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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

Mathematics B.S. – Licensure: Middle School Mathematics (Grades 6-8)

Program Overview

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Contact: Lindsay Reiten, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Location: Ross Hall 2239

Telephone: 970.351.2820

Website: www.unco.edu/nhs/mathematical-sciences/

Advising Information

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of four parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) Credits
  4. University-Wide Credits

*For Educator licensure majors, PTEP coursework counts towards the minimum of nine upper-division UNC credits (300-400).

Program Description:

This program prepares students to teach mathematics, such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and applications at the middle school level (grades 6-8).

Students entering this program are expected to have the equivalent of four years of high school mathematics that will enable them to begin a study of calculus; students without these prerequisites may be required to take additional courses in algebra and trigonometry before beginning the calculus sequence.

Graduates of this program are prepared and will be qualified for licensure to teach mathematics in grades 6-8 in the state of Colorado. The program also prepares students for graduate study in mathematics education.

Program Admission Requirements:

  • Academic Good Standing
  • Teacher education and educator preparation licensure programs do not accept Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) or field-based courses that are more than ten years old. PLEASE NOTE: Teacher Candidates have the right to petition this policy at the discretion of the program coordinator.

Program Requirements:

For admission to PTEP, the student must have:

  • Completed MATH 185 and MATH 131 with a grade of "C" or better (C- is not acceptable);
  • Completed at UNC at least two content courses that may count toward the Math major;
  • A GPA of at least 2.5 in all content courses taken at UNC that may count toward the major.

For admission to Student Teaching, the student must have:

  • Satisfactorily completed at least 30 semester hours of content courses that may count toward the math major, including: MATH 286, MATH 341 and MATH 391;
  • Satisfactorily completed Phases One, Two and Three of the Secondary Teacher Education Program;
  • A GPA of at least 2.5 in content courses taken at UNC that may count toward the major.

The GPA in the content courses will be computed by Mathematical Sciences according to procedures approved by the faculty that are in place at the time the student's application for admission to PTEP, or to student teaching, or for graduation.

Content courses that may count toward the major are those mathematics, statistics and/or computer courses specified in the Catalog as required courses for the major, or as program electives in the major.

It is recommended that students entering the program take MATH 102 in their first semester.

PTEP Program Requirements:

Teacher candidates who complete an approved content degree and the UNC professional teacher education program, as well as pass the appropriate Colorado Department of Education designated PRAXIS exam (if applicable), will be eligible for recommendation from UNC for a Colorado Department of Education teaching license.

If you are seeking licensure in your program area, the following items are required to complete your program.

  • Completion of Application for Initial Admission to PTEP – referred to as Checkpoint #1 (Enrollment in this checkpoint will result in a one-time program fee, assessed to student accounts to pay for assessment software. This checkpoint will also require an out-of-pocket payment - to the chosen approved vendor - to obtain a fingerprint background check, which is required by the Colorado Department of Education.)

  • Completion of Full Admission to PTEP – referred to as Checkpoint #2

  • Completion of Application for Student Teaching – referred to as Checkpoint #3

  • Completion of content specific PRAXIS test prior to Student Teaching

  • Candidates may not take extra courses with Student Teaching without prior approval from the Program Coordinator and the STE Director.

  • All PTEP Field Experiences and methods courses need to be successfully completed prior to Student Teaching.

  • Student Teaching outside the supervision of UNC Faculty may or may not be approved.

  • Teacher Candidates will not be placed in a school where they were once students or where they have a close relative attending and/or working.

  • Teacher education and educator preparation licensure programs do not accept Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) or field-based courses that are more than ten years old. PLEASE NOTE: Teacher Candidates have the right to petition this policy at the discretion of the program coordinator.

Please work with your content advisor to determine when these requirements will be completed throughout your program. 

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses, some of which also count toward the required major and PTEP credits.

Any additional coursework completed outside of the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.

Written Communication — 6 credits

ENG 225 is recommended to fulfill the Intermediate Writing Course in the Written Communication requirement but is not required for the major.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

MATH 131, MATH 132, or MATH 185 is recommended to fulfill Mathematics requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 Credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

ECLD 260 is recommended to fulfill Social & Behavioral Sciences and U.S. Multicultural Studies requirements and will fulfill both LAC and PTEP requirements.

PSY 247 is recommended to fulfill Social & Behavioral Sciences and will fulfill both LAC and PTEP major requirements.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 38 credits

Take all of the following courses:

CS 120Introduction to Programming

3

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

MATH 132Calculus IILAX1

4

MATH 185Number Sense and AlgebraLAX1

3

MATH 283Fundamental Mathematics III: Geometry and Measurement

3

MATH 286Elements of Discrete Mathematics

3

MATH 317Mathematical Foundations for Teachers

3

MATH 341Introduction to Modern Geometry I

3

MATH 386Problem Solving

3

MATH 391Introduction to Number Theory

3

MATH 464Introduction to History of Mathematics

3

STAT 355Introduction to Applied Statistics and Probability

3

MATH 131, MATH 132, and MATH 185 satisfy LAC Mathematics.

3. PTEP Requirements — 47 credits

Phase I (8 credits taken concurrently)

ECLD 260Language Acquisition in Multilingual SocietiesLAB3LAMS

3

EDF 290Foundations of Education

3

STEP 161Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching I

2

Phase II (5 credits taken concurrently)

EDSE 360Adaptation, Modification, and Integration of Curriculum for the Secondary Exceptional Learner

3

STEP 262Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching II

2

Independent of Phase (take 9 credits)

ECLD 341Content-Based Literacies for Equitable Access to PK-12 Instruction

3

MED 341Principles of Teaching Secondary Mathematics

3

MED 449Teaching Mathematics with Technology

3

MED 341: Take after STEP 161 and prior to MED 441; recommended to be taken with STEP 262.

MED 449: Take prior to STEP 464.

ECLD 341: Suggest taking after STEP 161 and prior to STEP 262.

Independent of Phase (take 3 credits)

PSY 247Adolescent Learning and MotivationLAB3

3

PSY 349Educational Psychology for Secondary Teachers

3

Phase III (8 credits taken concurrently)

ET 449Integrating Technologies into Secondary Education Pedagogy

3

MED 441Methods of Teaching Mathematics

3

STEP 363Clinical Experience: Secondary

2

Phase IV (14 credits)

STEP 464Secondary Student Teaching

1-14

4. University Wide Credits — 4 credits*

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 4 credits.

 *Note: Students who apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum and the major requirements will have an increased number of university wide electives to apply to this degree. See your advisor for details.

Four Year Plan

This four year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance. 

Year 1 – 32 credits

Fall Semester

CS 120Introduction to Programming

3

MATH 185Number Sense and AlgebraLAX1

3

ENG 122College CompositionLAW1

3

MATH 102Success in the Mathematical Sciences

1

LAC Arts and HumanitiesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4

3

LAC HistoryLAH1

3

Total Credit Hours:16

LAC Arts and Humanities: International Studies (IS) course.

Spring Semester

MATH 131Calculus ILAX1

4

MATH 283Fundamental Mathematics III: Geometry and Measurement

3

ENG 225Research Writing for Contemporary CultureLAW2

3

LAC Arts and Humanities, History, or Social and Behavioral SciencesLAA1LAA2LAA3LAA4LAB1LAB2LAB3LAH1

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Application for Initial Admission to PTEP

Total Credit Hours:16

LAC Social and Behavioral Sciences: Choose U.S. Multicultural Studies (MS).

Year 2 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

ECLD 260Language Acquisition in Multilingual SocietiesLAB3LAMS

3

EDF 290Foundations of Education

3

MATH 132Calculus IILAX1

4

MATH 286Elements of Discrete Mathematics

3

STEP 161Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching I

2

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

ECLD 341Content-Based Literacies for Equitable Access to PK-12 Instruction

3

MATH 391Introduction to Number Theory

3

STAT 355Introduction to Applied Statistics and Probability

3

or

MATH 317Mathematical Foundations for Teachers

3

LAC Natural and Physical Sciences without LabLAS1

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

MATH 386Problem Solving

3

MED 449Teaching Mathematics with Technology

3

or

MATH 464Introduction to History of Mathematics

3

PSY 247Adolescent Learning and MotivationLAB3

3

LAC Natural and Physical Sciences with LabLAS1LASL

4

University-Wide Elective

3

Request for PTEP Phase II Placement

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring Semester

MATH 317Mathematical Foundations for Teachers

3

or

STAT 355Introduction to Applied Statistics and Probability

3

MATH 341Introduction to Modern Geometry I

3

MED 341Principles of Teaching Secondary Mathematics

3

STEP 262Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching II

2

EDSE 360Adaptation, Modification, and Integration of Curriculum for the Secondary Exceptional Learner

3

Application for Full Admission to PTEP

Total Credit Hours:14

Year 4 – 28 credits

Fall Semester

ET 449Integrating Technologies into Secondary Education Pedagogy

3

MATH 464Introduction to History of Mathematics

3

or

MED 449Teaching Mathematics with Technology

3

MED 441Methods of Teaching Mathematics

3

STEP 363Clinical Experience: Secondary

2

University-Wide Elective

3

Application for Student Teaching

Total Credit Hours:14

Spring Semester

STEP 464Secondary Student Teaching

1-14

Total Credit Hours:14

STEP 464: Take 14 credits

Advising Notes –

  • MATH 185, MATH 286, MATH 464 (odd years), STEP 161, MATH 386, MED 441, MED 449 (even years), and STEP 363 are offered in fall only.
  • MATH 317 (odd years), MATH 391, STAT 355, MED 341, and STEP 262 are offered in spring only.
  • Liberal Arts Curriculum courses can be taken any semester. It is strongly suggested that they be evenly distributed over the entire 4 years of study rather than concentrated in the first 2 years. NOTE: One writing course (ENG 122) has been pre-designated (3 credits); you must choose another writing course from LAC GT-CO2 (3 credits), but ENG 225 Communications on a Theme specifically offered for middle school/secondary majors is recommended. PSY 247 counts as a Social & Behavioral Sciences course (3 credits).
  • PTEP Applications are due early in the semester; contact the Math Content Coordinator for specific dates.
  • ECLD 260 satisfies requirements for Colorado ELL Educator Preparation Standards.
  • PSY 349 may be substituted for PSY 247, but it does not count as an LAC course.
  • MATH 102 is a recommended course.
  • EDSE 325 is a recommended course for a University-wide Elective. 

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