CHEM: STEM Education

From Chemistry Student to Chemistry Teacher

The STEM concentration in the Chemistry degree is designed for those seeking licensure in Grades 6-12 Chemistry teaching in Tennessee as well as a bachelor's degree in chemistry.

Chemistry: STEM Education Program

Catalog Description

UTC’s Chemistry: STEM Education program combines chemistry coursework with teaching-focused preparation. Students study general chemistry, organic chemistry, quantitative analysis, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry and biochemistry while completing STEM education courses in inquiry-based teaching, classroom interactions, research methods, project-based instruction and apprentice teaching. The program is built for students seeking chemistry content preparation with a path toward teaching licensure. View the Chemistry: STEM, B.S. Undergraduate Catalog.

Courses

Minimum of 39 hours of 3000 & 4000 level courses. Electives to complete 121 hours.

Clear Path to Advising

Please click here for the recommended course sequence semester-by-semester for this degree track.

Please Note: For admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP): Earn a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average, a 2.75 average on all courses taken at UTC, a 2.75 GPA in education courses with no grade lower than C, and a 2.75 in content area courses with no grade lower than C.

In addition to the department and university requirements there are the following minimum requirements for graduation with licensure: 2.75 cumulative average, 2.75 at UTC, 2.75 average in STEM courses with no grade lower than C, 2.75 average in courses in licensure content area courses with no grade lower than C. Please see the Courses section of this catalog for complete course descriptions.

Advising

The STEM education concentration program works closely with the UTC School of Education to ensure that those that graduate with this degree are appropriately licensed and ready for the world of STEM education. For more information, please contact Dr. Stephanie Philipp in the School of Education at [email protected] or Dr. Keenan Dungey in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at [email protected].

Alumni Success Story

Morgan Harding, UTC ‘23

Morgan Harding earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry-STEM Education in 2023 and has been teaching high school chemistry in Hamilton County Schools since then. Ms. Harding wanted to be a teacher for as long as she could remember. Her high school teacher (who teaches down the hall from her now) challenged her towards chemistry, and she ended up falling in love with the subject.

“She told me I would be a great chemistry teacher but encouraged me to get a degree in chemistry, not just in education, so I chose the STEM Education pathway,” says Harding. “I am so glad that I chose to earn a degree in chemistry because my deep knowledge of the content makes me a better teacher and I have the opportunity to further mentor students who are heading down a STEM path.”

Ms. Harding is thankful for the challenge and rigor of chemistry at UTC. “It not pushed not only my content knowledge, but also my ability to problem solve and critically think”, she shares.

Harding continues this tradition in her own classroom. In the 2025-2026 year, Harding is teaching an Introduction to Organic Chemistry Course. The course doesn’t typically exist at the high school level, but the administration at her school supported her in developing a curriculum and trialing it with a group of AP Chemistry students.

The Bachelor of Science in Chemistry-STEM Education pathway was written to help students become excellent teachers with strong chemistry background, and we are ready for you to start your own preparation to become an educator!