Overview

As a secondary integrated science major, you'll be certified to teach all areas of science from middle school through 12th grade. By combining courses in science and pedagogy with hands-on classroom experiences, you'll develop the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to become an inspirational Christian educator.

Careers in Science Education - Secondary

• High School Science Teacher
• Middle School Science Teacher
• Overseas Teaching
• Missions Work

See job placement rates for Calvin grads.

Student involvement

Volunteer at local schools; lead on-campus education programs through the nature center or science departments; do research in science education; work with churches and schools in Grand Rapids to coordinate youth-centered events; and more.

Course Requirements 2012-13

Science Education Studies - Secondary major

(at least 57 semester hours)

The major program of study described immediately below is not the one recommended for most students. Instead, the program for the regular integrated science major, plus a minor in a science discipline, is the recommended major for most students. Students completing the comprehensive major described directly below are not required to complete an additional minor area of study for certification.

• BIOL-123 The Living World: Concepts and Connections
• BIOL-224 Cellular and Genetic Systems
• BIOL-225 Ecological and Evolutionary Systems
• CHEM-103 General Chemistry I
• CHEM-104 General Chemistry II
• CHEM-253 Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry
• One course from:
  • GEOL-112 Earth Science for Educators
  • GEOL-120 Earth Systems
  • GEOL W151 Big Sky Geology: Montana Field Experience
• One course from:
  • GEOL-152 Historical Geology
  • GEOL-230 Discovery of Prehistory of Earth, Life and Humanity
• One course from:
  • ASTR-110 Planets, Stars and Galaxies
  • ASTR-111 The Solar System
  • ASTR-211 Planetary and Stellar Astronomy
• PHYS-134 Matter, Space, and Energy
• PHYS-221 General Physics (physics minors must take PHYS-133 Introductory Physics: Mechanics/Gravity)
• PHYS-222 General Physics (physics minors must take PHYS-235 Intro Phys: Elect/Magnetism)
• SCES-214 Communication and Learning in Natural Sciences
• SCES-314 Integration Methods and Pedagogies for Secondary Science Teachers
• SCES-359 Seminary in Secondary Teaching of Integrated Science (concurrent with EDUC-346 Directed Teaching: Secondary)
• A total of at least two semesters of any combination of the following courses:
  • BIOL-295 Biology Seminar
  • CHEM-295 Chemistry Seminar
  • PHYS-195 Physics and Astronomy Student Seminar
  • (Two semesters of enrollment in the same course is also allowed.)

Cognates

• MATH-132 Calculus for Management, Life and Social Sciences
• MATH-171 Calculus I

Scholarships

Dollar amounts reflect awards given for the 2012-13 academic year.

Henry Bengelink Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $2,100
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need considered; intend to become a teacher at the high school or college level
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Bette and John Bosma Teacher Education Scholarship

• award amount: $1,600
• junior, senior or post BA
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; preference will be given to those who are returning to college after some time away from campus or because of a change in career choice
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Virginia and Edward L. Brock Scholarship

• award amount: $2,000
• any class level
• GPA 2.8+
• financial need required, preference to African American, Native American or Hispanic students
• automatic consideration

Gysbert and Marie Bron Scholarship

• award amount: $2,000
• junior or senior
• GPA of 2.5+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

John L. De Beer Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $700
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need reqiured
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Roy De Boer Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $500
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Kevin Dale De Rose Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $3,500
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Louis (Luke) and Helen DeJonge Scholarship

• award amount: $1,500
• sophomore, junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need is considered
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Eugene and Joan Deur Scholarship

• award amount: $2,400
• sophomore or junior education major, pursuing a pre-ministry program or missions
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

DeVries-Post Teacher Education Scholarship

• award amount: $1,700
• junior or senior
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required; preference to ethnic minorities or students with physical disabilities
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Brian E. Dyk Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $1,500
• first-year
• financial need required; first preference West Side Christian School graduate
• submit a letter to the Financial Aid Office (finaid@calvin.edu) describing your qualifications by February 1

Find Us Faithful - Lester and Gladys DeVries Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,600
• sophomore, junior or senior
• GPA 2.5+
• financial need considered; preference to graduates of Kalamazoo Chr. HS or Illiana Chr. HS
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Marsha Greenwood Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $1,700
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Carl and Sandra Gronsman Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,100
• junior or senior
• GPA 2.75+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Haverkamp Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• first-year
• financial need considered; demonstrate commitment to and evidence of volunteerism or student leadership
• automatic consideration

David and Shirley Hubers Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• junior or senior pursuing a program in nursing or education
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Harley A. and Julia Janssen Scholarship

• award amount: $1,600
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.2+
• financial need required; preference to those pursuing secondary education
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Paul W. Johnson Education Scholarship

• award amount: $2,200
• junior or senior
• GPA of 2.5+
• financial need required; interest in teaching English or language arts
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Gerald L. Klein Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• junior or senior
• GPA of 2.75+
• financial need considered; preference to those who demonstrate Christian character and concern for others through active involvement in church and community activities
• apply through the Calvin Portal

John A. Kuiper Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,250
• junior, senior or post-BA
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; interest in teaching in a Christian school in an urban setting
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Hazel Lawson Teacher Education Scholarship

• award amount: $1,900
• junior, senior or post-BA
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

J.C. Lobbes Scholarship

• award amount: $1,450
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Arthur and Kathryn Mervenne Education Scholarship

• award amount: $2,700
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

MJB Educational Scholarship

• award amount: $1,900
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need considered
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Jay and Lois Mol Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+ (typically)
• financial need required; preference to those wanting to pursue a career in Christian education
• apply through the Calvin Portal

William and Matilda Monsma Scholarship

• award amount: $2,500
• sophomore, junior, or senior
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required; preference to students from the South Chicago area
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Jacob and Jeannette Nyenhuis Scholarship

• award amount: $1,800
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; interest in teaching at the middle or upper school levels
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Mike and Bette Oostendorp Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,600
• junior or senior
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required; participation in volunteer activities
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Prince Family Scholarship

• award amount: $1,000; $2,000
• junior or senior
• GPA of 2.5+
• financial need required; demonstrate evidence of a great love for children by involvement in volunteer activities
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Pauline Roskam Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $1,900
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.3+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Owen and Bonnie Rottschafer Scholarship

• award amount: $3,000
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• automatic consideration for prospective students; returning students apply through the Calvin Portal

Roland and Ellen Schroder Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,700
• sophomore
• GPA 3.0+
• financial need required; at least one parent who graduated from Calvin College
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Schultze-Weemhoff Family Christian Education Scholarship

• award amount: $2,100
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need not required; pursuing a career in teaching in a Christian school
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Secondary Science Education Scholarship

• award amount: $2,400
• sophomore, junior or senior
• financial need required; major in secondary science education
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Marion and Nella Snapper Family Scholarship

• award amount: $1,950
• senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need considered; preference to those from the State of Washington
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Angeline Nydam Spoelhof Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $2,200
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.3+
• financial need required; planning to teach at the elementary or secondary level
• apply through the Calvin Portal

John L. and Carolyn J. Steen Education Scholarship

• award amount: $2,400
• first-year
• financial need required; graduate of Eastern Christian HS
• application available through Eastern Christian HS

Norma Weiden Sterk Teaching Scholarship

• award amount: $2,000
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

James and Dolly (Hofman) Strikwerda Family Scholarship

• award amount: $1,900
• junior or senior
• GPA 2.5+
• evidence that the scholarship is needed to help meet educational expenses
• apply through the Calvin Portal

John R. and Annie Struyk Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,000
• junior or senior
• financial need required;demonstrate Christian character and involvement in extracurricular activities in the community and college
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Kenneth and Phyllis Timmer Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,000
• junior
• GPA 2.5+
• financial need considered; Michigan resident
• automatic consideration

Jan D. and Nancy M. Treur Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,100
• junior or senior
• GPA of 2.5+
• financial need required; pursuing a secondary education program; interest in public urban secondary education
• apply through the Calvin Portal

George J. Van Wesep Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $2,600
• junior or senior
• GPA 2.5+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

John and Marian Vanden Berg Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,100
• any class level
• GPA 2.5+
• financial need required; participation and leadership out of the classroom
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Vander Ark Family Scholarship

• award amount: $1,900
• junior or senior
• GPA of 2.75+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Vander Haagen Family Scholarship for 5th Year Education Students

• award amount: $1,700
• 5th year senior or post-BA
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Margaret and Donald Vander Haar Scholarship

• award amount: $1,300
• junior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; be pursuing a major or minor in the sciences within the education (elementary or secondary) program
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Arnold and Janice VanderBok Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,700
• first-year
• financial need required; speak Spanish fluently; preference to Hispanic students
• prospective students submit a letter to the Financial Aid Office (finaid@calvin.edu) describing your qualifications by February 1; returning students apply through the Calvin Portal

Frank and Helen Veldhuizen Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $2,300
• sophomore, junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need not required
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Lois R. (Post) and Nelson L. Veltman Education Scholarship

• award amount: $1,000
• junior or senior
• GPA of 2.5+
• financial need required; planning to teach at the junior high or middle school level
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Rodolfo E. Vilaro Memorial Scholarship

• award amount: $2,000
• junior or senior
• GPA 2.5+
• financial need required; preference given to an hispanic student
• apply through the Calvin Portal

John and Theresa B. Wierenga Family Scholarship

• award amount: $1,100
• junior or senior
• GPA of 3.0+
• financial need required; intending to teach in the sciences
• apply through the Calvin Portal

Wendell and Dorothy Yonker Family Scholarship

• award amount: $2,450
• junior or senior
• GPA 2.5+
• financial need required
• automatic consideration

View all scholarship opportunities

Faculty

Eric Arnoys Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 233 earnoys@calvin.edu (616) 526-6051 David Benson Associate Professor of Chemistry Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 303 deb22@calvin.edu (616) 526-7699 Ronald Blankespoor Professor of Chemistry Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 227 blan@calvin.edu (616) 526-6174 Curtis Blankespoor Professor of Biology Department of Biology DH 123 cblankes@calvin.edu (616) 526-6498 Crystal Bruxvoort Associate Professor of Chemistry and Science Education Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry NH 052B cb29@calvin.edu (616) 526-6019 Randall DeJong Assistant Professor Department of Biology DH 109 rdejong@calvin.edu (616) 526-7625 Roger DeKock Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 301 dekock@calvin.edu (616) 526-6344 David Dornbos Associate Professor Department of Biology DH 205 dld9@calvin.edu (616) 526-8578 Herbert Fynewever Associate Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 229 hrf3@calvin.edu (616) 526-7711 Deborah Haarsma Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 181 dhaarsma@calvin.edu (616) 526-6340 Loren Haarsma Associate Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 260 lhaarsma@calvin.edu (616) 526-8517 Paul Harper Associate Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 161 pharper@calvin.edu (616) 526-6408

David Koetje Professor Department of Biology DH 105 dkoetje@calvin.edu (616) 526-7047 Larry Molnar Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 173 lmolnar@calvin.edu (616) 526-6341 Rich Nyhof Professor Department of Biology DH 111 nyhr@calvin.edu (616) 526-6347 Anding Shen Associate Professor, on leave fall 2012 Department of Biology DH 209 as28@calvin.edu (616) 526-6025 Kumar Sinniah Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 225 ksinniah@calvin.edu (616) 526-6058 Ralph Stearley Professor NH 071 rstearle@calvin.edu (616) 526-6370 Steven Steenwyk Professor Department of Physics and Astronomy SB 175 ssteen@calvin.edu (616) 526-8542 Chad Tatko Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 307 cdt2@calvin.edu (616) 526-7584 Deanna van Dijk Professor NH 079 dvandijk@calvin.edu (616) 526-6510 Douglas Vander Griend Associate Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry DH 231 dav4@calvin.edu (616) 526-8729 Dave Warners Professor Department of Biology DH 125 dwarners@calvin.edu (616) 526-6820 Amy Wilstermann Associate Professor Department of Biology DH 129 amw26@calvin.edu (616) 526-7620