COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Science in Education – Mathematics at SEMO is designed to prepare students for careers as certified mathematics teachers at the middle and secondary school levels in Missouri. The program combines strong mathematical training with comprehensive education coursework, ensuring graduates are both content experts and effective classroom instructors. It emphasizes developing the skills needed to inspire curiosity, build understanding, and foster a growth mindset in students, where learning mathematics is viewed as a process of exploration, persistence, and problem-solving.The education component (47 hours) focuses on professional preparation for teaching. Students begin with foundational courses such as Introduction to Education as a Profession and continue through a structured sequence of pedagogy and field-based experiences. Coursework includes adolescent development, exceptional child education, content literacy methods, instructional interventions, and multiple levels of teaching methods for secondary mathematics. Students also participate in progressively advanced field experiences, culminating in a full student teaching assignment, which provides intensive real-world classroom practice under professional supervision. These experiences help students develop instructional strategies, classroom management skills, and the ability to support diverse learners effectively.The Mathematics Education coursework (43 hours) provides deep content knowledge in mathematics. Students study calculus, foundations of mathematics, geometry, linear algebra, number theory, abstract algebra, mathematical programming, and problem-solving techniques. This rigorous mathematical foundation ensures that future teachers have a strong command of the subject they will teach. Students also select a course in probability and statistics to strengthen their understanding of data analysis and quantitative reasoning.Overall, the program integrates advanced mathematics with professional education training to prepare graduates for teaching careers. It develops educators who are confident in mathematics, skilled in instructional practice, and capable of supporting student learning in middle and high school classrooms, while also providing a foundation for continued graduate study in education or mathematics.