The PhD Program in STEM Education at Stony Brook offers a rigorous program of graduate study emphasizing core knowledge from the traditional field of Science Education as well as the emerging fields of Discipline-Based Educational Research (DBER) and the Learning Sciences.
This program provides graduate education for those who wish to work as:
- university or college STEM educators, directing STEM teacher education programs, working closely with schools and school systems on local, state and national STEM projects;
- university research or policy specialists, with the bulk of their time spent on guiding research on various aspects of STEM instruction;
- directors and supervisors in K-12 school systems, covering the design and implementation of STEM programs at local, county and state levels; and,
- classroom teachers with improved knowledge of STEM education theory and practice.
A carefully sequenced series of STEM education core courses and research experiences, coupled with exposure to STEM education events at state and national levels, provide the backbone of the program. Students are introduced to current STEM education research areas such as STEM learning, STEM teaching (physics, chemistry, biology, earth science and math), curriculum and assessment (nature and history of science, scientific literacy, reform), STEM teacher education (professional development, teacher knowledge) and societal issues (gender, culture and diversity).
As part of the coursework students are required to complete research projects, write and submit articles for publication, make presentations at STEM education conferences and learn to use computer and library research resources.
Beyond the STEM education core coursework, students are required to take courses in statistics and research methodologies; they complete breadth and depth requirements in STEM content areas and undertake independent research under the guidance of advisors in STEM education and in their STEM cognate discipline. Part-time students can complete the program in approximately five to six years.