Program Delivery

All of our Ph.D. specializations require a minimum of 57 graduate credits beyond a master’s degree. There are two pathways through the STEM Education Ph.D. specialization. In both pathways, a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field or STEM Education is a prerequisite for admission.

Pathway 1

This pathway is for interested students who hold both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in a relevant field. Candidates for this pathway will likely have experience teaching STEM in K-12 school(s), informal learning center(s), or at the collegiate level; hold undergraduate and master degrees in education, science, or a combination of education and science; and/or have evidence of progressive professional development experiences in STEM education.

Pathway 2

This pathway is for interested students who have not earned a master’s degree in a relevant STEM field or STEM education. Students will enroll concurrently in one of several UMaine master’s degree programs and the STEM Education Ph.D. program.

The following are some of the options for the master’s degree component of the program:

By design, there is substantial overlap between the course requirements of the MST program and the first two years of requirements for the STEM Ph.D. specialization. In consultation with their advisors, students in other master’s programs will plan their program of study so it fulfills requirements for the Ph.D. as well as the master’s degree.

In both Pathway 1 and Pathway 2, students will be required to pass milestones in order to continue to advance in the program. Details of these milestones will be provided by their advisor and the program once the student is admitted but entail a qualifying paper their first year, comprehensive exams and their defense at or near the end of coursework, a dissertation proposal and defense, and a dissertation and defense.