MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PHYSICS EDUCATION
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers a graduate program that leads to the Master of Science Degree in Physics Education.
Our Program
This program is designed to improve the preparation of high school physics teachers. Graduates also are well-qualified for further advanced study at the Ph.D. level in such areas as physics education or science education.
Those entering the program must have at least the equivalent of an undergraduate minor in physics with a background in mathematics through multivariable calculus. Students who do not meet these requirements may be granted conditional admission which requires the completion of additional undergraduate course work in physics and/or mathematics. Admission is restricted to either in-service teachers or to those intending to enter the teaching profession.
The program is summarized in the table below
Required Courses
|
4 hours |
| PHY 650* |
New Approaches to Teaching Physics I |
|
2 |
| PHY 651* |
New Approaches to Teaching Physics II |
|
2 |
| |
|
|
|
Elective Courses in Physics
|
20-26 hours |
| Twenty to 26 hours selected in consultation with the graduate advisor. |
|
| |
|
|
|
Cognate Courses
|
0 - 6 hours |
| Zero to 6 hours selected in consultation with the graduate advisor. |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
30 hours |
| |
|
|
| *The PHY 650/PHY 651 requirement may be waived in exceptional cases upon department approval. |
Graduation requirements include successful completion of 30 semester hours of approved graduate credit, satisfactory performance on a comprehensive oral examination, and the successful completion of an essay in physics, the history of physics, or the teaching of physics.
No more than 9 semester hours of 400-level undergraduate courses approved for graduate credit may be used on any program.
