Science Education, M.Ed.

OSRHE Program Code: 139
CIP Code: 131316

Major Code: 7720

(Online Program)

(36 Semester Hours)

Purpose

The purpose of the M.Ed. in Science Education program is to enable K-12 teachers to become highly qualified teachers of science.  The program requirements meet the needs of teachers who hold bachelor degrees in secondary science education, a science discipline, mathematics, elementary education, early childhood education, or special education and teachers who hold alternative certification. The program consists of 15 hours of Professional Education Core, 15 hours of Science Content Core, and 6 hours of Capstone. The Master of Education in Science Education is administered through the College of Science and Health Professions and is offered completely online.

Specialty Accreditation

NSU’s educator preparation programs at the baccalaureate and master’s levels are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), www.caepnet.org, (1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036-1023, 202-223-0077), and the Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (840 Research Parkway, Suite 455, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, 405-522-5399), www.ok.gov/oeqa

Credential Requirements

Courses in the Master of Education in Science Education do not represent all courses needed for a Science teaching certificate for the State of Oklahoma. As a prequisite for program admission, candidates must hold or be eligible to hold a standard teaching certificate or teaching license or be eligible for an alternative certification program with a plan of study for certification on file with NSU’s Teacher Certification office.

Admission to the Program

The minimum requirements for regular admission to the Graduate College are:

1. An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Scores no more than five years old on either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
3. A grade point average of at least 2.5 based on a 4.0 scale on all undergraduate coursework attempted.
4. Proof of citizenship for a U.S. citizen born outside of the United States and for a resident alien. An international applicant for whom English was their first language and is the spoken language in the home must sign a statement to that effect.

The following additional prerequisites must be met before admission to the program:

1. Have an earned grade point average of at least 3.0 based on a 4.0 system for the last 60 hours of coursework attempted at either the undergraduate or graduate level; or attained a scale score of 383 or more on the Miller Analogies Text; or attained a score of 288 (verbal plus quantitative) or more on the Graduate Record Examination.
2. Hold or be eligible for a standard teaching certificate or teaching license, or be accepted by the state for the alternative certification program.
3. Submit an application form that includes an essay addressing the individual’s teaching philosophy, personal goals, and career goals.
4. File a Degree Plan and sign a Statement of Understanding for this program.

Admission decisions are based upon the evaluation of all application materials submitted by the individual.

Advisement

Upon admittance to the Graduate College an advisor is assigned to the student. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the faculty member and make an appointment for advisement and to develop a degree plan. The advisor develops the plan of study and a Statement of Understanding in conference with the student, assists in the selection of classes each semester, and counsels the student as needed.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of nine semester hours of approved transfer credit may be applied toward the master’s degree. Students who wish to transfer credit applicable to a degree program at Northeastern State University must have maintained a “B” average in all graduate coursework attempted at the transferring institution. No credit will be given for a transfer course in which the grade is lower than a “B.”

Retention

All plans of study are valid for only six years. All graduate coursework must be completed within six years in order to be counted toward the degree.

Graduation Requirements

1. Complete an approved program in Science Education.
2. Possess a grade point average of at least 3.0 in all graduate work on the plan of study.
3. Request a degree check prior to the semester of graduation.
4. Apply for the degree at the beginning of the semester of expected graduation.
5. Satisfactorily complete an approved capstone experience 60 days before conferral of the degree.

Capstone Experience

A capstone experience is an academic activity that encourages the use of skills learned and knowledge gained in one or more areas of field of study. It is a culminating experience that goes beyond the coursework required of the Master of Education degree and should be completed near the end of the student’s program (after at least 26 hours of coursework.) Capstone experiences for the Science Education program will have a significant writing component and may include satisfactorily completing one of the following:

1. A teaching portfolio that is submitted for National Board Certification in a science certification area.
2. An applied research project, or action research project, on the student’s own science teaching and a research paper discussing the project and its findings.
3. A science curriculum project that requires students to apply skills and knowledge acquired in the program.