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The graduate courses offered by Improving the Teaching of Physics (ITOP) is a collaborative effort by the BU Wheelock College of Education and the Department of Physics of Boston University. Project ITOP was created to give teachers the opportunity to become more proficient in physics concepts and teaching strategies. Frequently, science teachers are required to teach out of their content area. The content covered in the Project ITOP courses prepares teachers for the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) in Physics.

Project ITOP started its seventeenth year of offering courses with the first course in the sequence in September, 2021. In order for an ITOP course to be offered there must be a minimum of seven registrants. If you are interested in registering for a course, please contact the faculty listed below.  Click here for the Course Schedule.

You can download a short printable summary of the ITOP objectives and courses here.

ITOP participants earn graduate credits for professional advancement. The courses are offered for non-degree study, but may be used by degree students in the BU Wheelock College of Education to satisfy requirements for the Master’s Degree.

For teachers with initial licensure in physics, the College of Education offers a Professional Licensure Program in Physics with a Masters Degree. For professionals in science, technology, engineering or mathematics considering a career change and interested in teaching physics, the College of Education also offers a Masters of Arts in Teaching Degree with Initial Licensure in Physics. ITOP courses can be used for both of these programs.

Project ITOP was developed in collaboration with the Center for Science and Mathematics in Context at the University of Massachusetts Boston with support from grants from the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and the Improving Teacher Quality State Grant Program.

For more information please contact one of the following individuals: