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Physics & Secondary Education Certifications

BS-Physics-Secondary-main

Foster students' fascination with physics.

Grove City College offers a physics education program that will equip you with a wealth of knowledge, hands-on experience, and mentorship from Christian faculty who will point you to Christ as the master teacher. Our degree options allow you to focus on physics or expand your reach with general science. Combining physics major courses with exceptional education coursework and fieldwork, either degree will prepare you to instill practical scientific skills in middle and high school students and guide their exploration of the universe with contagious enthusiasm.

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Combined Program Distinctives
  • Rigorous education from a Christ-centered perspective.
  • Accessible faculty mentors – Highly experienced and accomplished Christian faculty in Physics and Education who serve as guides and mentors in and out of the classroom and laboratory. Our 14-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio keeps classes small and conducive to greater collaboration and mentorship than you’ll find at most large universities.
  • Practical field experiences – Gain valuable exposure to actual classrooms as early as freshman year, with field experiences incorporated into every education course.
    • In both middle and high school settings, you will learn firsthand about classroom management, student motivation, best practices in pedagogy and assessment, and inclusive teaching strategies.
  • Student teaching – Spend either the fall or spring semester of your senior year immersed in a classroom, with mentoring from a faculty advisor and professional partners in the field, as well as opportunities to work as a teaching assistant or lab technician on campus.
  • Education Career Services – Take advantage of exceptional career development and networking opportunities offered to you as both a student and alumnus of Grove City College. The ECS fosters relationships with private, public, charter, and international schools, as well as other education employers.
  • Research opportunities – Launch into research as early as freshman year to get hands-on experience from the ground up, strengthen your teamwork and communication skills, and find your passion.
    • Our students routinely present their research across the country at conferences and poster sessions, often pursuing publication in leading science and education journals.
    • As you conduct research, you will benefit from our extensive facilities (including two astronomical observatories) and cutting-edge equipment including a high-resolution fluorescence spectrometer, ultra-fast high-power infrared laser, several sputtering systems, atomic force microscope, Tescan Vega II scanning electron microscope with X-ray spectrometer, Micromanipulator 4600 probe station, oxygen plasma cleaner, profilometer, ellipsometer, and much more.  
  • Licensure assistance – Benefit from our highly developed certification services, through which we help students and alumni fulfill state certification requirements, meet testing requirements, and pursue additional certifications as desired.
  • Educational leadership opportunities – Grow in leadership with national and international partners in areas such as urban education, gifted education, youth theater programs, ESL programs, and more.
  • Professional development opportunities – Gain additional insight and experience by attending education conferences and events such as Ed Camp and various high school outreach programs.
  • Hamilton Curriculum Library – Utilize this wealth of resources including school curricular materials, adolescent and young adult literacy materials, and educational technology tools.   
  • Major-related student groups – Join extracurricular groups such as our award-winning chapter of Kappa Delta Pi (an international education honorary), as well as the Secondary Education Society, Council for Exceptional Children, and Grove City College Physics Club.
  • Vocation-enriching humanities core courses – Deepen your critical thinking, writing, and other communication skills while cultivating empathy and a well-rounded worldview.
Career Opportunities & Outcomes
  • Career paths: With an education degree from Grove City, you will be thoroughly equipped to work in a wide variety of school settings — from public to private, domestic to international — or with global education organizations and other companies and nonprofits in related fields.  
    • Our education majors become certified and licensed teachers around the country and all over the world, typically recruited well ahead of graduation.
    • Many of our graduates pursue ongoing professional development throughout their careers via graduate-level education.
  • Outstanding career outcomes – Like 95% of Grove City graduates, you will be prepared to compete for top teaching positions and launch into your career or graduate school within six months of graduation.
  • Excellent career preparation – Stand out as a competent physicist and inspiring teacher who can spark students’ curiosity as they learn the laws of physics and explore the wonders of the universe.
Program Specifics
  • Two degree options – Each combines physics coursework with high-quality preparation to teach at the secondary level. For detailed course descriptions, refer to the College Catalog.
    • B.S in Physics & Secondary Education Certification
      • Physics and technical requirements and electives include General Physics I and II — Engineering, Electronics, Modern Physics, Mechanics I and II, Electricity and Magnetism, Radiation Laboratory, Quantum Mechanics, Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, & Cosmology, Chemistry for Engineering, Calculus I, II, and II, Computer Programming I, and Differential Equations, among others.
      • Professional education requirements include Introduction to the Teaching Profession, Technologies of Instruction, Educational Psychology, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, and Secondary Math/Science Curriculum & Instruction, among other courses.
    • B.S. in Physics & General Science Secondary Education Certification
      • Physics and technical requirements and electives include Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, & Cosmology, General Physics I and II — Engineering, Electronics, Modern Physics, Radiation Laboratory, Chemistry for Engineers, Computer Programming I, Calculus I, II, and III, General Biology I, Environmental Geology, Astronomy, and Physics Education Seminar.
      • Professional education requirements include Introduction to the Teaching Profession, Technologies of Instruction, Educational Psychology, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, and Secondary Math/Science Curriculum & Instruction, among other courses.
    Physics Graduates in High Demand

    According to the Statistical Research Center of the American Institute of Physics, physics graduates are in high demand across a variety of fields nationwide.

    To learn more about physics and astronomy-related career opportunities, take advantage of the following resources.

    • American Association of Physics Teachers: check out information and resources specifically for physics teachers.
    • State-by-state listing: browse lists of the many employers who have recently hired physics graduates to fill science and engineering positions.
    • Latest employment data: explore the variety of work settings and positions in which physicists at different degree levels are employed.
    • Statistical Research Center: find current data on education and employment in physics, astronomy, and allied fields, including interactive resources, full reports, and individual graphs and tables.
    • SPS Jobs: check out helpful job search resources through the Society of Physics Students.
    • Physicist profiles: learn about the diverse range of career possibilities for physics graduates.
      Student & Alumni Stories

      Jake Jefferis '05
      B.A. in Physics-Secondary Education

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