This program is offered online.
The Master of Education in Interdisciplinary STEM Education is an online degree program designed for formal and informal educators.
About the Program
The goal of the Master of Education in Interdisciplinary STEM Education is to create 21st century STEM educators and leaders by facilitating a broader understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of STEM, a deeper knowledge of discipline-specific content, and new integrated approaches for the teaching and learning of STEM content.
The coursework has been designed to inspire a passion in teachers for STEM and equip them with the tools necessary to teach STEM content in an engaging way with career and industry applications. The M.Ed. in Interdisciplinary STEM Education does not lead to certification but is instead designed to improve teacher effectiveness in STEM education. A graduate successfully completing this degree program will be adept at creating relevant projects for use in their classrooms and utilizing project-based instruction to more effectively engage their students in the STEM disciplines.
Admissions Requirements
1. Complete an online graduate application along with the non-refundable application fee.
2. Submit an official transcript of the baccalaureate degree earned and any graduate work directly from each accredited college or university attended. Minimum requirements for consideration include an overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 and a bachelor’s degree demonstrating appropriate preparation in STEM.
3. Once admitted, complete the program of study form and return it to the STEM program director.
Program Requirements
The 30-credit hour M.Ed. in Interdisciplinary STEM Education is organized into two areas – core and electives. The coursework will consist of fifteen (15) hours of core coursework and fifteen (15) hours of electives. Students will work with academic advisors to individualize the program based on their prior preparation and areas of interest. A program of study form is required and must be submitted to the academic advisor once the student is admitted to the program. The curriculum is targeted for working professionals with coursework delivered online in asynchronous format, allowing students to progress through the program at their own pace.
Core Courses
Students must complete 5 core courses:
- EDUC 543 – Teaching, Learning and Assessing with Technology
- EDUC 544 – Project-Based Learning and Interdisciplinary Teaching
- EDUC 545 – Developing STEM Disciplinary Literacy Skills
- EDUC 546 – Leadership and Critical Issues in STEM Education
- EDUC 547 – Research and Statistics for STEM Applications
Possible Elective Courses
Students will select 5 elective courses, chosen from the following list:
- BIOL 540 – Biotechnology for STEM Educators
- CHEM 520 – The Chemistry of Art
- CHEM 521 – Forensic Science
- CHEM 522 – Nanotechnology for STEM Educators
- CSCI 555 – STEM Education Through Robotics
- CSCI 663 – Programming for STEM Educators
- CSCI 690 – App Development
- EDUC 548 – Multidisciplinary Experimental Design and Implementation
- EDUC 587 – Earth Science for Teachers
- EDUC 587 – The Science of Food for Educators
- MATH 618 – Mathematical Technology Resources for STEM Education
- PHYS 510 – Engineering Applications in STEM
- Or, other graduate-level Citadel STEM-related courses – see advisor for approval.
Although the program is designed for current educators, teaching certification is not required to be admitted to the program as other STEM professionals may complete the degree to better prepare themselves for roles in places such as informal education centers.
Optional Add-On Endorsement Pathways
The Zucker Family School of Education offers the coursework licensed educators may use to apply for optional add-on endorsements offered by the South Carolina Department of Education. Requirements are outlined below.
To apply for these add-on endorsements, the South Carolina State Department of Education requires the following:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Initial or professional certification at the early childhood, elementary, middle, secondary, or K-12 level
- Specialized preparation – A grade of C or higher in the graduate courses as shown below
Computer Science Add-On Endorsement Pathway
- CSCI 561 – Introduction to Computer Systems Credit Hours: 3
- CSCI 562 – Computer Networks and the Internet Credit Hours: 3
- CSCI 563 – Programming for Teachers Credit Hours: 3
- CSCI 564 – Introduction to Data Analytics Credit Hours: 3
- EDUC 571 – Impacts of Computing Credit Hours: 3