Graduate Certificates in Science Education

Curriculum

• Chemistry

• Climate

• Earth Science

• Elementary School Science

• Life Science

• Physics

• STEM

Course offerings are not limited to the curriculum listed below. Additional courses found in the course catalog may apply to a certificate. Please seek approval from the your academic advisor before choosing a course not listed under the certificate of interest. 

Graduate certificate students are eligible to take summer campus-based field and lab courses offered by the MS in Science Education. Both online and campus courses are listed below, as well as additional offerings provided in the course catalog. 

Graduate Certificate in Teaching Chemistry

These high-energy, high-interest courses will increase your content knowledge and confidence in teaching chemistry in your classroom. This well-balanced program covers the broad field of chemistry and can be used as an introduction to chemistry or to strengthen your current knowledge.

Students will successfully complete 12 credits selected from:

Graduate Certificate in Teaching Climate Science

Select from this suite of courses and investgate the important topic of climate science and its impact on our planet. Develop an understanding of and ability to communicate the current state of climate change and the science surrounding climate change. Using new knowledge and pedagogy, create custom lesson plans and instruct your students in the use of weather instrumentation.

Students will sucessfully complete 12 credits selected from:

Graduate Certificate in Teaching Earth Science

Teachers can select from a diverse offering of courses ranging from geology and landforms to hydrology and paleontology. Round off your course of study with an Earth System Science course focusing on the broader picture.

Students will successfully complete 12 credits selected from:

Graduate Certificate in Teaching Elementry School Science

This certificate is designed to give K-8 teachers a basic understanding of a broad range of topics in physical science, life science and earth/space science. These courses are specially designed to help you integrate inquiry-based science into your classroom while improving your own science content knowledge.

Students will successfully complete 12 credits selected from:

Graduate Certificate in Teaching Life Science

This certificate offers a broad spectrum of courses. Teachers can create a diverse program that includes anatomy and physiology, nutrition, ecology, plants, microbiology, insects and slime, or focus in on a specific area of interest.

Students will successfully complete 12 credits selected from:

Graduate Certificate in Teaching Physics

From the study of basic forces to investigating the farthest reaches of the Universe, this certificate will allow you to meet your varying interests or focus in-depth on a single area such as mechanical physics or astronomy.

Students cannot use more than four credits of 400-level courses on a Certificate Program of Study.

Students will successfully complete 12 credits selected from:

Graduate Certificate in Teaching STEM

This certificate is designed to give K-12 teachers a basic understanding of a broad range of topics of STEM education. These courses are specially designed to help you integrate inquiry-based science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) into the classroom while improving content and pedagogical knowledge in each of these areas. Students will successfully complete 12 credits, with at least one course from each of the STEM content areas AND one methods course in either STEM or Engineering. The methods course will also count as the content course in that STEM area. 

Students cannot use more than four credits of 400-level courses on a Certificate Program of Study.

Students will successfully complete at least one course from each of the STEM content areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and one required Methods course for a minimum of 12 credits as follows:

* EGEN 511 may count towards both Methods and Engineering

** MSSE 511 may count towards both Methods and Technology

*** MSSE 508 is restricted to students also enrolled in MSSE 575