Online Master of Education Degree in Curriculum & Instruction: Science Education Option, M.Ed.

The online Master of Education Degree in Curriculum & Instruction: Science Education Option, offered by UMass Lowell's Graduate School of Education, is designed to help K-12 teachers enhance their school's science curriculum and learn about new pedagogical techniques that can be used to improve science learning in their classrooms. Available entirely online, this program offers a comprehensive curriculum that prepares teachers to facilitate inquiry-based, hands-on science learning. Participants will have the opportunity to select from courses featuring science topics such as evolution, energy, meteorology, and cell biology.

Note: This program does not lead to teacher licensure.

Admission into the Master's Degree

Complete the online application for the Master's Degree in
Curriculum and Instruction: Science Education Option at the
Graduate Admissions website.

Applicants will be required to submit:

• Statement of Purpose (1-2 pages in length)
• All official transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• Application fee
• Proof of valid teaching license or if in a private setting where licensure is not required, individuals with a minimum of three years teaching experience, should submit a letter from their school's chief academic administrator providing proof of teaching in the school.

Master's Degree Program Outline

10 courses total; 30 graduate credits
Note: Candidates pursuing the Science Education option must include 6 courses (18 credits) of science education and/or science content course work in their program, choosing any combination of courses marked with an asterisk "*"

Foundations Course (1 course; 3 credits)
01.630 Educating Diverse Populations - Available Summer 2012!

Research Course - Choose 1 course (3 credits)
04.674 Research Into Learning in Science*
07.541 Practitioner Action Research*
07.642 Program Evaluation - Available Summer 2012!

Curriculum Courses - Choose 3 courses (9 credits)
04.637 History & Theory of Curriculum - Available Summer 2012!
04.635 Dynamics of Curricular Change
04.673 Curriculum Design for Science Teachers* OR
04.638 Curriculum Design K-12* - Available Summer 2012!

Instruction - Choose 4 courses (12 credits)
04.576 Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Among Students*
04.643 The Skillful Teacher - Available Summer 2012!
04.675 Leadership in Science Education*
04.676 Exploring the Nature of Science* - Available Summer 2012!
05.502 Issues, Mandates and Ethics in Special Education - Available Summer 2012!
05.638 Planning, Technology and School Improvement
06.511 Teaching Reading in Content Areas - Available Summer 2012!
06.527 Language Acquisition
25.501 Engineering for Teachers* (occasionally offered)
81.508 Cell Biology for Teachers* - Available Summer 2012!
81.547 Evolution in Context for Teachers*
85.581 Meteorology for Science Teachers* - Available Summer 2012!
95.501 Energy, Force and Motion* - Available Summer 2012!

Capstone Project (1 course; 3 credits)
04.650 Capstone Project: Advanced Programs*
Must be taken as the last course or in conjunction with the one other course in the final semester.

Questions About the Master's Degree

For questions about the Online M.Ed. Program in Curriculum and Instruction: Science Education Option, email edoffice@uml.edu or call 978-934-4601.

UMass Lowell's Graduate School of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), a national accrediting body for schools, colleges, and departments of education authorized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Course Descriptions

01.630 Educating Diverse Populations

"Educating Diverse Populations" is designed to prepare experienced educators to provide effective leadership in a diverse community. Drawing from the Graduate School of Education's conceptual framework of "Education for Transformation", students will be expected to: examine their own cultural heritage and experiences; gain increased understanding of equity issues concerning race, language, gender, sexual orientation, and special education needs; develop new insights for culturally responsive pedagogy; assess alternative strategies for facing illustrative conflicts in culturally diverse school settings; and consider how to ameliorate the pervasive impact of poverty on children in today's schools. 3 credits.

04.576 Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Among Students

The focus of this course is on applying nutrition concepts relevant to elementary and middle school children and how these concepts can be integrated into the classroom at an age appropriate level. This course will address a broad range of issues including eating habits, disordered eating, sports nutrition, food allergies and school wellness policies. 3 credits.

04.635 Dynamics of Curricular Change

This course considers alternative perspectives of curriculum and explores issues and strategies involved in the process of changing the curricular visions and practices of schools. 3 credits.

04.637 History & Theory of Curriculum

This course examines the historical development of American curriculum from the colonial period to the present, with a focus on theories that shaped what was taught in schools, and how those theories reflected social, cultural and political values and conflicts. Particular attention will be paid to curriculum theories that have shaped contemporary curriculum, and to examination of programs that reflect those theories. 3 credits.

04.638 Curriculum Design K-12

A review of state mandates which, by law, shape the curriculum for the school. Examination of "new" curricula and their sources, as well as the development of a rationale for curriculum design and an evaluation fo the personnel and techniques by which these curricula can be developed. 3 credits.

04.643 The Skillful Teacher

This course is designed to help teachers and educational leaders view teaching from a reflective stance. Teaching skills rarely identified from research on teaching: and the video tapes of teaching are studied for examining the applications of these skills inactual teaching. 3 credits.

04.650 Capstone Project: Advanced Programs

Students will have the opportunity to develop a teacher work sample consisting of work in six major areas: (10 contextual factors, (2) learning goals, (3) assessment plan, (4) design for instruction, (5) analysis of student learning, and (6) reflection. 3 credits.

04.673 Curriculum Design for Science Teachers

Science content, process skills, assessment, nature of science... how does a middle school teacher consider all of the elements of science teaching and meet the Massachusetts Frameworks? Using the Backwards Design model, teachers in this course will develop and reinforce effective lesson and unit planning skills, learn about different forms of assessment, create and implement effective assessment tools, and explore how to weave understanding of the nature of science into units. In addition, we will explore Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences and think about how these ideas might impact how you approach teaching middle school science. 3 credits.

04.674 Research Into Learning in Science

In this course, we shall be reading research articles and examining how the research was carried out. You will then conduct an "action research" project. Those who engage in action research have a commitment to bring about change. In this case, you will be investigating something in your own classroom or school that concerns you and therefore the results of your research will help you to think about what might be done to change the situation. Through the collection and sorting of data we can gain insights into situations that were previously muddy. Teachers often have to make judgments based on experience, but this is not persuasive to outsiders. With data we can convince others that the course of action we choose is justified. 3 credits.

04.675 Leadership in Science Education

There are many issues in science education that can be clarified as a result of reading current literature and engaging in discussion with other teachers. In this course, we will examine some of the most pressing issues that face us as science teachers e.g. what is essential to know in science? what role should inquiry play in a science? is ability grouping appropriate for learning in science? if science concepts can't be applied by students should they be taught? This is the culminating course in the program and each week we will examine a different issue and share our expertise. Additionally, how you put your program learning into practice will be assessed through written evidence captured in a professional portfolio. 3 credits.

04.676 Exploring the Nature of Science

This course will take you on an exploration of some fascinating discoveries in the history of science, engage you in debate about controversial issues in science, and involve you in raising your own scientific questions. We shall examine whether there really is a scientific method, why theories are not the same as beliefs, the importance of scientific models, what distinguishes science from pseudoscience and explore what it means to be scientifically literate in today's society. 3 credits.

05.502 Issues, Mandates and Ethics in Special Education

This course will examine special education laws and ethical practices in K-12 settings. 3 credits.

05.638 Planning, Technology and School Improvement

This course helps educators develop a broad grasp of the educational possibilities and concerns the Internet raises, for K-12 educators as well as those in higher education. Through the course, students develop in-depth knowledge of Internet resources and problems related to a specific issue of professional interest. 3 credits. Special Notes: EA, CI elective

06.511 Teaching Reading in Content Areas

This course presents the theoretical foundation and current best practices for content area reading, writing, and study skills. The focus is on motivation, cognition, memory, and verbal processing theories as they apply to methodology. Students learn to develop lessons and units that integrate reading and writing while covering concepts in the content areas. 3 credits.

06.527 Language Acquisition

This course will focus on the study of the acquisition of language and the relationship of language learning to the development of literacy. Students will examine both first and second language acquisition. Students will be expected to apply their knowledge of language acquisition to best teaching practices for enhancing first and second language development in the classroom and to the development of literacy. 3 credits.

07.541 Practitioner Action Research

This course examines how action research helps educators to learn to explore pressing classroom and school issues in systematic ways. Action research provides educators with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and skills as reflective practitioners, allowing them to contribute to the achievement of students and the improvement of schools. 3 credits.

07.642 Program Evaluation

Evaluation tasks will be identified and the policy issues attendant to evaluation will be examined. Students will conduct an evaluation. 3 credits.

25.501 Engineering for Teachers

The course will focus on increasing teachers' understanding of the Engineering Design Process. The linkage between science, engineering and technology will be discovered as teachers engage in a variety of home-based projects requiring them to apply design principles to the building, testing and evaluating of prototypes.  Teachers will also gain knowledge of the various fields of engineering.  Through their participation in the course, teachers will discuss how they might integrate engineering-technology concepts with other areas of their curriculum. 3 credits.

81.508 Cell Biology for Teachers

This online course will examine the structure and function of cells and the regulation of cellular processes characteristice of living organisms. Students will explore the complexity of the eukaryotic cell and gain an understanding of the mechanisms of cellular control and regulation. Course activities will make connections to state frameworks and national standards, and lead to the development of grade-appropriate curriculum materials for use in the elementary and middle school classroom. Class activities will include discussions, quizzes, lesson plans, web reviews, current events, and a final project. 3 credits.

81.547 Evolution in Context for Teachers

This course will address a series of issues central to understanding evolution in a biological, environmental, and humanistic context. From the biological perspective, the course will examine how evolution works at the individual, species, and community levels using the avian flu as an example. The second part of the course will compare a few major ecosystems under attack from development and how their loss might impact the course of evolution on a local and global level. Included in these ecosystems are the Brazilian rainforest, The Great Barrier Reef, and Old Growth Forests of North America. Finally, the course will delve into the judicial and political controversy around evolution in the United States and try to understand why Darwin's ideas still invoke such fierce emotional commitments from different constituents. 3 credits.

85.581 Meteorology for Science Teachers

The purpose of this course is to provide the middle school teacher with: a thorough understanding of several key concepts and processes of meteorology; the ability to effectively present meteorology topics that are appropriate for the middle school science classroom; the tools necessary to develop inquiry based lessons for the classroom. 3 credits.

95.501 Energy, Force and Motion

An introduction to the most fundamental area of physics:  the nature of motion, what affects it, and how it is measured. We examine Newton's laws, including the law of gravity, and how forces produce acceleration. The course also examines the nature of energy - potential and kinetic - and how it relates to motion and forces. We will concentrate on how to analyze physical situations and solve the basic equations of motion. This course is intended to help teachers develop their understanding of the physics of motion. 3 credits.