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Science Teacher Education Programs

(found programs from 1258 schools)

Below is a directory (broken down by state) of all of the Science Teacher Education programs we could find, from over 1,700 accredited colleges and universities across the US.

Introduction to Science Education Careers

Whether they’re dissecting frogs or building baking soda volcanoes, science teachers guide students in learning about the physical and material world through systematic observation and experimentation. Good science teachers encourage students to question how the material world works and inspires them to seek answers through scientific investigation.


Some Background on Science Education

Below, EducationDegree.com interviews Fernand Brunschwig, teaching faculty at SUNY Empire State College and the chair of Science Education at the New York Academy of Sciences, which contributes to the professional development of science teachers. In the video he discusses how to get started in science education and why you might want to consider a career in the field.




Science Education Job Description

Science teachers instruct students in the four traditional branches of science (biology, chemistry, Earth and space sciences and physics) using textbooks mixed with plenty of hands-on activities, lab experiments, field trips and computer technology. At the elementary level, science instruction is generalized. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommends that instruction at this level be a cross-section of the four branches to create an interdisciplinary approach to the sciences. Elementary school science teachers focus on activities that give students opportunities to observe and describe the natural world, manipulate objects, and identify patterns in nature. For example, students might shape cotton balls into various types of clouds. At the middle school and high school levels, science instruction is in-depth and specific to the discipline such as geology, earth science, or environmental science. Science teachers at this level emphasize laboratory and field experiments. For example, a high school class might do an experiment in which they extract DNA from a strawberry.

At all grade levels, science teachers design and deliver instruction that helps students understand the unifying concepts of science: the interrelationships of living and nonliving systems, the nature of scientific evidence, the use of models for explanation, the evolution of natural systems and measurement as a way to organize observations.


Science Education Requirements

Public school science teachers at all grade levels must have a bachelor’s degree and a state-issued teaching license. At the lower grade levels, science teachers are generalists. They typically have a degree in elementary education and teach other core subject areas in addition to science. At the middle and high school level; however, science teachers are expected to have a deeper understanding of the field. They usually have a degree specifically in secondary science education and often specialize in an area such as life science, physics or biology. In addition to general education classes, secondary science teachers must take extensive coursework in the various science disciplines.


Science Education Career Outlook

According to a 2008 study of teacher supply and demand by the American Association of Employment in Education, there is some shortage of science teachers in most areas of the country. This fact means qualified science teachers should find plenty of job opportunities in all areas of science education. Elementary and secondary teachers earned a median annual salary between $47,000 and $51,000 in 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Public schools usually offer higher pay than private ones.


Science Education Trends

After more than a century, evolution continues to be a hot button issue in science education. The NSTA reports that some science teachers are under increasing pressure to teach creationism and "creation science" as alternatives to evolution. The NSTA opposes this trend and argues that evolution is a unifying concept of science that should be part of all K-12 science curriculums. Furthermore, the NSTA argues that students will not attain an adequate level of scientific literacy if they do not learn about evolution.


Useful Resources


Featured Online Programs:


Drexel University (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Philadelphia, PA
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers only)

Graduate Certificate - Intern Teaching
Post-Bachelor's Certificate - Teaching

Grand Canyon University (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Phoenix, AZ
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers only)
B.S. in Elementary Education: Science (With IR and Cert.)

Kaplan University (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Cedar Falls, IA / Cedar Rapids, IA / Chicago, IL / Council Bluffs, IA / Davenport, IA / Fort Lauderdale, FL / Greenacres, FL / Hagerstown, MD / Lincoln, NE / Mason City, IA / Miami Lakes, FL / New York, NY / Omaha, NE / S Portland, ME / St. Petersburg, FL / Urbandale, IA
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers and current teachers)
MA in Teaching (for Aspiring Teachers Grades 5-12)Master of Science in Education in Teaching ScienceMS in Education (for Existing Teachers Grades K-12)

Liberty University (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Lynchburg, VA
Accreditation:
NCATE accredited
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers only)
M.A. - Teaching - Secondary EducationMA - Teaching - Elementary Ed

The University of Texas at Arlington (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Arlington, TX
Accreditation:
NCATE accredited
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers only)
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with Science Education

Walden University (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Minneapolis, MN
Matching Online Program(s):
(for current teachers only)
Master of Science (M.S.) in Education - Literacy and Learning in the Content AreasMaster of Science (M.S.) in Education - Science (Grades K-8)Ph.D. in Education - Self-Designed

Western Governors University (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
100% Online
Accreditation:
NCATE accredited, TEAC accredited
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers and current teachers)
B.A. in Science (5-12 Biological Science)B.A. in Science (5-12 Chemistry)B.A. in Science (5-12 Geosciences)B.A. in Science (5-12 Physics)B.A. in Science (5-9)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Biological Science)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Chemistry)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Geosciences)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Physics)M.A. in Science Education (5-9)M.A. in Teaching - Science (5-9 or 5-12)Post-Bacc Teacher Prep Program - Science (5-9 or 5-12)Post-Bacc Teacher Prep Program (K-8)

WGU Indiana (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Indianapolis, IN
Accreditation:
NCATE accredited
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers and current teachers)
B.A. in Science (5-12 Biological Science)B.A. in Science (5-12 Chemistry)B.A. in Science (5-12 Geosciences)B.A. in Science (5-12 Physics)B.A. in Science (5-9)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Biological Science)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Chemistry)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Geosciences)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Physics)M.A. in Science Education (5-9)M.A. in Teaching - Science (5-9 or 5-12)Post-Bacc Teacher Prep Program - Science (5-9 or 5-12)Post-Bacc Teacher Prep Program (K-8)

WGU Washington (Featured)


Campus Location(s):
Seattle, WA
Matching Online Program(s):
(for aspiring teachers and current teachers)
B.A. in Science (5-12 Biological Science)B.A. in Science (5-12 Chemistry)B.A. in Science (5-12 Geosciences)B.A. in Science (5-12 Physics)B.A. in Science (5-9)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Biological Science)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Chemistry)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Geosciences)M.A. in Science Education (5-12 Physics)M.A. in Science Education (5-9)M.A. in Teaching - Science (5-9 or 5-12)Post-Bacc Teacher Prep Program - Science (5-9 or 5-12)Post-Bacc Teacher Prep Program (K-8)


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