Biological Sciences Graduate Certificate for Educators - Online

The Department of Biology at the University of Akron is offering a new pathway for science teachers, either with a Master’s Degree or in the process of earning a Master’s Degree, seeking the necessary credentials to become eligible to teach CCP Biology courses at their high schools.

• Classes taught by full-time Biology faculty with expertise in their fields and experience working with education experts and high school teachers.
• Flexible delivery with online synchronous and asynchronous courses that offer interactive discussions.
• Courses designed to prepare teachers to teach introductory Biology courses at their high schools.

Contact Dr. Jordan Renna with questions at jrenna@uakron.edu.

Apply Now

Apply Now for our 2026/2027 cohort that starts June 9th and runs for one year.  Space is limited to the first 25 students.

You can earn a Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in conjunction with the Biological Sciences Graduate Certificate for Educators, and all courses are online.

How to Apply

To apply for free, please visit https://www.uakron.edu/admissions/apply.dot

• Select: Graduate Student
• Select: Domestic
• Select Summer Semester 2026 - Begins in June or July 2026

Either create a new account or log in as a returning user. Start a new application by selecting Create Application, then complete the personal background information.

For Enrollment Data: 

• Anticipated enrollment status: Part-time
• Campus: Akron Campus
• Which degree do you intend to pursue:  Certificate
• To which college do you intend to apply?:  Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
• What is your intended certificate program in the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences?:  Biological Sciences Graduate Certificate for Educators
• Start Term and Year: 2026 Summer (May)

The program begins in the summer session, but classes start in June.

For admission, send official copies of your transcripts (received directly from the previous institution). 

Graduate Courses (18 credits)

For specific dates, please refer to the University of Akron Academic Calendar (https://www.uakron.edu/registrar/dates/acadcal.dot).

Tuition & fee information can be found here; Estimate cost for books: $480.

Credentials to Teach Classes

After completing the CCP Certificate Program, teachers would have the credentials to teach the following University of Akron courses:

• BIOL:103 Natural Science: Biology (4 Credits)
• BIOL:106 Exploring Biology (3 Credits)
• BIOL:200 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (3 Credits)
• BIOL:201 Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory I (1 Credit)
• BIOL:202 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (3 Credits)
• BIOL:203 Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory II (1 Credit)
• BIOL:130 Principle's of Microbiology (3 Credits)