STEM Education
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Designed For
Our program is designed for individuals passionate about advancing how science, technology, engineering and mathematics are taught and learned. It is ideal for aspiring researchers, educators and academic leaders who want to drive innovation and equity in STEM education.
Career Objective
Graduates of this program are prepared for research-intensive careers in higher education, policy development and educational organizations focused on STEM learning. They are equipped to design, lead and evaluate initiatives that improve teaching practices and broaden access to STEM opportunities. The degree also supports pathways into leadership roles that influence STEM curriculum development, teacher preparation and educational innovation at local, national and global levels.
At a Glance
Program Starts: Fall
Deadline to Apply:
December 15
Length of Program: 48-72 months
Schedule: Full-time
Program Location: On Campus
GRE Required? No
Advance STEM Education Through Research, Innovation and Impact
The Ph.D. in STEM Education is a research-focused program that explores how people learn STEM disciplines and how educators and learning environments can inspire meaningful engagement. Students examine critical topics such as learning processes, equitable access, identity in STEM, teacher development and informal learning environments. With a strong emphasis on innovation and inclusion, the program prepares scholars to transform STEM education systems.
Students complete 63 credit hours, including dissertation research, with required coursework spanning STEM education core topics, advanced seminars and discipline-specific studies. Those with prior graduate-level experience may qualify for course waivers. While the typical completion time is 4–6 years, the program requires sustained, active participation in campus-based research groups, making it most suitable for full-time, in-residence students.
Funding opportunities are available, with all admitted students automatically considered for research fellowships. Many first-year students gain teaching experience as teaching assistants, while advanced doctoral candidates may secure graduate research assistant roles. Coursework is primarily graded, with limited options for credit/no credit, ensuring rigorous academic preparation.
Program Area Coordinator, Advisor
Carlos Nicolas Gómez Marchant
Graduate Admissions Coordinator
Stephen Flynn
Program Details
Application Requirements
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree and have prior coursework in one or more STEM fields. The depth of required coursework varies based on academic background and research interests. Teaching experience is strongly preferred.
All applicants must complete the full Graduate School application, including:
- Three letters of recommendation (preferably from faculty who can speak to your readiness for doctoral study)
- Official transcripts
- A personal statement outlining your research interests, intended faculty mentors, and career goals
Enrollment and Transfers
Students are admitted once per year for fall enrollment. Current UT Austin graduate students may apply to transfer into the STEM Education program; transfer applicants are reviewed using the same criteria as external applicants and must follow Graduate School transfer policies.
Application Guidelines
All applicants must apply through the UT Austin Graduate School application, where you will submit:
- Biographical information
- Resume or CV
- Statement of purpose
- Transcripts
- Letters of recommendation
Applicants are encouraged to begin the application process well in advance of the deadline.
Select STEM Education (32800) as your major in the application.
Program Requirements
Please note: Required STEM Ed Core and Advanced Topics courses must be taken for a letter grade. Other coursework (including content courses, research methods, and supporting coursework) may be taken as credit/no credit with instructor permission. However, no more than 20% of a student’s program of work (no more than 9 credit hours) can be taken as credit/no credit.
Core Courses (12 Credit Hours)
All doctoral students are required to take four core courses:
- STM 385 Knowing & Learning in STEM Education
- STM 386 Curriculum History and Development in STEM Education
- STM 390-1 Equity in STEM Education
- STM 390-2 Research on Teaching and Teacher Development in STEM Education
STEM Content Courses (12 Credit Hours)
Students must take a minimum of 12 hours of courses in one or more STEM content areas. This requirement is waived for students who have a master’s degree in Science, Math, Engineering, or Computer Science. Other kinds of degrees or course work are considered on a case-by-case basis.
If students are preparing to teach at the post-secondary level, they will be advised to study one particular discipline in depth. If they are preparing to work at the elementary or secondary level, a broader program of study is recommended.
Research Methodology Courses (12 Credit Hours)
A minimum of 12 hours of courses in research methodology is required. All students must enroll in a qualitative and a quantitative course or courses sufficient for competent technical review of manuscript articles and proposals.
In addition, students must have a methodology specialty that will be used in dissertation research. A course in program evaluation can also be used to satisfy this requirement.
Students who enter the program with a Master’s degree in Education will have one 3-hour Research Methodology Course waived.
- EDC 385R Introduction to Quantitative Research Design
Other course choices for this requirement must be approved by the Graduate Advisor - AND EDC 386R Introduction to Qualitative Research; other course choices for this requirement must be approved by the Graduate Advisor.
Two Advanced Research Courses—either Quantitative, Qualitative or Mixed-Methods. Courses that meet this requirement are at the consent of the student’s Faculty Advisor and the Graduate Advisor.
Examples of Advanced Quantitative Research Choices
- EDC 387R 3-Survey Research Methods
- EDC 387R 4-Mixed Methods Design-Based Research
- ELP 392P Advanced Quantitative Research Design
Examples of Advanced Qualitative Research Choices
- EDC 388R 1-Narrative and Oral Tradition
- EDC 388R 2-Discourse Analysis
- EDC 388R 3-Ethnographic and Qualitative Research methods
Research Practicum (9 Credit Hours)
- STM 396 T* Directed Research in STEM Education (9 hours)
Note: These 9 credit hours are to be completed over the course of at least three different semesters.
One course (3 hours) is a content-specific education course. Students select a focus area (e.g., math, science, physics, or engineering education) and complete an independent study with a faculty member, engaging with key research in the field. This is typically taken in the summer after the first year or at the start of the second year.
The remaining two courses (6 hours total, taken in separate semesters) involve active participation in a faculty member’s research working group. These are typically completed during the second year.
Advanced Topics Courses (6 Credit Hours)
Faculty will provide regular advanced topic courses on special areas of interest or on emerging areas of research. These courses appear under the STM 390T heading in the online course schedule.
Students who enter the program with a Master’s degree in Education will have one 3-hour Advanced Topics Course waived.
Supporting Courses (6 Credit Hours)
Students are expected to broaden and deepen their program of work through taking a variety of related course work consonant with their scholarly interests, in consultation with a graduate adviser.
Students who enter the program with a Master’s degree in Education will have one 3-hour Supporting Course waived.
Dissertation (Minimum 6 Credit Hours)
Students are required to continuously register for at least three credits of dissertation once they have advanced to candidacy.
You must register in X99W (399, 699, or 999W) in each semester of candidacy until you graduate.
Please Note: Students receiving fellowships, assistantships, or other financial aid, may be required to take 9 hours of dissertation credit each semester.
Faculty
Studies engineering and STEM higher education, including faculty, graduate students and undergraduates.
Explores the intersection of the sociopolitical and mathematical lives of children with a focus on identity and learning.
Investigates intersections of race, language, and mathematics through the experiences of Latinx students learning and doing mathematics.
Research explores the intersections of multilingualism, scientific sensemaking, and teacher education, with a specific focus on the ways multilingual students engage in science practices through translanguaging.
Focuses on the ways students learn in science courses using computational modeling.
Engages humanizing research approaches to examine equity-focused PK-16 STEM teaching and learning across urban contexts with a focus on Black girls.
Studies the ways culturally and linguistically diverse groups of people use core ideas, frameworks, and practices of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to explain phenomena or to solve problems that are meaningful and consequenti...
Teaches preservice K-12 teachers how to teach meaningful STEM content in innovative, student- and community-centered ways.
Dr. Yeh's research examines the intersections of race, language, and disability to provide a more nuanced analysis of the constructions of ability in mathematics classrooms and mathematics education systems. Her scholarship centers on partnerships wi...
Additional Information
Let us know what your academic interests are within the College of Education and we’ll be in touch.
The application opens in early August. Apply and check MyStatus for updates.
