Online Master’s in Secondary Education: STEM Emphasis
Online Master’s in Secondary Education: STEM Emphasis
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The Master of Education (MEd) in Secondary Education with a STEM Emphasis Non-Initial Teaching Licensure (NITL) program at Grand Canyon University can prepare students to lead STEM education from sixth to twelfth grade. Students will be taught to integrate grades 6–12 subject matters, including STEM and educational psychology, as well as various instructional methods and strategies with a goal of producing positive student outcomes.
This master’s in secondary education with a STEM emphasis is designed for educators who desire to not only impact education but impact STEM fields that affect our everyday lives. Graduates of this program will have the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge to provide a solid STEM foundation, interdisciplinary curriculum and hands-on learning experiences within their classroom. An emphasis on technology and classroom diversity exposes graduate students to modern classroom learning tools and identifies practices on how to meet diverse student needs that promote the most effective learning.
Pursue your online master's in secondary education at your convenience. This option may allow you to achieve balance between working toward your academic goals while maintaining your busy schedule and family responsibilities.
Our online modality can provide the flexibility you need to access quality education from anywhere, empowering you to position yourself to potentially seek advancement within your career in secondary education while accommodating your busy lifestyle. Join an online learning community that can help you learn essential skills in the field of STEM education.
This master's degree in secondary education: STEM emphasis is designed for teachers who already hold a teaching license. This program does not contain the in-classroom teaching experience component necessary to obtain a teaching license. However, this master’s in secondary education degree requires 33 credits for completion and approximately 101 hours of practical field experience hours. You will be taught in both informative and interactive classes. These experiences are designed to support you in assimilating theories, concepts, and research methodologies into your classroom practices.
Courses in this program include coursework and topics on the following:
Adolescent literacy
Explore the essential principles of language acquisition, cultural factors in learning, and effective strategies to promote English language development among students.
Innovative STEM pedagogy
Explore teaching methods and strategies tailored to STEM subjects, fostering student engagement and understanding into middle and high school instruction.
Assessing and evaluating STEM education teachers
Cultivate leadership qualities that can equip you with skills to guide and inspire both students and fellow educators in the STEM field.
Tools for creating and managing learning environments
Develop the ability to create and adapt curriculum materials that align with STEM standards.
Comprehensive STEM instruction
Study the skills and knowledge to teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics to middle and high school learners. This includes utilizing inquiry-based instructional strategies, promoting practical applications and integrating engineering and technology concepts into your curriculum.
Enrolling in a Master of Education program with a focus on secondary education in STEM can help equip you with a variety of skills that can potentially prepare you to:
This non-licensure degree does not include a student teaching capstone, and therefore does not lead to an Institutional Recommendation (IR) from GCU to obtain certification. However, candidates will be required to complete 101 practicum field experience hours within the courses to help prepare them to teach in the grades 6 through 12.
GCU offers a licensure version of this master’s in secondary education STEM emphasis tailored for individuals who aspire to strengthen their knowledge in STEM and pedagogy subjects while seeking to fulfill teaching licensure requirements. This licensure version may be ideal for professionals who want to work toward becoming a licensed secondary education teacher (grades 6-12). Education students who pursue the licensure version of this STEM emphasis will be prepared to earn a teaching certificate by completing practical/field experience hours and passing the state exam for teaching licensure. As you choose the right degree program for you, it is important to be aware of different certification requirements specific to your state.
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According to the U.S. Department of Education, their launch of a new initiative aims to support STEM educators and organizations to advance their STEM education.(See disclaimer 1) With an increase for more next-generation innovators in STEM disciplines, GCU aims to create opportunities for secondary educators skilled in STEM.(See disclaimer 2) Graduates of GCU’s in-person or online master's in secondary education, specializing in STEM, have the opportunity to pursue the following career paths:
STEM education for secondary teachers can serve as a pathway for teachers to help fulfill the shortage of STEM education teachers.(See disclaimer 1)
GCU has been fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968. This accreditation affirms our commitment to maintaining high educational standards and providing a quality academic experience. If you would like more information about this accreditation and how it and others help to serve the greater purpose of GCU, visit our University Accreditation page.
Discover answers to frequently asked questions about pursuing a STEM education for secondary teachers. Whether you're curious about program details, career prospects or admission, we have you covered.
What does it mean to earn a non-licensure degree at GCU?
What are the benefits of a STEM education?
How does STEM education work?
Why are STEM teachers important?
How do I become a certified STEM teacher?
Discover additional emphasis options that can help you find the right path for your academic and career aspirations.
If you enjoy motivating young learners to explore STEM and develop curiosity in these critical areas, fill out the form to learn more about the master’s in secondary education degree 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’s licensure requirements, per 34 CFR 668.14(b)32 and 668.43(c).
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).
