Mathematics for Secondary Education Major
Behind every successful math student is a committed teacher. Become that person in Drake University’s Mathematics for Secondary Education major, a dual-degree program preparing you for middle and high school classrooms, as well as community colleges and universities.
College of Arts & Sciences | On-Campus
Program Options
As a student in the Mathematics for Secondary Education Program, you can complete at least one endorsement to qualify for a teaching license in Iowa while obtaining two degrees: one in mathematics and one in education. You can also complete the degree with a focus on preparing for community college teaching.
B.S. in Mathematics for Secondary Education
This program managed by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science equips you to pursue secondary certification in mathematics or teach in community college. You’ll enrich what you know about abstract and applied topics while also learning to design grade-appropriate lessons in student teaching assignments.
Mathematics Elementary Education Endorsement
Education majors who enroll in this endorsement program will explore strategies for connecting the elementary grades with the vast possibilities of numbers and their real-world applications.
A Second Endorsement
Consider a second endorsement in physics, computer science, gifted and talented, teaching English language learners, or urban education to broaden your reach and show how math enriches other K-12 subjects.
Meet the Faculty
Award-winning teachers and mentors, Drake’s faculty are ready to equip you with practical insights gleaned from decades of marketing and consulting experience with organizations ranging from local businesses to global enterprises.
Alfred Limbere
Visiting Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Outside the Classroom
Make math captivating, whether you’re taking an applied approach to theories directly in the classroom or collaborating with current educators to better integrate algebra, statistics, and advanced topics into their curricula. Begin to make professional connections and build a network in groups like Women in STEM and the Kappa Mu Epsilon Math Honors Society.
Research Opportunities
You’ll have the chance to start researching in your first year, as a group of students did by building an Agent-Based Model to assess policy impacts on electric vehicle use or working on graph theory through a Cops and Robbers game. Others have studied how coding robots can help students learn mathematics. Or pursue your own projects with faculty serving as guides.
Tutoring
Get a head start on your teaching career by working with students in Des Moines schools, as a paid tutor in Drake’s Math Tutoring Lab, or as a teaching assistant to a math faculty member.
Improving Mathematics Instruction in Local Schools
We’re not just training the next generation of teachers—we’re partnering with area schools to improve middle and high school math instruction. Participating Drake students and practicing teachers develop instructional plans that highlight math as a pathway to STEM careers, informed citizenry, and societal change.
Teaching Assignments
Put everything you’ve learned into practice as a student teacher. At Drake, you could work in rural, suburban, urban, public, and private settings—getting experience that will set you up for your first post-graduation placement.
Undergraduate Research Program
Earn funding for your own project with a Summer Research Fellowship, showcase your work at the Drake University Conference on Undergraduate Research in the Sciences (DUCURS), and even publish in peer-reviewed journals.
Scholarships
Mathematics for Secondary Education majors can apply for the CODE (Community of Digital Excellence) Scholars award, which carries a $5,000 annual scholarship and is renewable for four years if recipients meet the requirements.
Careers & Skills
This program deepens your mathematical knowledge and shows you how to create engaging, cross-disciplinary lessons. That combination gives you an edge in the job market: schools want teachers who are adept at both.
As a graduate, you’ll be qualified to pursue teaching careers in the United States as well as other countries. Recent graduates have secured assignments in the Midwest, in the Rocky Mountains, along the East Coast, and in Asia. Some also return to school for advanced degrees in mathematics or mathematics education.
Opportunities
- Middle schools
- High schools
- Community colleges
- Universities
Skills
- Mathematical knowledge for education careers and graduate school
- Instructional strategies for middle school, high school, and community college classrooms
- Student-teaching experience in urban, rural, and suburban settings
- Integrating technology into the classroom
- Research skills
- Creating inclusive learning environments
Salary & Growth Outlook
Average salary for secondary school teachers in 2023. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Take the Next Step
Become the math teacher who sparks a student’s love of the subject in middle or high school or in community college. Learn more about Drake’s Mathematics for Secondary Education major.
