Associates Degree in Science Education

Students with an interest in research and/or university teaching usually start with an associate's degree. These programs emphasize intensive study in an area of specialization, leading to the development or extension of theory and research in the major field. The program in science education prepares scholars to conduct thoughtful research as educational leaders, university faculty members, and policy makers, and to contribute meaningfully to the science field. These programs are perfect for aspiring college and university science educators, research directors, and those seeking major supervisory posts in national, state, and local systems or positions in medical or allied health education. Find school requirements below to get started

Science education is broad and includes science and environmental education in early childhood, at the K-12 levels, the college level, and in informal adult settings. AA programs often require many coursework, research document, examination, seminar presentation, and practicum research requirements. They provide students research and teaching opportunities relevant to their area of interest through teaching pre-service courses, supervising student teachers, and grant work. Students should collaborate with current faculty research projects in addition to developing their own independent scholarship. Focus areas of research within the science education area are the preparation of pre-service science teachers (K-12), induction and mentoring of beginning science teachers, design and implementation of curriculum through college, environmental education, cooperative learning, and social justice.

They encourage students to continue developing their own historical and professional paradigms that have influenced contemporary educational thought. Students obtain knowledge in many areas including the social meaning of the professions, the relationship between theory and practice, the nature of the client-professional relationship, a professional's role in society, and the institutional contexts conducive to professional practice. Students learn about the political, social, and moral ideals used to guide and justify professional activities within education. Students use historical case studies and comparative analysis to develop critical perspectives about professional practice in education. They demonstrate knowledge in influential cultural, historical, and professional contexts. Students learn about the conception of the social sciences and qualitative, survey, and experimental methodologies, as well as beginning statistics.

Science education students typically take courses in teaching theory and research, assessment, quantitative and qualitative research methods, leadership, advanced pedagogy, teacher education, and educational research in addition to graduate level science classes. Curriculum content examination, evaluation, design, and organization encompass other topics studied. Educational psychology, education institutions and processes, instruction design and constructivism, and dissertation proposals and research are additional classes often offered in science education doctoral programs. Other coursework includes science education history, teaching and learning, staff development, policy, and scholarship research.

Once you are done with your Bachelor's degree a Ph.D. students must often complete dissertations and research apprenticeships typically supervised by a faculty member. Most doctoral programs also require students to submit educational portfolios to provide a basis for evaluating their degree progress. It is an organized, selective collection of documents designed to facilitate a student's academic and professional development. It represents the scope and depth of a student's goals, plans, and accomplishments in independent study, coursework, research, internships, and other activities. The portfolio thus provides self-reflection and a comprehensive record of a student's experiences and ongoing progress toward their academic and professional goals.