M.Ed. Concentration in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)

College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a concentration in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) is designed for teachers in Grades 1-6 who want to increase their knowledge and comfort with science, technology, engineering and math content, as well as the pedagogical skills necessary to create and support a 21 ^st century inquiry learning environment. The program features hybrid courses (both face-to-face and online interaction) that use global resources and model pedagogy that engage and include all learners. Each course simulates a genuine classroom where participants have a variety of opportunities to communicate, share, and link ideas, while taking on a different teams. Technology tools and applications are used to infuse each course.

The program is designed as a two-year cohort program that encompasses three summers and two academic years. Pre-assignments for summer courses are a regular expectation for all three summers.

Program Requirements

The program requires successful completion of ten (10) courses which include three (3) core courses, six (6) required courses and one (1) elective. An oral comprehensive examination is required of all students as the culminating experience. The exam is taken during the student’s final semester of study. A professional portfolio must be completed prior to the oral comprehensive examination as part of the degree program. Each course will require a product or project that students will add to their portfolio.

Education Core Courses (3)

• EDUC 991 Philosophy of Education and Teaching Practice
• EDUC 998 Language Developments and Communication
• EDUC 999 Research and Evaluation (recommended after completion of three Content/Concentration courses)

Concentration Courses (6)

• STEM 915 The Art of Engineering and Design
• STEM 929 Number, Operations, and Representation
• STEM 932 Poetry and Pattern in the Natural World of Science
• STEM 945 21^st Century Technology Tools for Teaching and Learning
• STEM 959 Examining the World through Data and Shape
• STEM 962 A World Connected: Interdependence and Systems in Science

Elective Course (1)

To be selected from the following:

• LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction
• SPED 962 Developmental Pattern of Children with Special Needs
• TESL 936 The Teaching of Second Language Skills

Admission Requirements

The applicant must:

1. Complete the online graduate admission application
2. Submit the $50.00 application fee
3. Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and must submit an official transcript from each college or university attended as an undergraduate or graduate student.
4. An overall undergraduate quality point average (QPA) of at least 2.80 on a 4.00 scale.
5. The applicant must be a practicing teacher who holds a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education license in either Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education at the Initial level (or above).
6. Provide two letters of recommendation submitted on the Framingham State University Letter of Recommendation form and sent directly to the University’s Graduate Admissions office by the recommender. One letter must be from an employer or supervisor, and the other must be from a faculty member who has taught the candidate at collegiate level if the candidate attended classes in the last five years;
7. Submit a typed, 300-word personal statement discussing their motivation for seeking a master’s degree in view of prior formal education, current job responsibilities, and career plans;
8. Submit satisfactory scores on the Miller Analogies Test or the Graduate Record Examination General Test. (Applicants who already earned a master’s degree in any field are exempt from this requirement.)

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the fall and spring semester. Completed applications should be on file by July 1^st for fall and December 1^st for spring. Applications received after this date cannot be guaranteed timely matriculation. The Admissions Committee will begin review of an application only upon receipt of official copies of all required documents.

^{Effective as of the 2016-2017 Graduate Catalog}