Program Overview

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Graduate Certificate: Secondary Education-Science Education

The Secondary Education graduate certificate program in Science Education is designed to ensure that students graduate with a deep understanding of learning and teaching, as well as a commitment to pre-adolescent learners from diverse ethnic, economic, and geographic backgrounds. The program focuses on building content-specific pedagogical knowledge aligned with academic standards and the developmental needs of secondary students.

About the Certificate

The Secondary Education graduate program's Science Education specialization follows the standards and recommendations of leading science education professional organizations, such as the Next Generation Science Standards. The curriculum is designed to provide candidates with knowledge of the interests and abilities of students at different levels of science achievement. The program emphasizes problem-solving skills, scientific thinking processes, and methods of actively engaging children and young adults in their own learning.

Time Limit for Certificate Completion

The graduate certificate can be completed within 4 years.

Campus Location

The program is offered on the Main campus.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status

The graduate certificate can be completed on a part-time basis. Note that international students may not be eligible to apply for a student visa based on admission to the certificate program.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline

• March 1
• November 1
• Summer II: March 1

Letters of Reference

• Number Required: 2
• From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained to provide insight regarding the applicant's academic competence. References from college/university faculty are recommended.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration

Significant coursework (i.e., the equivalent of a minor or better) and/or professional experience related to the intended certification area are preferred.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline

A bachelor's degree is required. A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is expected.

Transcripts

Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all accredited institutions attended and/or from which credit was earned must be submitted.

International Applicants

International applicants must also submit an official document, including a course-by-course evaluation conducted by a NACES-accredited organization, that validates completion and conferral of a degree, diploma, and/or certificate.

Statement of Goals

In 500 to 1,000 words, outline your interest in seeking a master's degree with a specific focus on the career to which you aspire, your interests, and your academic and job-related experiences that are relevant to the program.

Standardized Test Scores

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master's degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 79
• IELTS Academic: 6.5
• PTE Academic: 53

Resume

A current resume is required.

Transfer Credit

Courses may be transferred from an accredited institution provided they were completed less than five years ago, are considered current, and are relevant to the certificate. The academic program makes the decision about the relevancy of the courses. Aligned with Graduate School policy, no more than 20% of the credits required for the certificate may be transferred.

Clearances

All admitted students must submit copies of the required Pennsylvania criminal background check, FBI criminal history, Child Abuse check, and TB test to the College of Education and Human Development's Office of Field Placement prior to enrolling in their first term.

Certificate Requirements

Number of Credits Required to Complete the Certificate

19 credits are required to complete the certificate.

Required Courses

The following courses are required:

• SPED 5106: Literacy Instruction for Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
• MGSE 5405: Teaching Science in the Middle Grades (3 credits)
• TESL 5631: Foundations of Language Teaching: Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners (3 credits)
• MGSE 5796 or TESL 5613: Literacy and Differentiation in the Academic Areas, 7-12 or Multilingual Students' Literacy Development (3 credits)
• MGSE 5146: Teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Through Project Based Instruction (3 credits)
• EDUC 5888: Supervised Teaching (4 credits)

Department Information

The Department of Teaching and Learning is located in the College of Education and Human Development, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA.