OVERVIEW
An Online Science Degree Designed to Help You Make a Difference
Calling all science lovers! STEM teachers are increasingly needed as STEM professions continue to grow in demand. WGU is proud to support the growth and purpose of STEM by helping over 8,700 students graduate with STEM teaching degrees. If you love science, you could make a difference for students by becoming an exceptional science teacher. This science education degree will prepare you to becoming a licensed teacher and credentialed expert, ready to shape young minds and fuel passion for STEM in students. WGU's online science degree program is CAEP and AAQEP accredited, ensuring that administrators and peers see the value in your degree. The curriculum for this science education degree is also recognized by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), adding more respect to your résumé.
Note: This degree is available in states that have a middle-grades general science teaching license. The specific grade level you will be licensed to teach depends on your state. Learn more about teacher certification.
61% of students finish within
31 Months
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish this teaching bachelor's degree faster.
Tuition per six-month term is
$3,475
Do the math and you'll see that you're in control of the cost of your teaching degree. We charge tuition per-term instead of per-credit. Finish faster, pay less!
On average, students transfer
34 credits
Your associate’s degree or previous college may waive some courses through transfer. We review your transcripts for transfer credits, helping you accelerate this bachelor's degree in education.
COURSES & COMPETENCIES
Middle Grades Science Education Courses
A nationally recognized curriculum designed to help you become a highly qualified science teacher.
WGU's bachelor’s degree in science education is an affordable, online science degree program that leads to middle school teacher licensure. You will study and learn the general science and teaching methods necessary to become a highly qualified middle school science teacher.
To ensure WGU graduates acquire the knowledge and teaching skills sought by today’s schools, our Bachelor of Science in Science Education program was developed with significant input from experts and educational leaders who serve on our Education Program Council. Our B.S. in science education is nationally recognized by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).
Students will take eight professional core courses that will prepare them to handle unique educational situations and become better teachers. These education courses focus on a variety of important topics including social and emotional learning, and technology and diversity inclusion in the classroom.
The program also includes a home science lab kit. You will be provided with a self-contained laboratory kit—including science equipment, specimens and chemicals—to complete lab experiments at home.
Plus, students will get to use augmented reality experiences to give them the opportunity to practice their work before entering the classroom. These eight professional core courses are also coupled with preclinical experience to help ensure teachers are ready for their classroom.
Some of the courses in this program may be waived through transfer from your previous college experience. The rest you will complete one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. This means that you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.
Washington students, please note that you will be required to complete one additional course that is not listed below: Survey of Pacific Northwest History for Educators. View the Washington program guide.
40 Courses
Program consists of 40 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to ensure your degree is proof you really know your stuff.
Professional Portfolio
Special requirements for this program
You will complete a professional portfolio, which will include your resume and Philosophy of Teaching Statement and serve as a way to showcase the skills you have acquired throughout your degree program and Demonstration Teaching.
“As a veteran teacher, I look can look back of nearly two decades and know that I would not be where or who I am now if I had not discovered WGU.”
—Laurie A.
B.S. Science Education (Middle Grades)
Why WGU?
You Aren't On Your Own
WGU has Program Mentors who work with you from the day you start, all the way through graduation. They help you set up your Demonstration Teaching, learn about teaching certification in your state, and more. You're not alone when you choose an online education degree at WGU.
On Your Schedule
Students choose WGU for their online teaching degree program because of its flexibility. Whether you already have a full-time job, have responsibilities as a parent, or just have a busy schedule, WGU can work for you.
Licensure In Any State
WGU's online science education degree prepares you for a teaching license in any state in the United States. It's valuable to learn the other requirements in your state to know the full process for gaining licensure.
Accredited, Respected,
Recognized
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
COST & TIME
An Affordable Middle Grades Science Education Degree Program
By charging per six-month term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.
A College Degree Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2019 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
A Different Way to Learn: Degree Programs Designed to Fit Your Life—and All the Demands on Your Time
Professional responsibilities. Family obligations. Personal commitments. At WGU, we understand schedules are tight and often unpredictable for adult students. That’s why we offer a flexible, personalized approach to how education should be. No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused science teaching program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected degree as a busy working adult.
“I had to learn how to become a teacher. It was interesting. I had a little bit of experience with some educational stuff, but when I got into it learning these new concepts, I thought, 'Do I really need all this?' Once I did my Demonstration Teaching, it all came through. That's what this was all about.”
—Ken S.
B.A. Science (Middle Grades)
CAREER OUTLOOK
Make a Smart Career Move and Teach Middle School Science
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that great teachers are crucial for the future of our society. A degree in science education can help you prepare to improve student outcomes and connect with all different types of learners. This science degree will prepare you for a teaching license, and enable you to make a difference in the classroom and your community.
Students in middle school are curious by nature and eager to learn how things work. A serious shortage of STEM teachers nationwide means science teachers are in very high demand. WGU's bachelor's degree in science education is a nationally recognized program that can help you prepare for a critically important role in K–12 education by becoming a middle school science teacher.
Return on Your Investment
4%
Employment of all middle school teachers is projected to grow 4% from 2019 to 2029 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
WGU Has Alumni Teaching in Schools Across the Country
Graduates of WGU's online Teachers College have found meaningful, rewarding teaching careers in classrooms at:
- Inclusionary K–12 classrooms
- Middle/junior high schools
- High schools
- Private and charter schools
Impressive Class of Graduates
Graduates of the WGU Teachers College include recipients of many professional honors, including:
- Gates Millennium Scholars
- Intel Grant for Mathematics and Technology
- Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award
- Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award
- Association of Public Charter Schools Educator of the Year Award
Focused on Equity and Accessibility
The WGU Teachers College is in the top 1% for granting degrees for Black and Hispanic/Latinx educators at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. It is second in the nation for combined graduate and undergraduate degrees and credentials for students of color, according to the federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
ADMISSIONS
Middle Grades Science Education Bachelor's Admission Requirements
Students who are seeking initial teacher licensure in a bachelor’s, post-baccalaureate, or master’s program must also pass a state-specific basic skills test for the state in which they live as a prerequisite to Demonstration Teaching (student teaching). (Registering and paying for the test is the student’s responsibility.) This requirement can be met either prior to admission or before beginning the Foundations of Teaching subject area once you are in your WGU program.
WGU’s teacher licensure programs also include Demonstration Teaching (student teaching). You must be at least 18 years of age before you may begin the application process or participate in Preclinical Experiences and Demonstration Teaching. You must also submit to a criminal background check prior to entering the classroom for this component of your program.
An Enrollment Counselor can help you best determine whether you have the sufficient background for entry into your program of choice.
Transfer Credits
If you’ve taken courses or received a degree from a community college or another college or university, you're likely already well on your way to a WGU degree. You can almost always transfer credits when you send bachelor's or associate's degree transcripts to WGU for a college transfer evaluation.
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.
MORE DETAILS
Becoming a Licensed Teacher
State-specific licensure requirements: Each state in the U.S. has specific testing requirements that must be met or completed in addition to completing your teaching degree program at WGU. Teacher licensure requirements vary depending on state laws and may include a number of factors, such as:
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree program
- Submission of transcripts
- Completion and clearance of a background check
- Passing of required entrance exams and basic skills tests
Preclinical Experiences
As part of this program, you'll participate in a wide range of in-classroom teaching experiences through at least 75 hours of in-classroom observation.
Demonstration Teaching
To help you prepare to work in classrooms, this program includes a student teaching component (we call it Demonstration Teaching, or DT). DT is a full-time, supervised, in-classroom experience of a minimum of 12–20 weeks during which you will be hosted by an experienced teacher and observed by a Clinical Supervisor. Your host teacher will evaluate your performance based on accepted professional standards. Learn more.
More About the B.S. in Middle Grades Science Education
- More About Teacher Licensure
- Transfers
Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?