Secondary Education Major: Physics

Do you feel compelled to teach one of the oldest disciplines in the world? Prepare for a rewarding career as a physics teacher through our secondary major and physics licensure program, where you’ll learn to teach students in grades 5-12, guiding them as they uncover the marvels of physics.

Our real-world approach to learning involves hands-on experiences coupled with rigorous coursework, where you’ll gain insights into what it takes to be an effective teacher in a middle or high school environment. Delve into topics covering effective teaching strategies, classroom management, lesson and unit planning, science classroom safety, and demonstrating discrepant events with inquiry-based learning modules. 

Explore topics such as Newtonian mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics, Boolean algebra, and the solar system. Biology, chemistry, and math courses are integral components of this licensure area. Lab work also plays a vital role, offering invaluable hands-on experiences within our state-of-the-art labs alongside our dedicated and supportive faculty. Our professors are committed to helping you understand the role of physics in today’s world — so you can inspire students and foster an appreciation of this ancient science.

Rooted in our Lasallian Catholic heritage, we provide a quality education rooted in service, inclusivity, and respect for others. Here, you’ll learn to incorporate these values into your classroom and personal life. By emphasizing character and virtue education, we’ll help you develop virtues like patience, generosity, and enthusiasm — qualities essential for helping students learn and thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, our mission is to guide you on your journey from making a living to making a life — a life that contributes to positive change in the world, changing the life of one student at a time. We believe in a future full of hope. Because of you.