Secondary Science
Secondary teacher candidates in this program have typically declared a major suitable for the subject they want to teach. By pairing a focus with your teacher licensure, you will gain added knowledge that will better prepare you to teach in a given area.
This program leads to a Colorado provisional license in Secondary (7-12) Science. To be eligible for licensure, candidates must successfully complete all academic and field experience requirements, pass a state-approved licensure exam, and complete student teaching.
We recommend that undergraduate students in the Secondary Science program declare one of the following majors, as an efficient, content-centric pathway:
- Astronomy
- Biochemistry
- Chemistry
- EBIO
- IPHY
- Physics
- Geology
- MCDB
For more information about courses requirements, .
CU Teach Science Support
STEM teacher education students gain added support from our renowned .
Undergraduate Admission Requirements
Incoming first-year students can now apply directly to all of our teacher licensure programs! If you are an incoming student, please see instructions here. If you are a current CU Boulder student, see steps below.
Admission to the undergraduate teacher education program is competitive; satisfying the minimum criteria does not guarantee acceptance.
To be considered for admission, applicants must:
- Earn a minimum 2.5 GPA overall.
- Demonstrated passion for justice and equity
- Demonstrated experience working with diverse populations
- Demonstrated experience working with youth or in community leadership and organizing
- Have 24 college credits completed or in progress (not including credit by examination, e.g., AP or IB credit).
- Meet with a School of Education academic advisor to review program requirements and timeline to completion.
We are excited that you are ready to pursue a career in education! Admission to the teacher education program is competitive; satisfying the minimum criteria does not guarantee acceptance. Please also note that some requirements will take longer than others to complete. All applicants should plan accordingly.
Undergraduate students interested in pursuing secondary licensure in English, social studies, math, science, or Spanish will select the "ADD" option on the intra-university transfer application. Secondary licensure is pursued in conjunction with a different BA program related to the content area in which the student wishes to be licensed. Options will be discussed in students' pre-application meetings with School of Education academic advisors. In addition to the IUT application, secondary licensure applicants must submit an essay addressing the questions below:
You will need to submit:
- The intra-university transfer application.
- A personal statement of 1000 words that addresses each point:
- Why you want to become a (level/subject) teacher and why now
- Description of a powerful learning experience in your life and how it might inform your own teaching in the future
- Reflection on personal strengths (e.g. intellectual passion, academic abilities, disposition to work with youth and professional colleagues) and lived experiences that you will build upon to reach and teach all learners
The School of Education follows the campus-wide application deadlines as detailed on the and detailed below. However, due to the structure of School of Education programs, the emphasis on fieldwork, and the need for individualized advising, we strongly recommend that you apply by the registration access deadlines during the fall (October 1) and spring (March 1).
IUT application open dates:
- September 15, 11:59 p.m. MT: Spring Application
- February 15, 11:59 p.m. MT: Summer and Fall Application
IUT change/add registration access dates:
- October 1, 11:59 p.m. MT: Spring Registration Access or Admission
- March 1, 11:59 p.m. MT: Summer and Fall Registration Access or Admission
- June 1, 11:59 p.m. MT: Fall Registration Access or Admission
IUT change/add final dates:
- First day of classes for each term
Post-BA Admissions Requirements
If you have bachelor's degree and want to pursue teacher licensure, you have two potential pathways: the Post-Baccalaureate (Post-BA) teacher education program or the MA+ teacher licensure program (Please note that Elementary licensure is not included in the MA+ program).
Admission to the teacher education program is competitive; satisfying the minimum criteria does not guarantee acceptance. Please also note that some requirements will take longer than others to complete. All applicants should plan accordingly.
To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following:
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
- Minimum 2.75 Cumulative GPA. Applicants to a Secondary (7-12) program must also have a 2.75 GPA in all content area coursework. Applicants to the K-12 Music program must have a 3.0 GPA in all content area coursework.
For more information about courses and program requirements, .
We are excited that you are ready to pursue a career in education and the Post-Baccalaureate (Post-BA) teacher licensure program! Keep in mind that some requirements will take longer than others to fulfill. Also, satisfying the minimum application criteria does not guarantee admission. Please plan accordingly.
You will need to submit:
- The online for new Post-BA students.
Tip: Choose First-Time User and then choose the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure Application. Please follow the instructions provided and upload required documentation. - One official transcript from every institution of higher education that you have attended regardless of the length of attendance, the number of credits earned/not earned, overall academic performance, or perceived coursework relevance. Electronic Transcripts (Official) may be submitted to gradprocessing@colorado.edu.
- Two letters of recommendation, preferably from a college-level instructor, professor, graduate student instructor, lab instructor, or a teaching assistant. As an alternative, a letter can be provided by an employer who can provide anecdotal evidence regarding: your written and oral communication skills, analytical reasoning, and/or the ability to read complex material.
- A Personal Statement of 1,000 words addressing each of the following:
- Why you want to become a (level/subject) teacher and why now.
- Description of a powerful learning experience in your life and how it might inform your own teaching in the future.
- Reflection on personal strengths (e.g. intellectual passion, academic abilities, disposition to work with youth and professional colleagues) and lived experiences that you will build upon to reach and teach all learners.
The Post-BA Application and personal statement must be submitted electronically. Electronic submissions of recommendations are preferred. Remember, if you are having letters of recommendation submitted electronically, you need to submit your application earlier than the deadline. By providing your recommenders contact information within the application, your contacts will receive an automated email requesting their letter after you have submitted the online application.
Any materials not submitted electronically (i.e. transcripts, print recommendation letters) must be mailed to:
Graduate Admissions
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine St Suite A122
553 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0553
For International Â鶹ÒùÔº
International applicants must have a United States social security number before they are eligible to apply. The Colorado Department of Education requires a social security number in order to be licensed to teach in the state of Colorado.
For international transcripts, you must provide a printed course-by-course transcript equivalency report provided by a member of the .
Questions can be directed to the School of Education at 303-492-6555 or edadvise@colorado.edu.
For Current CU Boulder Graduate Â鶹ÒùÔº
Current CU Boulder graduate students should work directly with the School of Education. For current graduate students, complete and print a separate . Current graduate students should submit application materials directly to the School of Education.
Questions can be directed at 303-492-6555 or edadvise@colorado.edu.
All application materials must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the deadline.
Fall Term:
- February 15
Spring Term
- October 1
For more information, please contact the School of Education by email at edadvise@colorado.edu or by phone 303-492-6555.
What is CU Teach?
[video:https://youtu.be/fkpIQbtoUuw]
Hear directly from teacher Julie Andrew and learn about CU Teach, an innovative, nationally renowned secondary math and science teacher education program offered through a collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Interested in exploring our programs?
We are dedicated to preparing educators and community leaders alike. Committed to advancing democracy, diversity, equity, and justice, we invite you to explore our bachelor's degrees and minors as important pathways toward transformative careers as a leader in the classroom and an activist in your community. We hope you will join us at our many upcoming virtual opportunities to get to know us.
Fall 2024 Prospective First-Year Events
Stay tuned for future events!
Interested undergraduate students can also .