Mathematics and Science Education Doctoral Program

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 like the University of Colorado, Brigham Young University, and the University of Wisconsin.

Program Goal

The goal of this program is 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

Read about the Sowder MSED Seminar Series for Spring 2018