NSTA Teacher Certification

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An Overview

The National Science Teachers Association offers certification to elementary and middle level teachers of science and to teachers of biology, broadfield science, chemistry, earth and space science, general science, physics, and physical science. To become certified, teachers must meet specific standards of education and experience based on the grade level and/or subject they teach. A teacher is eligible to apply for certification after completing three years of full-time teaching.

NSTA certification seeks to improve the quality of science teaching by recognizing teachers who are well qualified. NSTA certification gives teachers an edge in seeking or keeping a teaching assignment for which they are qualified and, where possible, in ascending the salary ladder.

The NSTA standards have been adopted by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and by the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science.

NSTA offers certification in the following categories:

• Elementary Science
• Middle Level Science
• Secondary Science: General Requirements
  • Biology: Specific Criteria
  • Chemistry: Specific Criteria
  • Earth and Space Science: Specific Criteria
  • General Science: Specific Criteria
  • Physics: Specific Criteria
  • Physical Science: Specific Criteria
  • Broadfield Science: Specific Criteria

How to Apply

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NSTA Certification in Science for Elementary Teachers:
Requirements and Application Procedure

The Requirements
To be certified by NSTA, an elementary teacher must meet the following criteria:

• completion of requirements for a baccalaureate degree
• state approved credentials to teach in an elementary school
• completion of 12 semester hours in laboratory or field-oriented science, including courses in each of these areas:
  • biology
  • physical science
  • earth/space science
• completion of an elementary science methods course or equivalent
• three years successful teaching experience in elementary school

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NSTA Certification for Middle Level Science Teachers:
Requirements and Application Procedure

The Requirements
To be certified by NSTA, a middle level science teacher must meet the following criteria:

• completion of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree
• state approved credentials to teach science
• completion of 24 semester hours in these areas:
  • 8-10 hours of biological or life science
  • 8-10 hours of earth/space science
  • 8-10 hours of physical science (physics and chemistry)
• completion of 9 hours of mathematics and computer science courses
• knowledge of computer applications to science teaching
• second teaching field with a minimum of 24 semester hours
• completion of a science teaching methods course or equivalent designed specifically for middle level teachers
• three years successful teaching experience in middle level science

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NSTA Certification for Science Teachers:
General Requirements and Application Procedure for Each Discipline

The Requirements
To be certified by NSTA in a discipline, a teacher must meet two sets of criteria: one set of General Criteria and another set of Specific Criteria by subject. If you want to be certified in more than one subject, you should submit evidence for each of the subject criteria for which you are qualified and pay an additional $25 for each subject beyond the first.

The General Criteria for certification are:

• completion of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree
• state approved credential to teach science
• completion of a minimum of 50 semester hours in science
• evidence of breadth and depth in science background
• competency in basic mathematics, statistics, and computer applications to science teaching, including:
  • knowledge of mathematics to at least the level of Precalculus
  • knowledge of the scientific and educational use and interpretation of statistics
  • knowledge of computer applications to science teaching
• completion of a science teaching methods and curriculum course, or the equivalent
• completion of three years teaching experience in secondary school science
• evidence of studies concerned with the interconnectedness of the sciences
• evidence of studies concerned with the ability to design and conduct demonstration, laboratory, and field instructional activities
• evidence of a formal or informal study of science in the last five years

To be certified as a secondary school science teacher, you must also meet the Specific Criteria for the subject for which you are seeking certification.

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Earth and Space Science
• General Science
• Physics
• Physical Science
• Broadfield Science

NSTA Certification for Biology Teachers:
Specific Criteria

In addition to meeting the General Criteria for certification, a biology teacher must satisfy the following Specific Criteria:

• completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours in biology, which includes study in the following areas:
  • zoology
  • botany
  • anatomy & physiology
  • genetics
  • ecology
  • microbiology
  • cell biology/biochemistry
  • evolution
  • human biology
• completion of a minimum of 16 semester hours of supporting courses in
  • chemistry
  • physics
  • earth/space science
• knowledge of mathematics through the level of precalculus
• evidence of studies that relate the study of biology to contemporary, historical, technological and societal issues.

NSTA Certification for Chemistry Teachers:
Specific Criteria

In addition to meeting the General Criteria for certification, a chemistry teacher must satisfy the following Criteria:

• completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours in chemistry, including study in the following areas:
  • inorganic chemistry
  • organic chemistry
  • analytical chemistry
  • physical chemistry
  • biochemistry
  • chemistry electives
• completion of a minimum of 16 semester hours of supporting courses in:
  • biology
  • physics
  • earth/space science
• mathematics with a working knowledge of calculus
• evidence of studies that relates the study of Chemistry to contemporary, historical, technological, and societal issues

NSTA Certification for Physics Teachers:
Specific Criteria

In addition to meeting the General Criteria for certification, a physics teacher must satisfy the following Specific Criteria:

• completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours in physics, which must include study of the following:
  • classical mechanics
  • electricity and magnetism
  • heat and thermodynamics
  • waves
  • optics
  • atomic and nuclear physics
  • radiation and radioactivity
  • relativity
  • quantum mechanics
• completion of a minimum of 16 semester hours of supporting courses in:
  • biology
  • chemistry
  • earth/space science
• mathematics with a working knowledge of Calculus and Introductory Differential Equations
• evidence of studies that relate the study of Physics to contemporary, historical, technological, and societal issues.

NSTA Certification for Physical Science Teachers:
Specific Criteria

In addition to meeting the General Criteria for certification, a physical science teacher must satisfy the following Specific Criteria:

• completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours in chemistry and physics reflecting a balance between the two.
• completion of at least 12 semester hours in the earth and space sciences, including study in at least three of the following areas:
  • astronomy
  • geology
  • meteorology
  • oceanography
  • physical geography
• completion of supporting courses in:
  • introductory biology
• knowledge of mathematics through Precalculus
• evidence of studies that relate the study of Physical Science to contemporary, historical, technological, and societal issues.

NSTA Certification for Earth and Space Science Teachers:
Specific Criteria

In addition to meeting the General Criteria for certification, an earth/space science teacher must satisfy the following Specific Criteria:

• completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours in earth and space science, with specific courses in each of the following areas:
  • astronomy
  • geology
  • meteorology
  • oceanography
  • natural resources/environmental studies
  • supporting courses in one or more of the above subjects
• completion of a minimum of 16 semester hours of supporting courses in:
  • biology
  • chemistry
  • physics
• knowledge of mathematics through precalculus
• evidence of studies that relate the study of the Geosciences to contemporary, historical, technological, and societal issues.

NSTA Certification for General Science Teachers:
Specific Criteria

In addition to meeting the General Criteria for certification, a general science teacher must satisfy the following Specific Criteria:

• completion of a minimum of 48 semester hours in science with an approximately equal distribution in the following:
  • biology
  • chemistry
  • earth/space science
  • physics
• knowledge of mathematics through precalculus
• evidence of studies concerned with the interrelationships among the sciences and other disciplines
• evidence of studies that relate the study of science to contemporary, historical, technological, and societal issues.

NSTA Certification for Broadfield Science:
Specific Criteria

In addition to meeting the General Criteria for certification, a broadfield science teacher must satisfy the following Specific Criteria:

• completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours in one discipline/area of science (biology, chemistry, earth/space science, or physics)
• completion of a minimum of 15 semester hours in each of two other disciplines/areas of science
• completion of a minimum of 9 semester hours in a fourth discipline/area of science.
• knowledge of mathematics through the level of precalculus
• evidence of studies that relate the study of science to contemporary, historical, technological, and societal issues.

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How To Apply

To complete an application, the following materials are required:

1. NSTA Science Teacher Certification Application
2. Verification of Eligibility
3. Academic Background Form
4. Certification Checklist
5. Non-Credit Education Experience Form
6. Official transcripts from institutions where you earned the credits that meet the certification requirements
7. Copies of one or two official evaluations of your teaching that have been completed within the last 18 months
8. A one-page letter attesting to your effectiveness as a teacher from a colleague who has observed your teaching within the last 18 months
9. A check payable to NSTA for the $50 certification fee

Application materials are available from

NSTA Teacher Certification
1840 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201-3000

Revised July, 1993.

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National Science Teachers Association 1840 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, Virginia 22201-3000 (703) 243-7100 National Science Teachers Association Last modified: Wednesday, 11-Dec-96 11:29:54 EST

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