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Department of Biology

Career in Biology Secondary Education

Are you interested in teaching biology in grades 7-12 upon graduation?

At Loyola, you have the option to get certified with a minor in secondary education which you can take in addition to your biology coursework.

Alternatively, you can receive a Master of Arts in Teaching in just ONE additional year, and Loyola’s graduate tuition rate is much less than the undergraduate rate.

BS in Biology with a Minor in Secondary Education

The courses that fulfill a minor in secondary education must be taken; you can view requirements at the School of Education website. Please consult with faculty from the School of Education as you consider and proceed along this path. View example of a four-year schedule . To complete the program in four years, a decision must be made in the sophomore year. The advantage of this path is that you are finished and certified within your four undergraduate years, but the schedule is rigorous.

Five-year BS in Biology with the Master of Arts in Teaching

For this pathway, you would follow the normal timetable for a BS in biology. In the spring of your junior year, you would apply to the MAT program. This plan results in a bachelor’s and master’s degree in a total of five years. The advantages of this path are:

  • The pay is higher in the school system if you have a master’s degree.
  • The overall four-year undergraduate schedule is more flexible than the one that includes a minor in secondary education.
  • You do not have to make a decision to embark on this path until the junior year.
  • Some courses for your master’s program would be taken in your senior year as an undergraduate, leaving you fewer courses to take (and pay for) as a graduate student (25 credits rather than 34). 
  • Loyola also offers a 15% tuition discount to Loyola alumni admitted to eligible graduate degree programs.

Master of Arts in Teaching

You can also complete your BS in biology following the normal 4-year schedule, apply to the MAT program in your senior year, and enter the MAT program after graduation. The program can be completed in as little as one year, but can also be taken part time. See Loyola’s Fast-Track MAT Admission for Loyola Seniors.