MEd in Science Education

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. The following requirements for admissions represent recommended minimum levels of performance. Decisions are made on the strength of the overall evidence of academic and professional capacities and on available enrollment space. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

  • Baccalaureate Field No restrictions.
  • Grade Point Average
    • Strand A—Licensure option: Requires a 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study, a 3.00 for any postbaccalaureate/graduate course work, with the exception of a 2.50/4.00 in a science field.
    • Strand B—Nonlicensure option: Requires a 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study and for all postbaccalaureate/graduate course work.
  • Tests Required No tests are required for admission. There are tests required for Illinois licensure and endorsement that may be completed while completing the program. See the Illinois State Board of Education website for the most current information concerning Educator Licensure Testing Information.
  • Minimum English Competency Test Score
    • TOEFL 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Test). Note: Total score is higher than the sum of the subscores; 60, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Writing 21 (revised Paper-Delivered Test), OR,
    • IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores, OR,
    • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
  • Letters of Recommendation Three letters addressing the applicant’s academic qualifications, teaching experience, and ability to carry on advanced degree studies. Letters should be from current or former professors or supervisors.
  • Other Requirements
    • Strand A—Licensure option: A 3–4 page statement addressing the applicant’s commitment to and/or experiences working with youth or teaching, and experiences with learning science. The Science Education concentration also requires a minimum of 18 hours (toward the the total hours required) in the science area the applicant would like to teach and an interview with advisory staff. This concentration requires transcripts from all undergraduate and postbaccalaureate work.
    • Strand B—Nonlicensure option: A 3–4 page statement of the professional goals addressing the applicant’s reasons for pursuing this MEd and relevant background and experiences with urban education and science education.
  • Submit materials required by the specific concentration directly to the College of Education online. All materials must be submitted by the stated application deadlines. Applicants should give themselves enough time to gather all materials (especially letters of recommendation) and submit them by the deadline.
  • Deadlines The application deadlines for the MEd is Science Education is earlier than the Graduate College deadline; contact the College of Education for information on current deadlines.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

  • Minimum Semester Hours Required
    • Strand A—Licensure option: 32 hours. Note that students complete additional hours (12) to earn an Illinois Professional Education Licence (PEL) in Secondary Science Education.
    • Strand B—Nonlicensure option: 32–36 hours
  • Course Work

Strand A—Licensure Option

Strand A—Licensure Option
Required Courses
Philosophy of Education and Urban School Policy
Policy Issues in the History of American Education
Advanced Educational Psychology
Adolescence and the Schools
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Equity in Secondary Science Education
Educational Assessment and Evaluation
Exceptional Learners
Secondary Science Education in Urban Settings
Secondary Literacy
Practitioner Research in Science Contexts
Teaching and Learning of the Natural Sciences
Learning and Teaching of Physical Sciences
Learning and Teaching of Physical Sciences
Student Teaching (required for teacher licensure)

Strand B—Nonlicensure Option 

Strand B—Nonlicensure Option
Required Courses
Philosophy of Education and Urban School Policy
Policy Issues in the History of American Education
City Schools: Education in the Urban Environment
Advanced Educational Psychology
Adolescence and the Schools
Theories of Educational Psychology
Systematic Approaches to Program Quality
Assessment for Teachers
Race, Identity, and Agency in Mathematics and Science Education
Practitioner Research in Science Contexts
Research on Science Learning
Multimodality, Multiliteracies, and Science and Mathematics Education
One selective chosen from an approved science education concentration list
One elective in science or engineering selected with the consent of the faculty advisor

 Other Requirements

  • Comprehensive Examination None.
  • Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Course work only. No other options are available.

Interdepartmental Concentrations

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their graduate advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include: