study.

Sophomore Year: The focus expands into both biology and education, with EDUC414 Diversity in Secondary Education, EDUC413 Adolescent Development & Educational Psychology, MATH221/241 Calculus, and an upper-level biology course. Students begin connecting their scientific knowledge with an understanding of adolescent learners and the educational environment.

Junior Year: Students continue their scientific preparation with a Chemistry 2XX course while developing their teaching knowledge through EDUC414 Teaching Exceptional Adolescents, a second writing course and breadth coursework. This stage strengthens students' ability to communicate scientific ideas and respond effectively to diverse learning needs.

Senior Year: The final year brings the science and education components together through EDUC420 Reading in the Content Areas, SCEN491 Methods of Teaching Science, advanced biology coursework such as BISC4XX/BISC6XX, and EDUC400 Student Teaching. The spring student-teaching experience serves as the program's capstone, allowing students to apply their knowledge in an authentic classroom setting.

Focus Areas

Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Learning Science, Adolescent Development, Teaching Methods, Calculus.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop biological knowledge spanning molecules, cells, organisms and ecosystems while strengthening critical thinking, problem-solving, scientific communication and teaching skills. The program also prepares students to understand adolescent development, work with diverse learners and apply effective science-teaching practices.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The University of Delaware's professional education unit is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), while the Biological Sciences Education program is a state-approved teacher preparation pathway. Students who complete the approved preparation program and meet Delaware's testing requirements receive the university's institutional recommendation for teacher certification.

Reputation (Employability)

The program provides a strong professional pathway into science education, with a distinctive partnership with a local school district and a capstone student-teaching experience. Across UD's initial teacher-preparation programs, 92.6% of 2024–25 completers with available evaluation data were rated Effective or Highly Effective, while 94.6% of completers with Praxis II content-examination scores met or exceeded Delaware's passing score.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The program gives students practical experience well before graduation by combining scientific laboratory work with supervised education experiences. The Secondary Science Education Program has a partnership with a local school district, uses a co-teaching model for student teaching, and places students in field experiences supervised by clinical faculty. Students are also introduced to STEM and education technologies that can strengthen their classroom practice.

The science side of the degree is equally hands-on: Biological Sciences students work with experimental design, laboratory techniques, data analysis and interpretation, while UD's Interdisciplinary Science Learning Laboratories use problem-based and inquiry-based learning in dedicated teaching laboratories.

Key practical opportunities include:

EDUC400 Student Teaching: A spring-semester capstone experience where students put their science-teaching preparation into practice in a real school setting.
Co-teaching: UD's Secondary Science Education programs use a professional partnership model in which teacher candidates and clinical educators work together and share classroom responsibilities.
Local school-district partnership: Science teachers collaborate with UD personnel, while clinical faculty supervise student field experiences and provide professional development to district science teachers.
Biological Sciences laboratories: Students engage in experimental design, laboratory techniques, data analysis and interpretation through large- and small-class laboratories.
Interdisciplinary Science Learning Laboratories (ISLL): The Harker ISE Lab provides advanced research laboratories, state-of-the-art teaching labs and problem-based learning spaces designed for interdisciplinary scientific learning.
Inquiry-based laboratory projects: UD's integrated biology and chemistry laboratory courses use inquiry-based modules, including experiments involving yeast and UV-protective properties of sunscreens, alongside scientific posters, podcasts and scientific writing projects.
Education technology: Students are introduced to STEM and education technologies specifically intended to enhance their future teaching practice.
Study abroad: Biological Sciences Education is eligible for a University of Delaware study-abroad program, providing an opportunity to add an international dimension to the degree.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.A. in Biological Sciences Education is designed to prepare students for careers teaching science at the middle- and high-school levels, while also creating pathways toward educational leadership and further study. The university specifically identifies roles such as middle or high school teacher, department chair, teacher leader, principal, instructional coach and textbook author, with graduate pathways including science education, curriculum and instruction, educational technology, counseling, teacher leadership and educational leadership.

Typical career directions include middle/high school biology teacher, department chair, teacher leader, instructional coach, with progression into roles such as principal and textbook author as experience and further qualifications are gained.

Students can build their career through several university-supported opportunities:

Career support: UD's Career Center provides students and alumni with career-development resources, including job and internship databases, résumé reviews and interview workshops. The Delaware K-12 Recruitment Fair brings nearly 100 schools, districts and organizations together and conducts more than 1,000 interviews.
Career networking: UD's Career and Post-Graduate Success Hub provides access to Handshake, where students can find jobs, internships and networking opportunities. During 2025–26, Handshake listed more than 271,000 unique positions and 14,000 employers.
Teacher-preparation outcomes: Among UD's 2024–25 initial teacher-preparation completers for whom employment information was available, 81.7% were employed as full-time teachers and 13.4% were in graduate school.
Professional preparation: The UD professional education unit is CAEP-accredited, and completion of the state-approved educator preparation program with the required Delaware assessments leads to the university's institutional recommendation for teacher certification.
Professional collaboration: The local school-district partnership and co-teaching model give students experience working alongside practicing educators and clinical faculty before entering the profession.
Long-term value: Teacher certification requirements vary by state, but UD notes that its teacher-preparation programs are compatible with certification and licensing requirements in most states; graduates should verify requirements in the state where they intend to seek certification.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into programs in Science Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Technology, Counseling, Teacher Leadership or Educational Leadership. These pathways can support progression from classroom teaching into specialist, leadership, instructional and administrative roles.