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Grand Canyon University's Master of Education (MEd) in Secondary Education with an Emphasis in STEM can prepare you to seek licensure as a junior high or high school teacher who specializes in STEM for secondary education. STEM education involves a practical, interdisciplinary approach that combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on projects.1
STEM education is growing in importance every day with the world becoming increasingly technologically complex and reliant on a knowledge-based economy.1 In this program, you will be taught how to help middle and high school students (grades 6 through 12) apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts and skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking.
Furthermore, you'll cultivate an understanding of how STEM shapes our daily lives and contributes to our nation's global competitiveness.
As a future secondary STEM educator, you could make a positive impact on the lives of countless students. This online master’s in secondary education is ideally designed for aspiring educators who hold a non-teaching bachelor’s degree and are interested in pivoting their careers toward the education field.
Alternatively, if you already have a bachelor’s degree in education and teacher licensure or certification, you may opt to further your own education by concentrating on STEM graduate courses while studying for your non-licensure MEd in Secondary Education program. This degree program may allow you to combine your passion for STEM in secondary education classrooms.
The digital format for GCU’s institutionally accredited and Arizona State Board of Education-approved program is tailored to meet the needs of the adult learner and maximize the content knowledge that the candidate is expected to already possess. Online courses are taught by faculty who are knowledgeable in the areas of secondary education, STEM and educational psychology.2
The final semester of the master’s in secondary education with an emphasis in STEM includes a full-time, 15-week student teaching component. These development and applied teaching opportunities are emphasized through a Christian worldview regarding values and ethics.
This program does lead to teacher licensure and/or certification, and therefore requires practicum hours, state exams, student teaching and an institutional recommendation from GCU. Students aspiring to teach should acquaint themselves with the specific licensure prerequisites mandated by the state they aim to work in.
With emphases placed on technology and classroom diversity, you will examine how to combine grades 6–12 subjects, including a variety of modern teaching methods and strategies designed to improve student outcomes. You will be taught to introduce your students to STEM, prepare them for postsecondary STEM education, and encourage them to explore careers by developing a strong STEM foundation, hands-on curriculum and integrated instruction.
Graduate-level courses for STEM secondary education that lead to initial teacher licensure may prepare you to:
Support STEM Education
Help meet the need for STEM teachers and mentors.3
Shape STEM Careers
Instill an appreciation in students for engineering, biochemistry, computer science, robotics, cybersecurity and other STEM fields.
Inspire Future Innovators
Guide students toward STEM related professions and help students become tomorrow’s leaders and innovators, skilled in medicine, technology and science.
Create Engaging Lessons
Develop engaging lessons and projects related to science, technology, engineering and math.
Encourage Discovery
Cultivate an attitude of discovery, exploration and ingenuity in students.
These STEM education courses are intended to enable professionals to develop strong competencies in teaching methodologies and strategies. With a foundation of STEM secondary education competencies, you may set yourself up to pursue state licensure or certification as a junior or high school STEM educator. Teacher licensure is a requirement for all aspiring public school teachers, and it may be preferred in private school settings as well. In addition, some states require practicing, licensed teachers to acquire a master’s degree in education after they have already begun working as educators.
The MEd in Secondary Education with an Emphasis in STEM licensure program at GCU is accredited through the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). This accrediting organization is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), acknowledging programs that can prepare students to become effective educators.
GCU is pleased to be an institutionally accredited university. All graduate-level STEM education courses are directly aligned with standards from the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) and the International Society of Technology Educators (ISTE). Opportunities are provided to apply concepts, theories and research throughout the program, but particularly in secondary education field experiences that guide you through approximately 100 hours of observational and practice-based experiences.
A career as an educator can be a meaningful one. However, it’s important to carefully weigh your options before determining your career path and degree choice. The following FAQs and answers can help you get started.
Choosing the non-licensure route may exempt you from the 15-week student teaching component, providing a more expedited program with 33 credits instead of the 41 required for licensure. It's important to note that selecting this option will not lead to an Institutional Recommendation (IR) from GCU, which could impact state certification requirements. Licensed teachers may consider the non-licensure route to enhance their education or meet state master's degree prerequisites.
Upon graduation, you may be prepared to pursue career opportunities teaching students in one or more STEM subjects, such as mathematics or science, at the secondary level in public or private schools. Teachers may be designated according to their subject matter specialty. Potential positions include a postsecondary education teacher or secondary school teacher focusing on a STEM-related field.4 ,5
If you are already a licensed or certified teacher, you may decide to pursue an online master’s in secondary education with a STEM emphasis if your initial teacher preparation program was in a non-STEM-related pathway. Some may choose this option to possibly fulfill state requirements based on the new subject area or specialization you will be teaching. Typically, if you already hold a license or certification in secondary STEM education, the non-initial licensure version of this initial licensure master’s program is not an appropriate degree program for you, as you already hold a certification in STEM secondary education. If you already have a teaching license, please be sure to check your state requirements before enrolling in another program that leads to licensure.
Choosing to pursue another program that leads to licensure in a different pathway may strengthen or expand your ability to empower your students in another specialty area than your initial preparation teaching program. In addition, some states require licensed teachers to obtain a master’s degree after beginning their education employment.4 If you are already a licensed teacher, you may want to choose the non-licensure route.
STEM education is important for students for several reasons. First, the integrated approach that STEM uses can enable students to more fully appreciate the link between theoretical knowledge and everyday applications within practical contexts. Teaching STEM can also be a way to contribute to the nation’s competitiveness, as students who then go on to pursue STEM careers may make innovative scientific breakthroughs that propel society forward and further America’s position within the globalized, knowledge-based economy.1
STEM is a broad field, and STEM secondary education encompasses courses in all types of sciences, technology such as computer programming, engineering and mathematics. As a student teacher working toward your degree, you might be placed into high school classrooms that focus on teaching anything from algebra to biology to coding. No matter where you’re placed, you will have opportunities to make a meaningful impact on your students.
Prepare to inspire and encourage the next generation to pursue careers as a STEM secondary educator. Fill out the form on this page to learn more about earning your master’s in secondary education at GCU.
If you are seeking licensure/certification, please refer to the Accreditation and Compliance/State disclosures link for the specific program of interest’s website for your location and/or employment state licensure requirements, per 34 CFR 668.14(b)32 and 668.43(c).
1 National Science Teaching Association (n.d.). STEM Education Teaching and Learning. Retrieved Oct. 4, 2023.
2 Excluding observational and practice-based experiences, and student teaching.
3 U.S. Department of Education (2022, Dec. 7). U.S. Department of Education Launches New Initiative to Enhance STEM Education for All Students. Retrieved Oct. 4, 2023.
4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How To Become a High School Teacher. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Oct. 4, 2023.
5 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How To Become a Postsecondary Teacher. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Oct. 4, 2023.
Up to 12 credits or 1/3 of the total program requirements in transfer (whichever is less)
Credits: Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer
Admission Requirements (Master's)
OR 2.5+ Unweighted GPA and
Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program and modality, or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Please review full admission and program requirements in the University Policy Handbook.
* Degree must be from an accredited college or program that has been approved by GCU.
** Combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011 (1,000 combined verbal and quantitative, prior to August 2011).
