Program Overview
College of Natural and Health Sciences
Location: Ross Hall 2239
Telephone: 970-351-2820
Email: lindsay.reiten@unco.edu
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:
- Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
- Required Major Credits
- Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) Credits
- University-Wide Credits
Program Description:
If you are passionate about math and education, but not necessarily ready to teach students at this time, this program is for you. You will learn some aspects of teaching core topics such as arithmetic, algebra, and geometry in ways that are engaging, relevant, meaningfully integrate technology, and are inclusive for all learners in grades 6–12.
Along the way, you will build a strong foundation in mathematics and education. You will gain hands-on experience through classroom placements, collaborative projects, as well as opportunities to work with local schools and communities. You will also develop skills for leading classroom instruction, integrating mathematics and language, supporting diverse learners, and sparking curiosity in every student.
Additionally, you will be prepared to pursue graduate study in mathematics education, if you choose.
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.
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.
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 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
Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.
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 — 47 credits
Take all of the following courses:
| CS 120 | Introduction to Programming | 3 |
| MATH 131 | Calculus ILAX1GT-MA1 | 4 |
| MATH 132 | Calculus IILAX1GT-MA1 | 4 |
| MATH 185 | Number Sense and AlgebraLAX1GT-MA1 | 3 |
| MATH 317 | Mathematical Foundations for Teachers | 3 |
| MATH 341 | Introduction to Modern Geometry I | 3 |
| MATH 391 | Introduction to Number Theory | 3 |
| MATH 464 | Introduction to History of Mathematics | 3 |
| STAT 355 | Introduction to Applied Statistics and Probability | 3 |
| MED 341 | Principles of Teaching Secondary Mathematics | 3 |
| MED 449 | Teaching Mathematics with Technology | 3 |
Take one of the following courses:
Take 9 credits from the following courses:
Or any MATH, CS or STAT course at the 300 level or above.
3. Required PTEP — 13 credits
Take all of the following courses:
| ECLD 260 | Language Acquisition in Multilingual SocietiesLAB3LAMSGT-SS3 | 3 |
| EDF 290 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| STEP 161 | Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching I | 2 |
| STEP 262 | Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching II | 2 |
Take one of the following courses
| ECLD 341 | Content-Based Literacies for Equitable Access to PK-12 Instruction | 3 |
| EDSE 201 | Culture of Special Education | 3 |
| PSY 247 | Adolescent Learning and MotivationLAB3GT-SS3 | 3 |
| PSY 349 | How Students Learn | 3 |
| ET 275 | Integration of Technologies in PK12 Teaching and Learning | 3 |
4. University Wide Credits — 29-35 credits*
Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for any degree at UNC; for this program, that will typically be 29-35 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.