UCI CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT GRADUATE PROGRAM LEADING TO
THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CHEMISTRY
AND A CALIFORNIA SINGLE SUBJECT TEACHING CREDENTIAL

The UCI Chemistry Department in cooperation with the UCI Department of Education offers a two-year program leading to the Master of Science in Chemistry and a California Single Subject Teaching Credential in Chemistry.  The first year of the program is devoted principally to work toward the MS in Chemistry.  During the second year participants pursue the Credential requirements, including either student teaching or intern teaching, and any remaining work needed to complete the MS.

Eligibility:  Participants in the MS/Credential Program must have completed a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry and must be admitted to the UCI Graduate Program in Chemistry.  An undergraduate grade point average of 3.1 or greater is required.  The several components of the application for graduate admission are outlined on the UCI Chemistry Department Web Site (http://www.chem.uci.edu). Applications and further information are available by contacting the Chemistry Graduate Affairs Office (chemgrad@chem.ps.uci.edu, (800) 829-8UCI).

Financial Support:  Participants in good academic standing and making normal progress toward the MS degree and Credential will be supported as Teaching Assistants or Intern Teachers. Teaching Assistants participate in the undergraduate instructional program of the Chemistry Department as laboratory instructors and discussion section leaders.  These are half-time positions that permit MS/Credential candidates to pursue their studies at a full graduate course load.  The stipend for nine-months service as a Teaching Assistant is currently $16,200.  Summer employment opportunities are usually available as a Summer Session Teaching Assistant or in one of the numerous outreach and teacher training programs that take place during the UCI Summer Session.  Intern teachers, carrying a full public school teaching load, will be paid a beginning teacher's salary by the school district.  Intern teachers are interviewed, selected, and employed by a public school district.  Participation in the Intern program is not guaranteed.

MS Requirements:  There are two MS tracks at UCI.  Most participants in the MS/Credential Program elect to follow Plan II (Course Work), which involves completion of 10 courses plus other requirements described in detail below.  Plan I (Thesis) involves a smaller coursework requirement plus preparation of a thesis describing original research.  Plan I is also available to participants in the MS/Credential program but is most often elected by persons who have completed a significant amount of graduate research before entering the program. The requirements for the MS in Chemistry under Plan II follow; Plan I requirements can be found in the UCI Catalogue and on the Chemistry Department Web Site.

a) Completion of the Core Coursework requirement in the first year of post baccalaureate study with a grade of B or better in each course.  Performance in Core Coursework is used by the Department as one measure of the student's progress toward a graduate degree.  A list of Core Courses is given below.

b) Completion of seven additional graduate courses in Chemistry with a grade of B or better in all course work undertaken.  Chemistry 280 may be used only once, and Chemistry 290, 291, 299 and 399 may not be used to satisfy this requirement.  Up to four of these seven graduate Chemistry courses may be substituted by approved upper division undergraduate course work in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Earth Systems Science, or Biology.  These substitutions permit the student to prepare for teaching in areas beyond the primary area of concentration, Chemistry.

c) Completion of the Teaching Requirement (3 quarters of service as a Teaching Assistant in Chemistry)

d) Completion of three quarters in residence at UCI

Core Coursework for the MS/Credential Program:

The core course requirement for such students consists of three courses, one course from each of three different cores as defined in the Ph.D. program with the intention that the three core courses come from three different disciplines

Atmospheric Chemistry selected from:  Chemistry 245, 213, 231A or 232A

Analytical Chemistry selected from:  Chemistry 243, 246, 249

Inorganic Chemistry selected from:  Chemistry 215, 216, 217

Organic Chemistry selected from:  Chemistry 201, 203, 204 or 220

Physical Chemistry selected from:  Chemistry 213, 231A, 232A

Theoretical Chemistry selected from: Chemistry 231A, 231B, 232A, 232B, 229A, 237

Chemical & Structual Biology selected from: Chemistry 219, 223

Credential Requirements: Teaching credentials are issued by the State of California upon recommendation by an institution of higher education. The UCI Department of Education is responsible for implementing the Teacher Credential portion of this program and will recommend the candidate to the State for credentialing upon successful completion of the following requirements.

a) Passage of the CBEST exam.  The California Basic Educational Skills Test measures proficiency in basic reading, writing and mathematical skills.

b) Passage of CSET (California Subject Examinations for Teachers) exam (Subtests I, II & III) or completion of a CCTC approved subject-matter program.  The State requires all credential candidates to demonstrate subject matter competence.

c) Certificate of Clearance.  This certificate verifies absence of criminal conviction that would preclude the issuance of a credential

d) Satisfaction of the US Constitution requirement.  The State requires completion of a course in the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution or passage of an exam in the subject given by a regionally accredited college or university.

e) Successful completion of all required coursework/student teaching. 

Coursework required for the Preliminary single subject teaching credential:

Educ 173         Learning Theory and Classroom Practices (prerequisite to the Credential Program)

Educ 302         Directed Secondary Field Experiences

Educ 305         Observation & Literacy Assessment in Diverse Schools

Educ 307         Supervised Teaching in the Secondary Schools

Educ 310         PACT Teaching Event

Educ 334         Literacy and Technology in the Secondary Classroom

Educ 341         Methods of Teaching Science in the Secondary School

Educ 342         Applied Instructional Strategies

Educ 346         Reading & Writing in the Middle/High School Classrooms

Educ 347         Multicultural Education for K-12 Teachers

Educ 348         Theory & Methods of Instruction of Special Populations

Educ 349         Theories & Methods of English Language Development Applied to Secondary Students

Educ 350         Adolescent Development

Educ 352         Creating a Supportive & Healthy Environment for Student Learning in the Secondary Classroom

f) Completed application for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (including official transcripts and current fee).  The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing will actually issue the teaching credential.  Upon successful completion of all the required coursework and receipt of the required documentation, the Department of Education will make a recommendation to the CCTC.

Requirements for the Intern Program differ slightly and can be found in the UCI Catalogue.

It is extremely important that students make a counseling appointment in the Department of Education prior to the beginning of the Masters/Credential program.  Please call Sarah Singh (949-824-6673) for an appointment.

Sample Programs:  Sample programs illustrating schedules designed to complete the MS in Chemistry (Plan II) and the Preliminary Single Subject Credential in two academic years (including at least one Summer Session) are attached.  Programs including the MS (Plan I) may require additional time. Please note that required courses may change.

SAMPLE PROGRAM FOR MS(PLAN II)/CREDENTIAL WITH STUDENT TEACHING

Notes:

1) Up to 4 of the required total of 10 graduate courses in Chemistry may be replaced by undergraduate science courses approved by the graduate advisor.  The advisor will consider for such substitutions upper division courses in Physics, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Earth Systems Science, and Mathematics that are normally accepted toward fulfilling the specified requirements for the undergraduate majors in those areas.  No coursework taken by a credential student while enrolled as an undergraduate student will be accepted for such substitution. Occasionally an advanced lower division course, e.g. Math 3A-D, Physics 51A-B, which is a prerequisite to the specified upper division coursework and which the credential student in question has not taken and could clearly benefit from, may be approved.

2) The 10 required graduate courses in Chemistry must include in the first year of graduate enrollment one Graduate Core Course in three of the five different chemical specializations.  A grade of B or better in each Core Course taken is required to pass the Core Coursework requirement, and a grade of B or better is required in all 10 courses counted toward the degree.  Graduate students are required to maintain an average grade of B or better in all courses taken as a graduate student to remain in good academic standing.

3) Students serving as Teaching Assistants must enroll in Chem 399 (University Teaching).

4) The student should arrange for 20 units of Student Teaching (Educ 320A-E) with Sarah Singh (949-824-6673) in the Department of Education.

SAMPLE PROGRAM FOR MS(PLAN II)/CREDENTIAL WITH INTERN TEACHING

Notes:

1) Up to 4 of the required total of 10 graduate courses in Chemistry may be replaced by undergraduate science courses approved by the graduate advisor. The advisor will consider for such substitutions upper division courses in Physics, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Earth Systems Science, and Mathematics that are normally accepted toward fulfilling the specified requirements for the undergraduate majors in those areas.  No coursework taken by a credential student while enrolled as an undergraduate student will be accepted for such substitution. Occasionally an advanced lower division course, e.g. Math 3A-D, Physics 51A-B, which is a prerequisite to the specified upper division coursework and which the credential student in question has not taken and could clearly benefit from, may be approved.

2) The 10 required graduate courses in Chemistry must include in the first year of graduate enrollment one Graduate Core Course in three of the five different chemical specializations.  A grade of B or better in each Core Course taken is required to pass the Core Coursework requirement, and a grade of B or better is required in all 10 courses counted toward the degree.  Graduate students are required to maintain an average grade of B or better in all courses taken as a graduate student to remain in good academic standing.

3) Students serving as Teaching Assistants must enroll in Chem 399 (University Teaching).

4) The student should arrange for 36 units of Intern Teaching (Educ 317A-I) with Sarah Singh (949-824-6673) in the Department of Education.