2008 Physics Teacher licensure program for Minnesota Science Teachers offered by the Physics/Science Department of Bemidji State University to be offered at the Perpich Center in Golden Valley:

Updated: February 1, 2008: Updates highlighted in blue

This program is designed for currently licensed Science Teachers in Minnesota to be licensed to teach Physics from grades 9 – 12.  Although it is recommended that participants have taken a course in Calculus, completion of Calculus is not required either for acceptance or for completion of the program. This licensure program is a hybrid program that will offer 2 on-line courses using the D2L course tools along with 2 on-campus courses at Bemidji State University in summer 2008. 

The prerequisites for entering the Physics Teacher licensure program for Minnesota Science Teachers are:

  1. Certification to teach Science in Minnesota for grades 5 – 12 or to teach Mathematics in Minnesota for grades 5 - 12
  2. Completion of one year of College Physics. (Science teachers with only one semester of college Physics should contact Dr. Truedson to discuss options for completion of the second semester)    

The program will consist of the following courses: (all courses are semester credits at the graduate level)

In order to register for the first course you need to contact Peggy Boyer at Center for External Learning:

Email: pboyer@bemidjistate.edu

Phone: 218-755-2068 

PHYS 6050 Modern Physics for Teachers, 3 credits. (Fall 2008 on-line)

Instructor: Dr. John Truedson, Physics Department
Text:  Modern Physics, Tipler and Llewellen, 4th Ed. Freeman, 2002
Course schedule: Fall 2008: This course will be offered primarily on-line using the D2L course tools.   Participants will receive a free copy of the text. The course will consist of on-line lectures, discussion, assignments, and exams, along with the development of a unit in modern physics for a high school physics classroom.

PHYS 6040 Modern Optics for Teachers, 3 credits. (Summer 2008 on-line)

Instructor: Dr. John Truedson, 
Text:  Optics, Hecht, 4th Ed. Addison-Wesley, 2002
Course schedule: Summer 2008: This course will be offered primarily on-line using the D2L course tools.  Participants will receive a free copy of the text. The course will consist of on-line lectures, discussion, assignments, and exams, along with the development of a unit in optics for a high school physics classroom.

PHYS 6030 Electronics for Teachers, 3 credits.  (June 16 - July 3, 2008)

Instructors: Dr. John Truedson, Physics Department and Mr. Jason Koester, Bemidji High School
Text:  TBA
This course will be offered at the Perpich Center in Golden Valley this summer 2008 and is intended to taken in conjunction with the PHYS 6980 research course described below.   The course will be 3 weeks in length from 8 – 11 am Monday – Friday from June 16 - July 3, 2008. Participants will receive a free copy of the text. The course will consist of lectures, discussion, assignments, labs and exams, along with the development of a unit in electronics for a high school physics classroom.

PHYS 6980 Research in Physics, 3 credits (June 16 - July 3, 2008)

Instructors: Dr. David Bahr and Dr. John Truedson, Physics Department
Text: none
This course will be offered at the Perpich Center in Golden Valley this summer 2008 and is intended to taken in conjunction with the PHYS 6030 Electronics course described above.   The course will be 3 weeks in length from 12 – 3 pm Monday – Friday from June 16 - July 3.  The course will consist of series of laboratory research experiments using the facilities at  .  Participants will be required to write a research paper in an area of Physics.   

For information concerning this licensure program please contact:

Dr. John Truedson
Department of Physics/Science
Bemidji State University
Box 27
1500 Birchmont Dr.
Bemidji, MN 56601-2699
Email: jtruedson@bemidjistate.edu
Phone: 218-755-2796
Fax: 218-755-4107