MASTER OF EDUCATION IN SECONDARY STEM EDUCATION Initial Program – Leads to Initial Teacher Licensure
Overview
Lead in STEM Education at the Secondary Level
Grand Canyon University’s Master of Education in Secondary STEM Education degree program is designed for students interested in teaching biology, physics and mathematics to adolescents in Nevada. Educators play a valuable role in introducing students in grades 6–12 to the exciting world of STEM. Introducing STEM early on and teaching these areas prior to postsecondary education encourages middle and high school students to explore careers in the fast-growing, high-demand STEM fields of the 21st century.
The College of Education’s Nevada-approved masters in secondary STEM education program is designed for those seeking alternative route to licensure (ARL) in Nevada. Courses are taught by experts in their respective fields who share knowledge and experience in areas of secondary education, STEM and educational psychology. Curriculum directly aligns with standards from the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (inTASC) and International Society of Technology Educators (ISTE).
Students have opportunities to apply concepts, theories and research throughout the program –particularly in secondary education field experiences. These experiences guide students through 126 hours of observational and practice-based learning. The final semester includes a full-time, 15-week student teaching component to ensure students possess excellent career readiness. Teacher candidates are required to complete an ARL application packet in order to obtain the ARL conditional licensure and progress in this program. Students must renew their application packet annually, before the start of the school year.
Degree Outcomes
Serve as a STEM Education Advocate
Mastery of content and advanced training prepare students to directly enter the classroom to lead in STEM. Students graduate from the masters in secondary STEM education with the skills to apply concepts, tools of inquiry and structures of discipline to engage their students in critical thinking, creativity, innovation and collaborative problem solving.
This online masters in secondary STEM education program also ensures graduates have the educational foundation to seek ongoing professional learning and use evidence to improve their practice. These now educational leaders may collaborate with school colleagues and community influencers to enhance STEM student learning, strengthen the learning environment and meet the needs of students.
What You Will Learn
Create a Vibrant Environment for STEM Learning
Along with application and demonstration of content knowledge, instructional practice serves as a focus of this program. Students learn to plan and implement instruction based on strategies formed around assessments and rigorous learning goals. Instructional development includes collaboration with others who specialize in areas (such as special education and language learning specialists) and use of technology tools for the classroom.
Students will also learn to craft developmentally appropriate learning experiences and engaging environments, taking into consideration the individuality of each student (like strengths, needs, interests, cultural and family background).
Career Outcomes
Impact Futures in STEM
Teaching secondary STEM education is more than a job, it’s an impactful career path providing the opportunity for graduates to make a difference in the futures of students and STEM. Implementing STEM learning in middle and high schools supports the importance of encouraging students to pursue STEM education. Career opportunities after earning a secondary STEM education degree include teaching students in one or more subjects, such as biology, physics and mathematics, at the secondary level in public or private schools (may be designated according to subject matter specialty).
Course List
Program Core Courses
Course Description
Teacher candidates will survey the philosophical, historical, and sociological influences upon which educational theories and practices are constructed and explore a variety of the common issues, trends, and opportunities that professional educators face in the field. Candidates will prepare for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University by developing and strengthening the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the College of Education. Practicum/field experience hours: 2. Fingerprint clearance not required.
Course Description
In this course, candidates explore how issues related to family relationships and community environments influence classroom dynamics. Emphasis is placed on promoting an equal partnership between families and schools to make collaborative decisions that support student learning outcomes and school policies, practices, and programs. Candidates explore how to create a welcoming classroom and school atmosphere where families feel valued, connected to the school staff, and engaged in the education of their children. Candidates also investigate strategies for collaborating with community resources that can assist families and schools to foster a healthy home and school connection. Practicum/field experience hours: None. Fingerprint clearance not required.
Course Description
Teacher candidates are introduced to the educational needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities and their families, including the definitions, characteristics, prevalence, causes and educational approaches to these disabilities and disorders. Teacher candidates will identify cognitive, linguistic, social and emotional patterns of learning and development for students with mild to moderate disabilities. Teacher candidates also survey the special education process involving the application of various laws and regulations. Practicum/field experience hours: 6. Fingerprint clearance not required.
Course Description
Candidates examine the United States Constitution, and the constitution of the State of Arizona. From this foundational review, candidates will explore application of the United States Constitution and the constitution of the State of Arizona in educational contexts. Practicum/field experience hours: 3. Fingerprint clearance not required.
Course Description
Teacher candidates will survey how adolescents grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, social/emotional, and physical areas. This survey of the seminal concepts, principles, theories, and research related to development of adolescents will allow candidates to build foundational knowledge for constructing learning opportunities that support individual students' development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance not required. Prerequisite: SEC-501.
Course Description
This course is designed to allow the teacher candidate the opportunity to learn techniques involved in the successful engagement and management of a learning environment. Major emphasis is placed to the establishment of a realistic discipline plan to manage student behavior, as well as engagement and management techniques and strategies to maximize instructional time, classroom procedures, and physical space. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required. Prerequisite: SEC-501.
Course Description
Teacher candidates will investigate multiple methods of assessment that support student engagement, monitoring student progress, and guiding decision-making. Candidates will build foundational knowledge regarding formal and informal assessment strategies for planning, evaluating, and strengthening instruction to promote continuous intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of each student. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required.
Course Description
This course is designed to foster application of proven teaching and learning methodologies for both instructor and student in order to make appropriate and data-driven decisions about all aspects of teaching. Major emphasis is focused on planning instructional objectives and lessons, assessing objectives, and developing teaching methodology that encourages problem solving, active participation, and assessment. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required. Prerequisite: SEC-515.
Course Description
This course is designed to develop a broad range of research-based reading methodologies to enhance the learning strategies of middle and secondary school students. Major emphasis is placed on the use of reading strategies for culturally and socially diverse classrooms, including the use of literacy-based instruction in all content areas and understanding, evaluating, and promoting effective pedagogy in adolescent literacy. The development and use of integrated and thematic approaches of instruction are addressed. Teacher candidates are expected to observe and assist in a grade 7-12 classroom while taking this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required.
Course Description
Teacher candidates examine fundamental concepts of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Teacher candidates build foundational knowledge on a variety of age-appropriate inquiry-based instructional strategies to teach science, to build student understanding of personal and social applications, to convey the nature of science, and student development for the practice of skills that contribute to good health. Emphasis is placed on developing a deep understanding of the major concepts and procedures that define number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis and probability and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. Teacher candidates will build foundational knowledge on integrating engineering and technology concepts in Math and Science curriculum. Practicum/field experience hours: 12. Fingerprint clearance required.
Course Description
In this course, teacher candidates continue to examine the fundamentals of the legal, historical, and educational foundations of Structured English Immersion and other instructional programs for English language learners. Theoretical principles of language acquisition and the role of culture in learning are examined. Methods of assessment are identified and analyzed. Teacher candidates identify strategies to promote English language development and improve student achievement. They plan, deliver, and evaluate instruction for English language learners. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required.
Course Description
Various orientations to curriculum development and assessment are investigated and elements of model curricula are examined. Emphasis is placed on understanding current structures and trends in high schools, as well as critical issues, as these relate to curriculum and assessment. Course content is strategically planned to enable participants to make informed curriculum decisions to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Also emphasized is the alignment of educational objectives to standards and building both formative and summative assessments, including rubrics to analyze student learning. This course focuses on the principles and practices involved in curriculum design. Teacher candidates develop their own curriculum unit. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required. Prerequisite: SEC-540.
Course Description
Teacher candidates are engaged in the student teaching experience that includes practical classroom experiences, research, analysis, and teaching to support the creation of a Teacher Work Sample (TWS). Fingerprint clearance required. Prerequisites: Successful completion of all courses in POS and content area; a 3.0 GPA; successful completion of NES or your state’s mandated content area exams; and approval and placement by the College of Education Office of Clinical Practice. All paperwork for student teaching must be submitted by the due date the semester prior to student teaching.
Program Locations
Online
* The Department of Education defines how an institution must calculate a program's On-Time Completion rate for federal disclosure purposes. The On-Time Completion rate is based on a program's published required number of months to complete all degree requirements as provided in the institution's catalog. Completion statistics are updated every January and are based on the cohort of students who started the program in the same year and then graduated within the published program length.
Online and Evening program disclosures* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.