Online Master's in STEM Education Degree Programs - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
The concept of STEM fields is a relatively new construct, introduced in the 1990s and formally classified by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the early 2000s to standardize the connected nature of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics both vocationally and educationally. The NSF now maintains a Directorate for STEM Education (EDU), an arm of the agency that promotes and invests in programs and policies that foster improvements in academic and vocational training in order to spread STEM literacy and promote diversity in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce. Colleges and universities have responded by offering dedicated STEM education programs to train educators to further those goals.
Master’s in STEM Education degree programs are part of a growing infrastructure of academic programs that focus on cultivating teaching, research, and learning in STEM fields. Students in master’s programs receive training in STEM pedagogy, which emphasizes the interrelations between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics proficiencies. They conduct research in the field and learn how to design, assess, implement, and improve STEM education programs, which commonly includes use of educational technologies. In addition, these master’s programs provide STEM education leadership training for work in public and private schools and school districts, community and workforce education settings, and in the corporate sector.
What is a Master’s in STEM Education Degree?
As an educational specialization, STEM represents an inherently multi-disciplinary approach to teaching science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and other related subjects. Master’s programs in STEM education are grounded in that approach and aim to furnish teachers, administrators, and educational specialists with the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen STEM programs and encourage STEM literacy in preK-12 schools, at the college level, and in workforce and corporate settings. Students in these programs typically spend the equivalent of four academic semesters learning how to design, assess, and implement STEM educational programming that improves student outcomes, increases learner engagement, and reaches into a broader number of communities.
While science, technology, engineering, and mathematics remain the focus of STEM education, the specialization has broadened to include arts (STEAM education) and, more recently, reading (STREAM). However, the addition of arts and reading to the STEM core has not fundamentally altered the central, cross-disciplinary tenet of STEM education, which is that there is immense value in fostering the connections and overlap between key subject areas in teaching and learning. Educators who graduate from a Master’s in STEM Education program are equipped to apply this philosophy across subject areas, age groups, and educational settings.
Online Master’s in STEM Education Programs
Online Master’s in STEM Education programs use distance learning technologies to provide a more flexible and convenient alternative to traditional, campus-based programs without sacrificing curricular content. Students in an online program receive all or most of their didactic coursework remotely, via internet-based learning management systems (LMSs) that support the streaming of live and pre-recorded lectures and virtual class meetings, and the online delivery of other course materials, including assignments, readings, and exams. Most LMSs also integrate class discussion boards and messaging applications to connect students with instructors and classmates.
While most online Master’s in STEM Education programs do not require students to attend any campus-based sessions, some programs incorporate a limited number of on-campus meetings. Online programs are classified by OnlineEducation.com based on the number of times students are required to attend campus-based sessions. Only programs that require two or fewer campus-based requirements per year are classified as online programs. In addition, students in these programs may be required to complete practical experiences through site-based internships or practicums that usually take place near a student’s place of residence. It is important to note that practical experiences that students complete locally are not factored into the classification of whether or not a program is considered an online program on the site.
How OnlineEducation.com Identifies and Classifies Online Master’s Programs in STEM Education
Most Master’s in STEM Education programs are housed in a college or university department or division of education, teaching, or professional studies and are designated as one of three types of degrees: a Master of Education (MEd), Master of Arts (MA), or Master of Science (MS) degree. There are also Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Arts in Education (MAE), and Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction programs that have designated specializations in STEM education. All of these types of degree programs are classified as STEM master’s programs, provided they provide graduate training in STEM education and culminate in the conferral of a master’s degree.
As noted above, OnlineEducation.com researches online master’s in education programs and identifies programs that are offered either fully online or only require a limited number of campus visits per year (i.e., two or fewer on-campus visits per year to be classified as an online program). In addition, programs must clearly offer a STEM education curriculum and be offered by an accredited, nonprofit college or university.
What Students Learn in Online Master’s in STEM Education Programs
The core training in STEM master’s programs focuses on pedagogy, teaching methods, and program assessment, design, and implementation. Students learn about the philosophical underpinnings of STEM education and how to apply theories of STEM education in schools and classrooms to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learnings outcomes. Most master’s curricula include courses that encourage students to deepen subject area knowledge in STEM disciplines, cultivate research design and evaluation methodologies, and develop leadership skills. Contemporary issues in education, particularly as they relate to diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, are another topic these programs typically address.
In addition to core training in STEM education, most programs encourage or require students to take courses in one or more specializations, such as computer science, robotics, or environmental science. Students may also specialize in elementary, secondary, or high school STEM education, or focus on science, technology, engineering, or mathematics proficiencies and program design. Finally, many programs have internships and/or master’s thesis or capstone project requirements that challenge students to apply what they have learned in their didactic courses to a research project or practical experiences.
Common Courses in Online Master’s in STEM Education Programs
The table below provides an overview of the types of courses commonly offered in online Master’s in STEM Education programs. The names and descriptions draw on research of actual online programs offered by accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities.
| Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|
| Integrating STEM into Practice | Explores interdisciplinary approaches to integrating STEM into practice throughout educational disciplines, in problem-based and project-based learning activities, math and science inquiry learning tasks, and teaching techniques. |
| Trends and Issues in STEM Education | Examines research, practices, trends, and contemporary issues in PreK-12 STEM education. |
| Science Learning in Laboratory and Inquiry Settings | Examines the historical development of active learning and lab experiences in science classrooms and curricula; and students explore the use of lab activities, demonstrations, problem-based learning, and student inquiries in science teaching. |
| Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Teaching Mathematics | Students follow one of the main content areas of mathematics and its effective teaching and learning, choices include development of quantitative reasoning, fostering algebraic thinking, conceptual foundations of calculus, or development of geometric thinking. |
| Introduction to Career and Technical Education | Explores the history and practice of career and technical education (CTE), including educational reform and its impact on CTE and workforce development; and covers federal funding and programs that support CTE. |
| Cognitively Guided Instruction in Mathematics | An overview of strategies for teaching mathematics, using cognitively guided instruction (GCI) methodologies, and understanding mathematical thinking processes. |
| Science and the Young Adult | Explores the value of integrating STEM education into the elementary classroom; defines scientific concepts that are developmentally suitable for elementary students; and participants design an integrated STEAM unit that connects children’s literature to scientific concepts. |
| Inquiry Science Education in Bilingual Settings | Provides a review of the basic concepts of physical science, including biology, and chemistry, which are then embedded into activities that utilize the inquiry approach to teaching and learning in bilingual education settings. |
| Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas | Educational professionals focus on their use of technology in the classroom by exploring instructional strategies and digital tools that promote content-area literacy and learning. |
| STEM Education Curriculum: Standards Aligned Design, Evaluation, and Transformation | Explores continually morphing integrative STEM instructional strategies and teaching approaches, including the examination and implementation of state and national STEM standards, an exploration of existing STEM curricular initiatives, and the investigation and evaluation of STEM curriculum. |
Admissions to Online Master’s in STEM Education Programs
Applicants to master’s programs in education must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university to be eligible for admission. Some programs also require or prefer candidates to have a minimum undergraduate GPA, which can range from 2.5 to 3.0 on a four-point scale. While there are programs that do not require applicants to have teaching experience or an active teaching license, some programs are designed specifically for licensed teachers who have prior training in education.
While the application process for master’s programs in STEM education varies by school and by program, admissions committees generally ask applicants to submit transcripts and a professional resume or CV along with a formal application. Some programs also ask applicants to furnish two or three letters or recommendation, write a personal statement or provide written responses to one or more essay prompts, and/or complete a virtual interview. For applicants who have already taken the GRE exam, most programs will consider an applicant’s GRE test scores; however, many programs no longer require students to submit standardized test scores as part of the admissions process.
Online Master’s in STEM Education Format Options
Online programs have several key format variations that students may want to consider prior to choosing a program. These differences fall into three key categories: online instruction methods; enrollment options; and campus visits. Each of these factors is explored in greater depth in the section below.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Instruction: Synchronous online instruction is the formal term for instruction that takes place in real-time, such as regularly scheduled online lecture and class meetings. Students in a program that utilizes synchronous instruction need to be prepared to log on to a program’s LMS for class meetings, which commonly occur once or twice per week and may be held in the early mornings, late evenings, or on weekends. In contrast, asynchronous online instruction encompasses a broad range of learning activities that do not have a real-time component, including pre-recorded lectures and learning modules that can be access on-demand via a program’s LMS.
There are advantages to both synchronous and asynchronous instruction. Students who want an online experience that more closely resembles on-site, classroom-based learning may prefer programs that incorporate synchronous instruction. Students who want or need more scheduling flexibility and feel sufficiently self-motivated to keep up with their coursework in the absence of live weekly class meetings may want to explore programs that mainly use asynchronous instruction.
Part-Time vs. Full-Time Enrollment: Online program may offer full-time, part-time, or flexible enrollment options that allow students to determine how many courses they take per term, and therefore, how long it will take for them to earn their degree. In general, a master’s program consists of three or four semesters of full-time coursework and students enrolled full-time should expect to spend up to 40 hours per week on coursework when school is in session. Part-time students can reduce the number of hours they must spend on schoolwork to 15 or 20 hours per week by taking fewer courses per term. Enrolling part-time typically extends the time to completion beyond two years (i.e., two to four years).
The actual completion time for students in an online master’s program in STEM education can depend on a number of other structural factors, as many programs offer courses three or more times per year. Courses may be offered on a traditional 15-week semester system, on the 10-week quarter system, or in shorter 5-, 6-, or 8-week terms (often referred to as alternative academic calendars). Thus, full-time students may be able to complete their degree in as few a 12 months and part-time students may be able to graduate in approximately two years by taking classes during spring, summer, fall, and winter terms.
Campus Visits: Many schools offer 100% online Master’s in STEM Education programs that do not include any campus visits. However, some programs require students to attend one or more campus-based sessions per year. These campus-based sessions can enhance the online learning experience and be used for orientations, workshops, labs, networking sessions, and other program-related activities. They also give students a chance to meet instructors and classmates in-person, which can enhance student relationships. However, the time, travel, and costs associated with required campus visits may be a problem for some students. While OnlineEducation.com does not currently include online master’s programs in STEM education that require more than two campus visits per year, it is nonetheless advisable for potential applicants to review a program’s requirements carefully before submitting an application to determine whether or not campus-visits are part of the curriculum.