STEM Education

STEM Education Programs

The Master’s degree programs in STEM Education provide a unique experience for students in that it examines STEM education from a research perspective. Students who choose to complete the master’s degree will have the opportunity to engage in research in STEM teacher education and learning. Our faculty are able to provide interesting perspectives on education and are involved in academic research that investigates current issues in STEM education.

Faculty

Prerequisites for Admission

Undergraduate degree in a STEM field—or substantial evidence of prior undergraduate STEM coursework as evidenced on transcript.
Teaching experience is preferred but not required.
A minimum GPA of 3.0 is a university requirement, although petitions to be admitted with a lower GPA may be submitted by the Graduate Adviser.

Application Guidelines

Future graduate students must first apply to the Graduate School at UT Austin to be considered as an applicant to a College of Education graduate program. Here, you will input your biographical information, resume/CV, statement of purpose, transcripts and letters of recommendation. We strongly encourage you to start this process well in advance of the deadline to allow us enough time to process your information.

NOTE: Those applying to the STEM Education program should select STEM Education (32800) for your major.

NOTE: Applicants to the STEM GradUTeach program should use code 632805.

Program Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the U.S.; or proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution.

A minimum GPA of 3.0, particularly during the last two years of college and in any previous graduate study. The department will consider applications with lower GPAs. If you feel that your grade point averages or test scores are not valid indicators of your ability, please wait till you have submitted your application and upload a miscellaneous document explaining your concerns.

Deadlines

Please contact Stephen Flynn if you have any questions about these deadlines.

Application Status

Once all application materials are uploaded and completed, the Graduate School will refer your application to the department. This initial review process by the grad school will take about 1 – 2 weeks, so be sure to have everything turned in well in advance of the deadlines.

After Your Decision

Applicants may be admitted, admitted with conditions, or denied admission. Learn more on the Graduate School website.

Questions

Contact Stephen Flynn, our departmental Graduate Admissions Coordinator, with any questions regarding C&I or STEM Education admissions.

Please also see General Guidelines from the Graduate School.

Master of Arts and Master of Education

Intended for students who want to develop their potential as researchers and move into leadership positions in education.
Requires 9 hours of graduate coursework in a discipline content area, which may be waived for students with a master’s degree in a STEM discipline (e.g., physics or chemistry, not science education).
Typically take 2 years to complete the degree.
Not designed for students seeking certification as teachers.

Intended to be a terminal degree for students who want to develop themselves as teachers or move into leadership positions in teaching or curriculum development.
Students taking courses during the academic year can complete the master’s degree in two years.
Not designed for students seeking certification as teachers.

Core courses (15 hours)
STEM content courses (9 hours)
Research methodology course (3 hours)
Supporting courses (3 hours for thesis option or 6 hours for non-thesis option)
Thesis (6 hours; only for those pursuing thesis option)
Total of 36 hours for the thesis option; total of 33 hours for the non-thesis option

All master’s students are required to take five core courses. They must take:

STM 385 Knowing and Learning in STEM Education
STM 386 Curriculum History in STEM Education
STM 390-1 Equity in STEM Education
STM 390-2 Research on Teaching and Teacher Development in STEM Education
STM 390T Advanced Topics in STEM Education (titles will vary; consult with your advisor)

The minimal course work in a STEM content area (Engineering, Mathematics or Natural Science) is 9 hours of study. These courses must be taken at the upper-division undergraduate or graduate course level.

One course in research design or specific quantitative or qualitative research methods is required. The course must be approved by the Graduate Advisor to meet this requirement.

Students are expected to broaden and deepen their program of work by taking a variety of related coursework consonant with their scholarly interests, in consultation with a graduate advisor.

All master’s students are required to register for at least two semesters of thesis work.

In addition to the requirements for the program for Master of Arts with thesis (see above), students must already be certified to teach at the elementary or secondary level.

M.A. in STEM Education, Teaching Track (GradUTeach)

Developed in partnership with the nationally recognized UTeach program, GradUTeach prepares master’s students with a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field for secondary teacher certification while earning a master’s degree.

Intended for students who are seeking certification to teach math or science in high school as part of their graduate education.
Designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree in a STEM (science, engineering, math, etc.) content area
Applicants must also have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 for their upper division coursework
Takes two years to complete.
Requires 18 hours in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
Requires 9-12 hours of coursework in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction focused on teacher education.
An additional 6 to 9 hours of supporting coursework are taken in the College of Natural Science under advisement by the graduate advisor.

STEM Core classes: 18 hours