Graduate Programs

 

The Mathematics and Science Education Doctoral Program (MSED) is administered jointly by the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and San Diego State University (SDSU). In this program, students with a baccalaureate and master's degree in mathematics, biology, chemistry, or physics complement their discipline knowledge with studies of how people learn mathematics and science. MSED offers a supportive environment where students pursue their own research interests while working closely with faculty on both campuses. MSED graduates have secured faculty positions at institutions across the United States. 
 

Program Goals

The goals of this program are to educate individuals who will:

• Address issues of what students learn and how they learn it when studying mathematical and scientific subjects;
• Be well-versed both in a subject area (biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics) and in the cognitive issues related to learning and teaching that subject;
• Contribute to the growing body of knowledge about cognitive processes in scientific and mathematical understanding;
• Apply knowledge gained from research and scholarly inquiry to instructional and curricular development; and
• Influence educational policy and discourse in formal and informal settings through their work as scholars of mathematics and science education.

For more information, including information on admissions, please visit the MSED web site.

To make a donation directly to MSED, click on the link: Give to MSED. Then:

• Enter the Donation Amount. 100% of your money will go to the MSED Benefactor's Fund.
• Leave the "Other" field blank.
• Fill out the rest of the form. 

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Focus on K-12 Mathematics and Science Teaching

Offered through the School of Teacher Education, we seek K-12 teachers who are interested in exploring how to teach math and science more effectively. You do not need to be a math or science expert to join the program. You do, however, need to have an interest in furthering your knowledge of math and science ideas in the K-12 curriculum; of how children think about math and science; of how math and science instruction can empower all children rather than an elite few; and of how research can improve instruction. Prerequisites include a teaching credential. Coursework includes the opportunity to add on credentials in secondary mathematics and science teaching.

For more information on the K-12 Mathematics and Science Teaching program, click here.

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Community College or Secondary Mathematics Teaching

Offered through the Mathematics Education division of the Department of Mathematics, the Master of Arts in Teaching Service (MATS) program offers two specializations: community college teaching and secondary school teaching.  The community college specialization is designed for students with strong undergraduate preparation in mathematics and may be used to satisfy the requirements for teaching at the community college level. The secondary school specialization is designed to strengthen the mathematical background of secondary teachers, while providing course work to better understand the learning and teaching of mathematics in grades 7-12. For more information, visit the MATS program website. 

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with a focus in PK-12 Science and Mathematics Education

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in PK-12 School Leadership was the first independent doctoral degree within the CSU system and remains the largest. San Diego State University’s Ed.D. Program was initiated in response to a critical shortage of highly qualified educational leaders. The Ed.D. Program, with a focus on science and mathematics education, was founded with the goal of producing leaders who will be agents of change for the implementation of positive reform in science and mathematics education. Supported by research, the Ed.D. Program facilitates the pathway for doctoral students to be optimally prepared to translate theory into practice in an actionable and effective way. 

Designed for experienced science and/or mathematics education professionals interested in advancing their research and leadership skills, the 3-year program is intended for those who strive to leverage their individual impact by becoming critical thinkers informed through scholarly literature, collaborative problem solvers, and ultimately transformational agents of positive change. Experiences in the Ed.D. program are tailored to the candidates’ interests and goals through apprenticeships, program evaluation projects, practicum opportunities, presentations, and independent research. Candidates will find coursework actionable by design, with the goal of of producing educational leaders who improve science and mathematics education via: 

• understanding of organizational change and strategy
• exploration of equitable and ethical resource management
• implementation of effective and student-centered instructional leadership
• facilitation of clear two-way communication
• recognition and valuing of K-12 students' scientific and mathematical thinking
• production of reflective and mutually beneficial collaboration

The graduating class of 2022 in the Ed.D. PK-12 School Leadership with a Focus on Science and Mathematics Education have diverse backgrounds within education, including:

• High school principals
• Charter school directors
• District Science and Math Specialists and Resource Teachers
• 6-12 Mathematics teachers
• 6-12 Science teachers
• K-5 teachers
• County Offices of Education employees
• Executive Directors of informal science education organizations
• Non-Formal science education directors
• Curriculum writers

Applications for the next cohort will be available in Fall 2024.    

For more information about the Ed.D. Program and application instruction, please see the SDSU Educational Leadership website.

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