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The MS 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 the Science Education Programs website.

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 MS Science Education degree. Students who earned their credential elsewhere may transfer up to 9 units of completed post-graduate coursework to the MS Science Education program at the discretion of the Science Education Graduate Coordinator.

University Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit a complete graduate application by applying through the CSU Cal State Apply system and meet all the university admission requirements . Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage.

Admission to Graduate Standing - Classified

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 California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) in General Science (215) and one Specialized Science CSET in either Life Science (217), Chemistry (218), Earth and Space Science (219) or Physics (220).
• 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.
• Approval of the graduate advisor and/or graduate committee.

Advancement to Candidacy

The university requirements for advancement to candidacy  for the master’s degree are outlined in the Graduate Policies and Procedures  section. Students should seek advancement to candidacy as soon as possible for their given program and on the advice of their graduate program coordinator. Graduate students may submit a Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy form to the Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations (GAPE) office after satisfying the following: achieved classified status; completed a minimum of nine letter-graded units with all grades “C” or higher; fulfilled the Campus Graduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CGGWAR); achieved a minimum cumulative and program 3.0 GPA, and, graduate within the seven-year time limit for degree completion. Graduate students must submit their petition no later than one semester prior to graduating. Courses that satisfy the CGGWAR are listed in the course requirements for the program.

Program of Study Requirements

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 . Students must comply with all other graduate requirements contained in this catalog.

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.