STEM Education, M.S.

At Florida Tech, you’ll study in an environment that lives and breathes science, technology, engineering and math—that's why we're known as Florida’s STEM University.

With a long-standing reputation for excellence in STEM fields and decades of experience in STEM-focused teacher education, Florida Tech is the ideal place to grow your career and make a lasting difference in education.

Students in the STEM education master's program undertake research projects that span a variety of topics.

Projects have included:

• Reviews of educational materials and resources
• Curriculum development
• Development and piloting of teaching materials
• Needs assessment and program evaluation
• Development and piloting of assessment tools and procedures
• Survey-based studies
• Reviews of research or theoretical literature

Many have conducted research for a specific program, both within our region and far beyond it.

M.S. students have participated in and presented their work at state conferences such as the Florida Association of Science Teachers and the Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and national/international conferences, such as the National Science Teaching Association, the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the Future of Education Technology Conference. Many have published their work, as well.

STEM is more than science and math. Many organizations in the U.S. follow the guidelines of the National Science Foundation (NSF), which uses a broader definition of STEM subjects that includes subjects in the fields of chemistry, computer and information technology science, engineering, geosciences, the life sciences, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, the social sciences (anthropology, economics, psychology and sociology) and STEM education and learning research.

This comprehensive approach ensures that various disciplines contributing to the advancement of knowledge and innovation are included under the STEM umbrella.

Florida Tech’s location in the heart of the Space Coast, home to one of the nation’s largest high-tech and research-driven workforces, offers outstanding opportunities for STEM education students.

You’ll be near leading companies, research labs, government agencies and environmental organizations, making it an ideal setting for internships, collaboration and career development. Our 130-acre campus is just south of NASA-Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, a region where science and innovation thrive.

Outside the lab, enjoy 72 miles of Atlantic coastline, the biodiverse Indian River Lagoon and easy access to the Florida Keys and Orlando’s world-famous attractions—a perfect mix of academic focus and coastal living.

The thesis option involves individual research work under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty on a selected topic. Students pursuing the thesis option complete a research project and present their findings in an oral thesis defense. Instructor approval is required for this option.

The nonthesis option concludes with a comprehensive oral examination. This option may involve supervised individual research or an in-depth case study focused on a specific issue or topic in science education, conducted under the guidance of a faculty member. This is the required option for those in the elementary science education specialization.

Applicants to the program should hold a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) or a related area of K-16 education, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Candidates with degrees in other fields are also welcome but may need to take preparatory courses to support their success in graduate-level STEM education.

Some teaching experience can be helpful but is not required—our program is designed to support a variety of learners ready to advance their expertise in STEM education.

For more information, please see our graduate admission requirements.