MS in STEM Education

The Master of Science in STEM Education prepares students to work on the development and implementation of research, curriculum materials, and educational activities in formal and informal STEM Education settings, such as schools, research centers, museums, industry, cultural institutions, and community agencies. The MS program also prepares future candidates for PhD programs in STEM Education. If they choose to do so, MS students can apply to continue their studies as PhD students at Tufts.

The MS program enrolls a maximum of 15 students per year and admits candidates with backgrounds in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Technology, Engineering, Education, Psychology, Child Development, Cognitive Science, and other areas also relevant to STEM Education.

Candidates without a baccalaureate in Mathematics, the Sciences, or Engineering will be required to take additional graduate-level courses in their focal content area in order to reach a level of expertise that, at a minimum, is equivalent to that of a Tufts BA/BS major in that content area.

Upon entry into the program, each student is assigned two program advisors, one from the Departments of Education or Child Study and Human Development and one from the Mathematics, Sciences, or Engineering Departments. Program advisors help students choose courses, internships, and research activities.

Job Placement

Graduates from our MS program work in all corners of PreK-16 STEM education. All graduates for whom we have data are employed in the field. Our MS alumni include a grade 9 teacher at City Polytechnic High School in Brooklyn, NY, an AP Biology Teacher at Lexington High School in Lexington, MA, and a Research Associate at TERC in Cambridge, MA. To learn about our alumni visit the Meet Students and Alumni page.

Course Requirements

Students are required to complete 12 courses to fulfill requirements for the MS in STEM Education degree. These include:

• 5 courses from Groups A, B, C, and D (at least one course from each group);
• 2 graduate courses in the Mathematics, Sciences, or Engineering Departments;
• 2 or 3 elective courses from Group E;
• 1 course from Group F (Program Seminar);
• 1 or 2 courses for Master's Thesis, Project, Research, or Internship experience.

Selection of relevant elective courses and course levels (100 or 200 level) is determined with the student's advisors, in agreement with the guidelines issued by each of the departments involved in the program.

Transfer of graduate course credits obtained from other institutions and not applied to previous degrees depends on the content of the course, the student's performance in the course, and the relevance of the course to the student's plan of study, as judged by the student's advisors and by the STEM Education Program Committee.

No undergraduate courses will count towards the MS degree.

Research/Internship Requirement

MS students must demonstrate understanding of educational research through a thesis, project, work with a research team, or an internship. Faculty support and closely supervise students' research/internship experiences.

Program Objectives

The objectives of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Master of Science program will allow students to do the following:

• Develop and exhibit a deep understanding of the:
  1. Theory and research on learning, development, and teaching; cognitive science; and the sociocultural foundations of education, both broadly and within their discipline
  2. Developmental, pedagogical, content specific, and sociocultural challenges inherent in teaching and learning
  3. Research methods and results appropriate for the development of studies that will contribute to new theoretical insights and practical approaches to education
  4. Knowledge and practices in their respective disciplines
• Develop abilities to:
  1. Express themselves and disseminate in effective ways, through different media, the results of their research (for example, orally, in writing, through video)
  2. Address questions of educational and social relevance grounded in disciplinary knowledge, where relevance refers both to the field at large and to students' particular professional experiences and interests
  3. Collaborate with others on joint research projects
  4. Situate their research within a global and international community
• Understand the importance of respecting the children, teachers, students, and educators with whom they work