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BS in Mathematics Education

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For contact information, please visit the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development website.

Effective fall 2022, undergraduate students interested in applying to Wheelock College will be admitted to its BS in Education & Human Development and will no longer be admitted to the BS in Mathematics Education program. Continuing students will continue to complete the degree program that they entered.

The programs in Mathematics Education offer a wide range of opportunities for students to develop their expertise in mathematics and in methods of teaching mathematics. Courses focus on research and practice in mathematics education, methods of teaching mathematics to students of varying ages and abilities, and the design and preparation of mathematics curriculum materials.

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Mathematics Education will ordinarily, through coursework taken in the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Diversity, Civic Engagement, and Global Citizenship; Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; and some elements of the Intellectual Toolkit, essential for educators working with other professionals. Additional requirements may be satisfied through required Arts & Sciences coursework, and it is important that students keep Hub requirements in mind when selecting these courses. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.

Boston University students specializing in Mathematics Education engage in a comprehensive course of study that includes a strong base in the arts and sciences, with coursework in the humanities, social sciences, and math and science, as well as in education, in general, and in Mathematics Education. Fieldwork in area schools with students is threaded all throughout the students’ course study.

The program of study for each student is carefully designed to enable students to meet both the BU Hub capacities and the requirements that enable Boston University to recommend students to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for an Initial teaching license in Mathematics Education, Grades 5–12, Fulfillment of licensure requirements in the program can lead to licensure in states with which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has reciprocity.

Prospective undergraduate students may also apply to the Double Degree Program, a joint program between Wheelock and the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS). This program allows undergraduates to earn two bachelor’s degrees in four years: a BS in Mathematics Education from Wheelock, and a BA in Mathematics from CAS. This program is for highly motivated students who wish to expand their knowledge of mathematics teaching and mathematics content. The work is challenging but, in most cases, can be completed in four years through consultation with dedicated faculty advisors. The Double Degree program is open to freshmen applying for September admission only.

Add-on licensure is available to undergraduates who are seeking Initial Licensure as an Elementary Education Teacher or Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, Grades 5–12.

Learning Outcomes

  • Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment: Promotes the learning and growth of all students by providing high-quality and coherent instruction, designing and administering authentic and meaningful student assessments, analyzing student performance and growth data, using this data to improve instruction, providing students with constructive feedback on an ongoing basis, and continuously refining learning objectives.
  • Teaching All Students: Promotes the learning and growth of all students through instructional practices that establish high expectations, create a safe and effective classroom environment, and demonstrate cultural proficiency.
  • Family and Community Engagement: Promotes the learning and growth of all students through effective partnerships with families, caregivers, community members, and organizations.
  • Professional Culture: Promotes the learning and growth of all students through ethical, culturally proficient, skilled, and collaborative practice.
  • Demonstrates Subject Matter Knowledge: Shows depth and breadth of knowledge needed to teach the subject matter to students as evidenced by lesson planning and implementation.

Mathematics Education 5–8 Track (total units: 128)

BU Hub Requirements or Electives Outside the Major (47 units)

Mathematics Subject Matter Requirements (36 units)

  • CAS MA 115 Statistics I (4 units)
  • CAS MA 123 Calculus I (4 units)
  • CAS MA 124 Calculus II (4 units)
  • CAS MA 242 Linear Algebra (4 units)
  • CAS MA 293 Discrete Math (4 units)
  • CAS MA 341 Number Theory (4 units)
  • WED ME 559 Mathematics for Teaching: Geometry or CAS MA 528 Introduction to Modern Geometry (4 units)
  • Two CAS MA electives (in consultation with advisor) (8 units)

Professional Studies Requirements (45 units)

  • WED CT 375 Pre-Practicum in Secondary Schools (2 units)
  • WED CT 534 Classroom Management (2 units)
  • WED DS 502 Adolescent Development and Learning (2 units)
  • WED ED 110 Introduction to Education (4 units)
  • WED ED 111 Educational Technology (1 unit)
  • WED ED 410/412 Social and Civic Context of Education (4 units)
  • WED ME 360 Mathematics for Teaching: Algebra (4 units)
  • WED ME 363 Problem Solving in Mathematics (4 units)
  • WED ME 507 Student Teaching Practicum, 5–8 (8 units)
  • WED ME 525 Assessment in Mathematics (2 units)
  • WED ME 530 Equitable Pedagogies in STEM Education (2 units)
  • WED ME 546 Methods of Teaching Math: Middle School (4 units)
  • WED SE 251 Special Education and Adolescents (2 units)
  • WED TL 525 Teaching English Language Learners in Middle/Secondary Schools (4 units)

Mathematics Education 8–12 Track (total units: 128)

BU Hub Requirements or Electives Outside the Major (43 units)

Mathematics Subject Requirements (40 units)

  • CAS MA 123 Calculus I (4 units)
  • CAS MA 124 Calculus II (4 units)
  • CAS MA 213 Basic Statistics and Probability (4 units)
  • CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus (4 units)
  • CAS MA 226 Differential Equations (4 units)
  • CAS MA 242 Linear Algebra (4 units)
  • CAS MA 293 Discrete Math (4 units)
  • CAS MA 294 Abstract Algebra or CAS MA 541 Modern Algebra I (4 units)
  • CAS MA 341 Number Theory (4 units)
  • WED ME 559 Mathematics for Teaching: Geometry or CAS MA 528 Introduction to Modern Geometry (4 units)

Professional Studies Requirements (45 units)

  • WED CT 375 Pre-Practicum in Secondary Schools (2 units)
  • WED CT 534 Classroom Management (2 units)
  • WED DS 502 Adolescent Development and Learning (2 units)
  • WED ED 110 Introduction to Education (4 units)
  • WED ED 111 Educational Technology (1 unit)
  • WED ED 410 Social Context of Education (2 units)
  • WED ED 412 Civil Context of Education (2 units)
  • WED ME 360 Mathematics for Teaching: Algebra (4 units)
  • WED ME 363 Problem Solving in Mathematics (4 units)
  • WED ME 508 Student Teaching Practicum, 8–12 (8 units)
  • WED ME 525 Assessment in Mathematics (2 units)
  • WED ME 530 Equitable Pedagogies in STEM Education (2 units)
  • WED ME 547 Methods of Teaching Math: High School (4 units)
  • WED SE 251 Special Education and Adolescents (2 units)
  • WED TL 525 Teaching English Language Learners in Middle/Secondary Schools (4 units)

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