MEd web

Master of Education in Science Education
Department of Natural Sciences
College of Science and Health Professions

Northeastern State University

The purpose of the M.Ed. in Science Education program is to facilitate the continuing professional development of practicing K-12 science teachers. The program requirements are individualized to meet the needs of teachers who hold bachelor degrees in secondary science education, a science discipline, elementary education, early childhood education, or special education, and teachers who hold alternative certification.

Program Description	Admission to the Graduate College	Graduate College	Course Rotation
Capstone Options	Admission to the Program	Contact Program Chair	Related Links

This web site was last updated November 16, 2009.

Now apply for up to $4,000 per year to pay for coursework in the M.Ed. in Science Education Program with the TEACH Grant. If you teach science in a high-need school district for four years after completing the program, the funds do not need to be repaid. For more information, contact NSU Office of Financial Services.

Program Description

The Master of Education Degree in Science Education is designed for K-6 teachers and 6-12 science teachers. Dr. April Adams is the Program Chair.

Structure of the Program

Summary of Graduate Credits Required for M.Ed. in Science Education

	Number of Graduate Hours
Total Number of Graduate Hours Required for the Degree	36
Professional Education Core	15
Science Content Core (with advisor approval)	15
Capstone Experience	6

Plan of Study for M.Ed. in Science Education
(30 hours course work and 6 hours Capstone Experience)

Professional Education Core (15 hours)
EDUC 5103 Educational Research
EDUC 5403 Fundamentals of Curriculum Design I
EDUC 5753 Advanced Educational Psychology
SCI 5443 Trends and Issues in Science Education
SCI 5513 Inquiry Based Science Instruction in Science Education

Science Content Core (Choose 15 hours.)
BIOL 5213 Investigative Biology
BIOL 5253 Inquiry into Environmental Science
SCI 5313 Inquiry into the Physical Sciences I
SCI 5323 Inquiry into the Physical Sciences II
SCI 5123 Inquiry into Earth Science
SCI 5413 Inquiry into Space Science
*SCI 5533 Research (May be repeated for credit)

Capstone Experience *SCI 5993 (Must be repeated for a total of 6 hours.)

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Course Rotation

M.ED. IN SCIENCE EDUCATION COURSE ROTATION BY COHORT
COHORT 1 (2009)
	Sum 1	Fall 1	Spring 2	Sum 2	Fall 3	Spring 3
	2009	2009	2010	2010	2010	2011
	Trends	SC 1	SC 3	Inquiry	SC 5 or	E3
	E 1	SC 2	SC 4	E 2	SC 6
					Capstone	Capstone
COHORT 2 (2010)
	Sum 1	Fall 1	Spring 2	Sum 2	Fall 3	Spring 3
	2010	2010	2011	2011	2011	2012
	Inquiry	SC 5	SC 1	Trends	SC 3 or	E3
	E1	SC 6	SC 2	E 2	SC 4
					Capstone	Capstone
COHORT 3 (2011)
	Sum 1	Fall 1	Spring 2	Sum 2	Fall 3	Spring 3
	2011	2011	2012	2012	2012	2013
	Trends	SC 3	SC 5	Inquiry	SC 1 or	E3
	E 1	SC 4	SC 6	E 2	SC 2
					Capstone	Capstone
Code	Course Name					When Offered
SC 1	BIOL 5253 Inquiry into Environmental Science					Fall 2009, Spring 2011, Fall 2012
SC 2	SCI 5323	Inquiry into Physical Science II				Fall 2009, Spring 2011, Fall 2012
SC 3	SCI 5313 Inquiry into Physical Science I					Spring 2010, Fall 2011
SC 4	SCI 5413 Inquiry into Space Science					Spring 2010, Fall 2011
SC 5	SCI 5123 Inquiry into Earth Science					Fall 2010, Spring 2012
SC 6	BIOL 5213 Investigative Biology					Fall 2010, Spring 2012
Trends	SCI 5443 Trends and Issues in Science Education					Sum 2009, Sum 2011
Inquiry	SCI 5513	Inquiry Based Science Instruction				Sum 2010, Sum 2012
E 1	EDUC 5103 Educational Research					Every Fall, Spring and Summer
E 2	EDUC 5403 Fundamentals of Curriculum Design I					Every Fall, Spring and Summer
E 3	EDUC 5753 Advanced Educational Psychology					Every Fall and Spring
Sci Res	SCI 5533	Research (May be taken 3 times for credit instead of SC courses by arrangement.)
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Educational Core		15 hours
Science Core		15 hours
Captone		6 hours
Total		36 hours

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Admission to the Graduate College

All applicants to the M.Ed. in Science Education must first be admitted to the Graduate College. The minimum requirements for regular admission to the Graduate Colleg

An earned bachelors degree from an accredited college or university.
Scores no more than five years old on either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
A grade point average of at least 2.5 based on a 4.0 scale on all undergraduate course work attempted.
Proof of citizenship for a U.S. citizen born outside of the United States and for a resident alien. An international applicant for whom English was their first language and is the spoken language in the home must sign a statement to that effect.
A score of 550 or more on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for all applicants, U.S. citizens, or international applicants for whom English is a second language.

The following additional prerequisites to begin the M.Ed. in Science Education program also apply:

Have an earned grade point average of at least 3.0 based on a 4.0 system for the last 60 hours of course work attempted at either the undergraduate or graduate level; or attain a raw score of 383 or more on the Miller Analogies Test; or attain a score of 900 (verbal plus quantitative) or more on the Graduate Record Examination.
Hold or be eligible for a standard teaching certificate or teaching license or be eligible for an alternative certification program with a plan of study for certification on file with NSU’s Office of Teacher Certification and the Graduate College.

An applicant who has not met admission requirements may be admitted for one semester on a tentative (temporary) basis. An applicant may continue in the program beyond the first enrollment only if admission requirements are met. Otherwise, any course work completed may not apply in the program.

Note: These degrees are not structured for the purpose of initial teacher certification.

Admission to the Program

After being admitted to the Graduate College, students should apply to the Science Education Program. Complete the Application Packet and send it to the program chair at the address on the packet.

Application Packet

Admission to Candidacy

Students are eligible to be admitted to candidacy if they have:

Completed all requirements for admission to the Graduate College.
Been formally admitted to the Masters of Education Degree in Science Education.
Completed a minimum of 12 semester hours, or a maximum of 18 hours of the degrees as described by the plans of study.
Satisfactorily completed EDUC 5103, Educational Research.
Maintained a grade point average of at least 3.0 in all graduate course work taken prior to candidacy.
Completed academic requirements for a standard teaching certificate.
Filed a plan of study (degree plan) approved by the advisor and the Dean of the Graduate College.
Filed a Statement of Understanding, signed by the student and advisor, with the Graduate College.

Students are advised to meet candidacy requirements within the first 16 semester hours of their program. These requirements must be met within the first 24 semester hours. In any event, 16 semester hours toward the Master of Education degrees must be completed after being admitted to candidacy.

<>Advisement

Upon admittance to the Graduate College an advisor is assigned to the student. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the faculty member and make an appointment for advisement and to develop a degree plan. The advisor develops the plan of study and a Statement of Understanding in conference with the student, assists in the selection of classes each semester, and counsels the student as needed.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of nine semester hours of approved transfer credit may be applied toward the masters degree. Students who wish to transfer credit applicable to a degree program at Northeastern State University must have maintained a “B” average in all graduate course work attempted at the transferring institution. No credit will be given for a transfer course in which the grade is lower than a “B.”

Retention

All plans of study are valid for only six years. All graduate course work must be completed within six years in order to be counted toward the degree.

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Capstone Experience

A capstone experience is an academic activity that encourages the use of skills learned and knowledge gained in one or more areas of field of study. It is a culminating experience that goes beyond the course work required of the Master of Education degree and should be completed near the end of the student’s program (after at least 26 hours of course work.) Capstone experiences for the Science Education program will have a significant writing component and may include satisfactorily completing one of the following:

A teaching portfolio that is submitted for National Board Certification in a science certification area.
An applied research project, or action research project, on the student’s own science teaching and a research paper discussing the project and its findings.
A science curriculum project that requires students to apply skills and knowledge acquired in the program.

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