/Institute for STEM Education (I-STEM)
PHD in STEM Education

Program Requirements 

Students take a series of courses in STEM  education at the start of the program. The intent of these courses is to introduce the students to both the field of STEM  education and its related research, and to the professional competencies required in the field. On completion of these courses students are  prepared to take their qualifying doctoral examination and will have delineated a general thesis topic area. 

STEM Education Core Courses: 5 courses/15 credits

CSM 600  History and Philosophy of STEM Education
CSM 610  Nature and Practice of Science
CSM 620  STEM Teacher Education
CSM 630  STEM Education Research Seminar
CSM 640  Directed Study in STEM Education (may be taken more than once)

History and Philosophy of STEM Education. An introduction to the history of the field of STEM education and the related philosophical underpinnings. The course surveys  the major events, ideas and philosophies in the field and how these have changed over time. Particular focus is on the time period from approximately 1890 to the present day.

The Nature and Practice of Science. An overview of the nature and practice of science through the analysis of current issues in science. Through the extensive use of case studies, students  address questions such as: What is science? What distinguishes science from other ways of knowing? What standards of evidence and scientific explanations, processes, and conventions are used in science? What philosophical, social, ethical, and historical perspectives are important in understanding science?

STEM Teacher Education. Introduction to the historical, philosophical and pedagogical issues surrounding science teacher education. Introduction to the nature of the research that has been conducted on teacher education in the past and current trends.

STEM Education Research Seminar. Introduction to the major theoretical frameworks and paradigms in science education, including societal issues (gender, culture and diversity). Students are  required to critique research papers in the field and  conduct a literature review in their general thesis area.

Directed Study in STEM Education. In their fifth semester, students will individually complete a directed study with a faculty advisor. The intent of this course is to prepare the students for the doctoral qualifying examination and assist them in refining their research topics. (Offered each semester  after the introductory phase of the program).

 

Statistics and Research Methodology Courses: 3 courses/9 credits

These courses  include both quantitative  and qualitative methods courses. These courses are taken towards the start of the program and should be completed before students take their qualifying examination. The specific courses to be  taken depend upon the nature of the student’s’ dissertation research and will be determined in conjunction with faculty advisors and  requires both quantitative and qualitative courses to be completed.

 

Science Content Breadth and Depth Courses: Up to 4 courses/0-12 credits

The courses to be taken depend upon the type of master’s degree that the entering student holds. Students will be advised individually upon acceptance to the program as to their requirements in this area. Students holding a master’s degree in a specific scientific discipline may be required to complete graduate courses in other science disciplines. Students holding master's degrees in education may be required to complete graduate coursework in their scientific field. Students are advised individually upon acceptance to the program as to their requirements in this area.

 

Qualifying Examination

To ensure the quality of the program, students  complete a qualifying examination after their fifth semester and upon the completion of all the STEM education core courses. The qualifying examination will have three components:

  • Paper 1 : A common examination question for all students based on a topic from the STEM education core courses.
  • Paper 2: An individualized examination question, written by the student’s advisor, based upon a student’s dissertation research area
  • Paper 3: An oral presentation and defense of the two papers

 

Thesis

Thesis Proposal

Students are required to prepare and defend a dissertation proposal based on their proposed research. The students  present a formal written dissertation proposal that includes details of the research questions, theoretical framework, a literature review, the methods and measures chosen to answer the research questions and details of how the collected data will be analyzed. The proposal is presented and defended in an oral hearing before the dissertation committee, and revised as necessary prior to beginning work. If appropriate, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval to conduct the research will be secured. On satisfactory completion of the dissertation proposal and completion of 30 graduate credits at Stony Brook University, a recommendation for advancement towards candidacy is forwarded to the graduate school.

Independent Research: 18 credits minimally to include at least 12 credits in CSM 699: Dissertation Research on Campus. Students who have Breadth and depth requirements waived will have a commensurate increase in their independent research credits.

 

Thesis Research, Writing and Defense

The dissertation research outlined in the thesis proposal will be supervised by a committee, which will include both STEM education and STEM faculty.

The dissertation defense, which completes the requirement for the PhD consists of a public seminar presentation of the dissertation work followed by an oral examination before the dissertation examining committee.

Dissertation and Thesis Guidelines can be found on the Graduate School website.