Interested in being a Secondary Biology Teacher?

If you have an undergraduate degree in Biology, you may qualify to enter the MAT with a content specialization in Biology and you will not need to follow the steps below. However, please follow all previously described application submission steps.

If you have an undergraduate degree in any major other than Biology, you may also qualify to enter the MAT.  You will need 30 credit hours of coursework in Biology which may qualify you to enter the MAT with a content specialization in Secondary Biology. 

You can do a preliminary transcript review through the following:

Identify your coursework in Biology. Coursework includes the following topics:

1. Basic Principles of Science
2. Molecular and Cellular Biology
3. Classical Genetics and Evolution
4. Diversity of life, Plants, and Animals
5. Ecology
6. Science, Technology, and Society
   

You may visit the ETS Website link at http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/PRAXIS/pdf/0235.pdf to review description of each topic. This will help you to determine the number of credits and courses you have that could apply to content specialization in Secondary Biology.

You can also do a preliminary transcript review by following these steps:

1. Use the chart below, based on National Standards, to determine what courses you have in each of the standard areas.
2. Highlight the qualifying courses on your transcript and place the name of the course and the number of credits in the columns.

3. Then add up the total number of credits in the right column and read the note at the bottom of
   the page.
   
   

   Competencies Demonstrated (Based upon the National Standards for Secondary Biology)	Course prefix, number and name (Ex. Bio 450)	# Credits Place in this Row
   Life processes in living systems; organization of matter and energy
   Similarities and differences among animals, plants, fungi and viruses
   Principles and practices of biological classification and biological evolution
   Ecological systems; interrelationships with environment
   Population dynamics
   Genetics; heredity
   Cells and cell systems; organisms and relationship to social systems
   Regulation of biological systems; processes of modeling and investigation
   Applications of biology in environmental quality and health
   Bioenergetics, biochemical interactions
   Molecular genetics, heredity and base for evolutionary theory and classification
   Causes, characteristics of viral, bacterial and parasitic disease
   Genetic modification, biotechnology, cloning and farming pollution
   Historical development, perspectives in biology
   How to design, conduct and report research in biology
   Applications of biology and biotechnology in society
   Chemistry
   Physics
   Earth and Space Sciences
   Mathematics
   	TOTAL CREDITS

You may also visit the website at http://www.nsta.org/pdfs/NSTAstandards2003.pdf to review the National Standards for Secondary Biology Teacher.

If you have a total of 30 credits in the right column, you may qualify to enter the MAT with a content specialization in Biology. If you have less than 30 credits, you may or may not qualify for this specialization, and/or other preliminary 'qualifying' courses may be needed. Transcripts missing 3 credits will take special review by a transcript specialist.

If you think you may qualify for the Biology specialization, please continue with the application process. If you have a different content specialist interest area, please go back to the FAQ page and click on one of the other content area links.