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.
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 for Ph.D. students; no more than 6 credit hours for master’s students) can be taken as credit/no credit.
Semester Start: Fall
Deadline to Apply: December 1
GRE Required? No
Location: On Campus
Schedule: Flexible
Length of Program:
- M.A. with thesis: 24 months, 36 hours
- M.A. with report: 24 months, 33 hours
- M.Ed.: 24 months, 36 hours
Faculty
Investigates the nature of STEM interests and interest-driven participation and learning, foundations of cognition in STEM disciplines, and learning out of schools.
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.
Teaches courses for pre-service in STEM subjects and explores student understanding of mathematical and physical models.
Focuses on the social construction of gender and racial/ethnic inequality in educational opportunities and experiences in STEM fields from a sociological perspective. Methodological expertise in quantitative research methods and analyses of large sca...
Studies the ways culturally and linguistically diverse groups of people use disciplinary the core ideas and practices of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to explain phenomena or to solve problems that are meaningful and consequ...
Teaches preservice K-12 teachers how to teach meaningful STEM content in innovative, student- and community-centered ways.
Dr. Yeh's research examines the role race, class, gender, and language plays in the constructions of ability in mathematics classrooms.
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
As a prospective student, you are required to apply first using the state application system, ApplyTexas. 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.
We also consider teaching experience as a criterion during the admission process. EC-16 teaching experience, especially among underserved populations, is preferred by most program areas.
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 3 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)
- Intended for students who are seeking certification to teach math or science in high school as part of their graduate education.
- Requires 18 hours in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
- Requires nine to twelve hours of coursework in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction focused on teacher education.
- Typically takes two years to complete.
- An additional six to nine hours of supporting coursework are taken in the College of Natural Science under advisement by the graduate advisor.
Course Requirements
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.
STEM Core classes: 18 hours
- STM 385 Knowing and Learning
- STM 390 Equity in STEM Education
- STM 390T Research on Teacher/Teacher Ed
- STM 390.4 Equitable and Inclusive Teaching
- STM 695 Class.Interactions/PBI
Courses in the College of Natural Science (6-9 hours)
- Research Methods (Bio 337/382, CHM 368/397C, Phy 341/390)
- Teaching Seminar (UTS 370)
- Additional optional course (with grad advisor approval)
Supporting Courses in the College of Education (9-12 hours)
- EDC 380R: Educational Research and Design
- EDC 651s: Apprentice Teaching
- EDC 398T: Supervised Teaching (optional)
Total: 36 hours
Additional Resources
Program Area Coordinator, Advisor
Catherine Riegle-Crumb
Tell us a bit about yourself and what programs you are interested in. We’ll be in touch with information soon!
