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The MA in Science Education, offered by the Science Education Program , is a flexible program designed for prospective and practicing K-12 science teachers, educators and specialists working in informal or outdoor education, community college science educators, and prospective science education PhD students. The curriculum is designed to augment and broaden the candidate’s knowledge of current advances in science education research, and connect these findings to best classroom practices.

For more information, please visit our website at www.sjsu.edu/scied/academic_programs/masters.

Qualified students who have earned a multiple or single-subject credential at San José State University may apply up to 9 units of approved credential coursework from the College of Education and 3 units of approved credential coursework from the College of Science to the MA Science Education degree. Students who earned their credential elsewhere may transfer up to 9 units of completed post-graduate coursework to the MA Science Education program at the discretion of the Science Education Graduate Coordinator.

Admissions Requirements

Minimum admission requirements  to the Graduate Division are outlined in this catalog. In addition, classified standing requires an undergraduate major with a grade point average of 2.75.

• demonstrated subject-matter competency in science, either through a baccalaureate degree in science or by passing the Science Subtests I and II (test codes 118 and 119) of the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) and one Specialized Science CSET in either biology (120 or 124), chemistry (121 or 125), geoscience (122 or 126) or physics (123 or 127).
• evidence of appropriate goal(s) and commitment to graduate-level study as demonstrated by a personal statement written by the applicant and letters of recommendation from two or more persons qualified to judge the applicant’s potential as a graduate student.
• a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage at GAPE, if the applicant is from a country in which the native language is not English.
• approval of the graduate advisor and/or graduate committee.

Requirements for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy

The student must satisfy general university requirements for advancement to candidacy  as outlined in detail in this catalog. The University requires that all graduate students complete the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)  as a condition for advancement to candidacy . SCED 220  meets the GWAR requirement and is also a required course in this program, so no additional classes beyond the core courses for the MA - Science Education are needed to meet this requirement.

Requirements for Graduation

Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements  section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures .

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

At SJSU, students must pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) .

This requirement is satisfied by passing SCED 220 .

Culminating Experience

Plan A (with Thesis)

This option requires a thesis in science education approved by a master’s committee of no fewer than three members. The thesis is credited under SCI 299  units. At the end of the program, the candidate must successfully deliver an oral seminar and defense of the thesis, cumulatively known as a culminating experience. The written thesis must be submitted to the master’s advisor and master’s committee for approval before being submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for university approval. Note: this is an uncommon choice for our graduate students.

Plan B (with Project)

This option requires a project related to science education approved by a master’s committee of no fewer than three members. The project is credited under SCED 298  units. At the end of the program, the candidate must successfully deliver an oral seminar and defense of the project, cumulatively known as a culminating experience. The written report of the project must be submitted to the master’s advisor and master’s committee. Note: the majority of our graduate students choose this path to graduation.