Skip to main content

Career as a Physics Teacher

  • Are you interested in teaching physics in grades 7-12 upon graduation?
  • Did you know that you can get certified with a minor in secondary education or receive a Master of Arts in Teaching in just ONE additional year? Did you know that the graduate tuition rate at Loyola is much less than the undergraduate rate?
  • Did you know that ALL physics teachers get jobs?
  • Did you know that the teaching certification has reciprocity in most states?
  • Three paths are described below.

BA in Physics with a Minor in Secondary Education

The courses that fulfill a minor in secondary education must be taken. Please consult with faculty from the School of Education. View requirements under the School of Education, specifically the minor. View example of a four-year schedule. To complete the program in four years, a decision must be made no later than the start of the spring semester in the sophomore year.

Five-year BS or BA in Physics with the Master of Arts in Teaching

Follow the normal timetable for a BA or BS in physics. In the spring of the junior year, apply to the MAT program. This plan results in a bachelor’s and master’s degree in a total of five years, as shown in this example schedule. Advantages are:

  • The pay is higher in the school system if you have a master’s degree.
  • The overall four-year undergraduate schedule is more flexible than the one that includes a minor in secondary education.
  • You do not have to make a decision to embark on this path until the junior year.
  • Because master’s courses are taken in the senior year, you would be paying for 25 cr at the graduate rate to receive the MAT, instead of 34 cr. The graduate tuition rate is much lower than the undergraduate rate.

Master of Arts in Teaching

Follow the normal timetable for a BA or BS in physics, then receive your degree. Enter the MAT program after graduation.

View chart comparing the education courses for the paths.