Science Education

Master’s Programs

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Program
Noyce Fellowship Program: financial aid for certification of Science or Mathematics teachers for high-need school districts
Frequently Asked Questions about master’s programs and secondary science teacher certification at the graduate level

General Information about Master’s Programs

The Science Education Program offers three paths to a master’s degree, depending on the student’s prior background and career interests:

Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Science Education: For experienced teachers already holding T-4 certification, the M.Ed. is a professional degree designed primarily to enhance the student’s knowledge and skills in both science content and science teaching. It consists of 36 semester hours (normally 12 courses) of graduate credit, plus a capstone requirement of a Professional Portfolio designed to demonstrate the student’s advanced-level mastery of the knowledge and skills established by the National Science Teachers Association. Although the program may be pursued on a full-time basis, all required courses are scheduled during weekday evening hours during the academic year or weekday hours during the summer, in order to accommodate the schedule of the great majority of students who pursue this degree part-time while continuing to hold a full-time teaching job. Detailed M.Ed. Requirements
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Science Education: The M.A. is a research-oriented degree that may be pursued by any student interested in studying issues in science education at the graduate level, whether or not holding or gaining teacher certification. It consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours (normally 10 courses) of graduate credit, including a thesis. Detailed M.A. requirements
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Science Education: For students with a background in the sciences or closely related fields but not yet holding T-4 teacher certification, coursework leading to certification in a Secondary Science field (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Earth/Space Science, grades 6-12) can be pursued at the graduate level as part of this new master’s degree option. This degree program consists of 36 semester hours of coursework, plus fieldwork and related enrollments usually totalling another 18 hours (this can be achieved in a variety of contexts). Detailed M.A.T. requirements

This program presumes an undergraduate major in a core science area (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology) or a nearly equivalent coursework background. Those with degrees in other science-related fields (e.g., Agricultural Sciences, Exercise Science, Allied Health Sciences) may need to do additional core science coursework at the advanced undergraduate level before beginning Science Education courses. Please see the specific guidelines for science coursework background.

Upon completing certification, students most often will gain full-time employment as teachers in the Athens-Atlanta area and complete remaining master’s degree requirements on a part-time basis.

Certification may also be pursued on a non-degree basis, without regard to master’s requirements.

We offer two distinct certification programs, centered at two different locations and designed for students with different current career and life situations:
At the UGA campus in Athens (and nearby schools), certification requirements are fulfilled through two academic year semesters of full-time study, including coursework and initial field experiences during the school day in the first semester and a full-time student teaching placement for most of the second semester.
Our Program for Alternative Certification in Secondary Science (PACSS), centered at UGA’s new Gwinnett Campus in northeastern metropolitan Atlanta, includes courses scheduled summers, evenings, and online, and is designed for the “career change” student who either:
- has already secured a full-time, paid teaching position under Georgia’s Non-renewable Certification (formerly known as Provisional Certification) provision and wants to get credit for guided and supervised on-the-job experience in lieu of traditional student teaching,
  
  or
- wants to pursue certification on a part-time basis, including a half-time field placement throughout the academic year, perhaps while holding another job that leaves a significant part of the school day free.

For more detailed answers to frequently asked questions, especially about the relationship, or lack thereof, between teacher certification and master’s degree requirements, please see the Master’s/Certification FAQ Page.

Application links

Financial Aid

Since the state of Georgia identifies Secondary Science as a Critical Shortage Field, a very common and readily available source of financial aid for many graduate degree students in Science Education is Georgia’s HOPE Teacher Scholarship Loan Program, through which the state will pay a majority of tuition costs in exchange for teaching science in a Georgia public school after completion of the degree. Note that this program can cover tuition for all courses required for certification, as well as those counting towards master’s degree requirements. One year of teaching is required to qualify for forgiveness of the amount paid toward each 20 semester hours of credit. Therefore participation in this program typically requires two years of teaching after completion of one of our master’s programs.

Note that this program is not open to non-degree (e.g., certification-only) students, or students who have not established legal residency in Georgia. (Establishing residency typically requires a minimum of 12 months, spent in a way other than as a full-time student, after relocating from another state.) Details about eligibility for this program, application procedures, and exact amounts of money involved are available through the Office of Student Services, 122 Aderhold Hall, as well as from the Georgia Student Finance Commission web site.

For those applicants to certification programs who are particularly interested in teaching in "high need" school districts, our department recently received a Federal grant to provide cash stipends to the most highly qualified students preparing to be either Science or Mathematics teachers. Noyce Fellowship Program support is expected to be used partly for tuition costs, but may also be used for living expenses. Students receiving this support must commit to teaching in a high-need school district for a period of at least two years after certification/graduation. Awards are through a competitive application process, and information on application procedures for this grant are provided at the site to which the link is provided above. As part of the Federal government’s recent Recovery Act ("economic stimulus package"), increased funding has been provided to the National Science Foundation for this program, so we anticipate being able to support a larger number of students in this manner than originally anticipated. Note: Eligibility for this program does not require Georgia residency status.

A limited number of unusually highly qualified students who are residents of other states may be nominated by the Graduate Coordinator for a Regents Out-of-State Tuition Waiver (ROOSTW) award, through which the Graduate School subsidizes the very substantial difference between in-state and out-ot-state tuition rates. ROOSTW awards usually must begin in Fall Semester. Applications are due in late Spring and are only accepted for applicants already admitted.

In rare circumstances a full-time master’s students in Science Education may be eligible for a Graduate Assistantship appointment, especially if they have a substantial record of full-time science teaching experience, although in nearly all years budget constraints make these positions open only to full-time doctoral students. A very limited number of unusually highly qualified applicants who intend to be full-time students may be nominated by the Graduate Coordinator for competitive special assistantships funded directly by the Graduate School. Either form of Graduate Assistantship includes both a stipend and a full tuition waiver. A small amount of miscellaneous fees must still be paid each semester by students with an assistantship appointment.

M.Ed. Program

Admission requirements:

Admission to the Graduate School
Completion of a bachelors degree from an accredited institution
Minimum undergraduate (or combined undergraduate and graduate) GPA of 2.6
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) combined score (verbal + quantitative) of 850 or above, including verbal score of 400 or above (Board of Regents policy) or a minimum raw score of 44 or scaled score of 400 on the Miller Analogies Test
T-4 teaching certificate (or the commitment to earn Clear Renewable certification by including the required courses in M.Ed. studies)

Course work:

Note: All courses must be taken at the graduate level (course numbers 6000 or above)

Type of Course	Minimum Number of Courses/Semester Hours	Notes
Science Content	3 courses, 9 s.h.	May include any combination of advanced courses in the student’s science field of greatest expertise (if schedule permits and prerequisites are satisfied) and graduate-level, yet introductory, courses available in many fields, often scheduled during evenings or summer.
Science Education	4 courses, 12 s.h.	ESCI 7040 and 7080 are required. Select two others from among ESCI 6000, 6030, 6100, 6200, 6220, 6230, 6420, 6480, or other courses mutually determined to be appropriate by the student and advisor.
Educational Foundations	2 courses, 6 s.h.	One course in educational psychology (EPSY) and one in social foundations of education (EFND).
Educational Research	1 course, 3 s.h.	ESCI 6990 is highly recommended. A more general course in research design, statistics, or educational measurement (ERSH) or qualitative methods (QUAL) is also acceptable.
Elective	1 course, 3 s.h.	Any science or education course mutually determined to be appropriate by the student and advisor
Special Requirements		The former separate course related to preparation of a Professional Portfolio has been discontinued. Students must be registered for a minimum of 3 semester hours of credit in the semester (most often Summer) in which the portfolio is submitted for completion of degree requirements.
Total	12 courses, 36 s.h.

Program of Study worksheet for the M.Ed. degree

M.A. Program

Admission requirements:

Admission to the Graduate School
Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
Minimum undergraduate (or combined undergraduate and graduate) GPA of 3.0
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) combined score (verbal + quantitative) of 850 or above, including verbal score of 400 or above (Board of Regents policy) or a minimum raw score of 44 or scaled score of 400 on the Miller Analogies Test

Course work:

Note: All courses must be taken at the graduate level (course numbers 6000 or above)

Type of Course	Minimum Number of Courses/Semester Hours	Notes
Science Content	3 courses, 9 s.h.	May include any combination of advanced courses in the student’s science field of greatest expertise (if schedule permits and prerequisites are satisfied) and graduate-level, yet introductory, courses available in many fields, often scheduled during evenings or summer.
Science Education	2 courses, 6 s.h.	Select two from among ESCI 6000, 6030, 6100, 6200, 6220, 6230, 6420, 6480, 7040, 7080, or other courses mutually determined to be appropriate by the student and advisor.
Elective	1 course, 3 s.h.	Any science or education courses mutually determined to be appropriate by the student and advisor
Research	2 courses, 6 s.h.	ESCI 6990 is highly recommended. An additional course in statistics or educational measurement (ERSH) and/or qualitative methods (QUAL) is often appropriate, depending on the methodology anticipated for the thesis. May include enrollment in ESCI 7000 as credit for preliminary work on a thesis during semesters earlier than the one in which the thesis is submitted.
Thesis	ESCI 7300, 3 s.h.	This credit is typically gained in the last semester of the program. The student must be registered for a minimum of 3 semester hours of credit in the semester in which degree requirements are completed.
Total	30 semester hours	Note that the minimum hours in each category above add to only 27, so one course beyond the minimum requirement must be taken in at least one of the above categories.

Program of Study worksheet for the M.A. degree

M.A.T. Program

Admission requirements:

Admission to the Graduate School
Completion of a bachelors degree from an accredited institution
Minimum undergraduate (or combined undergraduate and graduate) GPA of 2.6
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) combined score (verbal + quantitative) of 850 or above, including verbal score of 400 or above (Board of Regents policy) or a minimum raw score of 44 or scaled score of 400 on the Miller Analogies Test
Appropriate preparation in one of the initial Secondary Science teacher certification fields: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Earth/Space Science

Course work:

Note: All courses contributing to degree requirements must be taken at the graduate level (course numbers 6000 or above)

Type of Course	Minimum Number of Courses/Semester Hours	Notes
Certification Requirements in Science Education	3 courses, 9 s.h.	ESCI 6450, 6460, and 7480
Courses in Other Areas Required for Certification	3 courses, 9 s.h.	ESCI 6480 or EDIT 6150 or 2020 * EPSY 6100, 6800, or 2130 * ESCI 6030 or SPED 2000 *
Educational Research	1 course, 3 s.h.	ESCI 6990 is highly recommended. A more general course in research design, statistics, or educational measurement (ERSH) or qualitative methods (QUAL) is also acceptable.
Elective	5 courses, 15 s.h., or as necessary to reach 36 total hours *	Any science or education courses mutually determined to be appropriate by the student and advisor. Highly recommended are: courses in Science Education beyond certification requirements; science content courses; and courses in Educational Foundations, including Educational Psychology (EPSY) and Social Foundations (EFND)
Field Experience Component		An additional 18 hours of field experience and/or related courses are also required for certification but do not formally count towards master’s degree requirements. Athens: 12 hours of ESCI 7460; ESCI 3450; and ESCI 7470 Gwinnett: 18 hours of ESCI 7460
Special Requirements	Certification Portfolio	Guidance in building and synthesizing the portfolio is included as part of the courses ESCI 6450, 6460, and 7480. Students must be registered for a minimum of 3 semester hours of credit in the semester (expected most often to be Summer) in which the portfolio is submitted for completion of degree requirements.
Total	12 courses, 36 s.h.

* If undergraduate level courses are taken for certification requirements, the number of electives needed for degree requirements increases accordingly.

Program of Study worksheet for the M.A.T. degree