Math Education
Teach Your Passion
Elizabethtown College offers a well-established, successful Mathematics Education program, which continues to take the lead in response to the constantly changing demands placed on professional educators.
Etown's program is structured as a Secondary Education concentration within the Math major, which means that students who complete the program earn a fully-fledged Mathematics degree, as well as certification to teach math in secondary schools (grades 7-12) in Pennsylvania and reciprocal states.
What Can I Do With a Degree in Math Education
Etown's Mathematics Secondary Education program is rigorous and thorough with respect to both mathematical and educational preparation, yet designed so that students complete it within four years. Our program has a long history of success, and is well-regarded by local school districts, many of which seek out our students as student teachers and for permanent positions after graduation. Local high schools actively seek out our graduates. In recent years, all Mathematics Secondary Education graduates seeking teaching positions have secured full-time employment within months of graduation.
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Education and Certification
Etown's Mathematics Secondary Education program combines the versatility and deep content knowledge of a full Mathematics major with all Education coursework and fieldwork needed for certification to teach at the secondary level in Pa. and reciprocating states. Students in this concentration are given a solid foundation in geometry, algebra and statistics essential for teaching and analyzing and implementing secondary school mathematics curriculum. The required math courses will satisfy the requirement of two math courses for Education certification.
Become a Versatile Educator
Etown's program is designed for students wanting to graduate in four years with a degree in math, as well the ability to teach math in grades 7-12 in Pa. and reciprocal states. Students who complete our secondary education concentration graduate with a versatile credential and skill set that can be applied to teaching, or any other math-related field. In addition to the math-based curriculum courses for the major, students will also take a selection of education courses including adolescent development, teaching methods, and complete a professional internship (also called student teaching).
In the Field From the Start
One distinctive feature of our Mathematics Education program is first-year field experience. Students in the program visit classrooms at a variety of levels (elementary, middle, and high school) during their first year of study. This early exposure to how classrooms work from the teacher’s point of view is invaluable for honing students’ professional aspirations. Fieldwork continues throughout the four years of the program at increasing levels of professional involvement, culminating with the formal student teaching that is required for certification.
Mathematics Minor
Interested in math but looking to complete a different major? Take a minor in math! You’ll build a solid foundation in advanced mathematics such as calculus and linear algebra, and have the flexibility to customize the minor to your specific interests.
Department Life
Life in the Department of Mathematical Sciences is characterized by a spirit of helpful cooperation. It is quite common to see small groups of students studying together in the Math Commons area, or in the “Math Hideaway,” a special study room dedicated to student use. Faculty office doors are always open, inviting students to come in and ask questions or talk about mathematical matters.
Students in the Department of Mathematical Sciences are involved in numerous activities, both on and off campus. In the department, we have a math club and a chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national math honor society, and our upper class students also serve as tutors in our tutoring center to help other students who need help with their math classes. In addition, many of our students spend a semester studying abroad or take part in short term trips abroad.
Math Club
The mission of Mathematics Club is to provide a forum to exchange ideas and information in the field of Mathematics. The club encourages activities and field trips, sponsors speakers, and investigates a broad view of current ideas and research in mathematics and employment opportunities.
Pi Mu Epsilon
Pi Mu Epsilon, the mathematics honor society, is a national organization whose purpose is the promotion of scholarly activity in mathematics among students in academic institutions, and among the staffs of qualified non-academic institutions. This honor society is open to students attaining high academic achievement in mathematics.
Student Tutoring
The faculty specially choose top math students to serve as tutors for the department. We offer drop-in tutoring five nights a week for students taking most 100- or 200-level math classes. Tutoring is obviously beneficial for those being tutored, but it also helps the tutors by reinforcing course material and teaching them how to exercise care and patience when explaining complicated ideas to other people. Such explanatory ability is a valuable professional skill for anyone called upon to deal with the public or work collaboratively, such as teachers and actuaries.
Study Abroad Opportunities
Embrace the world as your classroom! We encourage all of our majors to consider a study abroad experience during their time at Etown. Whether for a semester or for a May term class, we believe that the world is an exciting classroom. Although the programs in our department are intensive, there is certainly room for students to spend time abroad with proper planning. We carefully advise our students who are interested in studying abroad to plan their academic careers to accommodate a semester abroad within their four-year course of study.