Graduate Degrees

Program Coor​dinator: Kristi​​n Nelson

The M.S. in STEM Education with certification is a 30-credit program designed to provide students the education and tr​aining they will need to become inclusive teachers of science and math to middle and high school students (secondary students). At the end of the program, students will be eligible for licensure and certification in the state of Delaware. They will begin their careers with a graduate degree which generally means starting at a higher salary. Admission to the program requires a 3.0 GPA and a passing score on the relevant content PRAXIS exam.

M.S. in STEM Education options​​​

Option​ 1: 4+1

Undergraduates in various STEM majors across the university (see table below) can apply for admission to the program at the end of their junior or at the beginning of their senior years. These students will take two introductory graduate level courses in their senior year at the undergraduate tuition rate. The following summer, they will take two additional courses as graduate students. Starting in the fall, students will spend a year in an all-day school-based internship (student teaching) while concurrently enrolled in methods courses.

Option 2: Post graduate

Students who have already graduated from an accredited university with a degree in a STEM field can start the program in the spring or summer before the year-long internship. Students must complete the two introductory courses before graduation.

List of courses required for completion of the M.S. in STEM Education with certification for teaching in Delaware 4+1 and post graduate.

The M.S. in STEM Education without certification is a 30-credit program designed to provide additional education to those who are already licensed teachers of middle and high school STEM subjects or for those who wish to return to teaching, but would like to improve their pedagogy and to deepen their content area knowledge. Students are able to select from various graduate level courses available both online and face-to-face across the fall, winter, spring and summer sessions. The program can be completed in a year depending on the number of courses taken each term. Admission to the program requires a degree in a STEM area with a 3.0 GPA and a passing score on the relevant content PRAXIS.

List of courses required for completion of the M.S. in Secondary STEM Education without certification

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​Admission Requirements for All Programs

 Admission to these graduate programs is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.

Decisions are made by the Secondary STEM Education graduate committee composed of the Director of Secondary Education, Assistant Director of Secondary STEM Education and/or associated program faculty. Students will be admitted to the program based on program capacity, the applicant's qualifications, and the applicant's fit with program goals and objectives.

1.     4+1: Current enrollment as a junior in an applicable UD program with an undergraduate cumulative grade index of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
2.     Post graduate with certification: A baccalaureate degree in a STEM subject with a cumulative grade index of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3.     Post graduate without certification: A baccalaureate degree in a science, mathematics, or engineering field from an accredited college or university.

All applicants:
4.     Passed the Praxis Subject Assessment in the secondary education area or career and technical education area related to candidate's discipline of study.
5.     Transcripts of all previous academic work at the undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) level. Applicants may upload unofficial copies of their transcripts and if admitted, all transcripts will be verified by the Office of Graduate and Professional Education. Applicants who previously attended the University of Delaware still need to upload an unofficial transcript, but do not need to provide official transcripts for verification.
6.     GRE scores are not required. For students whose native language is not English, an officially reported TOEFL test score of at least 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based). IELTS scores are also accepted. The minimum score is 7.0.
7.     It is a Delaware State Board of Health Regulation and a University of Delaware mandate that all entering graduate students born after January 1, 1957 give proof of proper immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella. If TB immunization requirements are not met, the student will not be eligible to register.
8.     Other Documents
1.    Three letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors.
2.    A resume detailing the candidate's academic, professional, and/or volunteer experience.
3.    Responses to the following two graduate application essays:
a.     Essay 1
Outline your educational plans and career goals and discuss how your proposed plan of graduate study relates to them. Some areas of discussion might include: Specific attributes of the program at UD that led you to believe that this degree is appropriate to help you achieve your professional goals.
b.     Essay 2
The applicant should address one of the following questions in a brief essay of 500 words or less:
●      Select an important problem facing students who are learning science, mathematics, engineering, or computer science, their teachers, or other people who work with them and propose a solution to this problem; or,
●      Describe an experience in your own life that influenced your decision to become a secondary teacher in a STEM field.
4.    Interview – each applicant will be expected to participate in an interview with one or more  secondary STEM education faculty and staff. The purpose of this interview is to determine each applicants' suitability to the purpose and goals of the program.
 
Admission Deadlines

4+1 option: Students will apply in the spring of their junior year or the fall of their senior year to take classes beginning their senior year (i.e., the semester immediately following the spring semester in which they apply). Application deadline is February 15 of the senior year.

Post graduate with certification: Students will apply by February 15 for priority consideration with rolling admissions until the first day of the summer semester in which the student intends to enroll.

Post graduate without certification: Students will apply by February 15 for priority consideration with rolling admissions until the first day of the summer semester in which the student intends to enroll.