Current MST Students
Program Requirements
CORE REQUIREMENTS: 21 credits
- SMT 500 – Ed. Psych. with Applications to Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning [3 credits]
- Two graduate methods courses integrating content, research, and pedagogy (SMT 501–506) [6 credits]
- SMT 586 – Seminar in Secondary STEM Teaching [1 credit]
- SMT 587 – Seminar in Secondary STEM Teaching (Field experience) [1 credit]
- SMT 588 – Seminar in Science and Mathematics Education Research [1 credit]
- EHD 573 – Statistical Methods in Education I [3 credits]
- INT 601 – Responsible Conduct of Research [1 credit]
- MST 699 – Master’s thesis on STEM education research [5 credits]
- Supervised practice as a teaching assistant for two semester-long courses
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 12 credits
For students seeking initial teacher certification:
- SED 500 – Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities [3 credits]
- One 400–600 level course related to diversity in teaching and learning [3 credits]
- SMT 590 – Seminar for Teaching Interns (taken concurrently with SMT 591) [1 credit]
- SMT 591 – Secondary Student Teaching (supervised practicum at the high school level) [5 credits]
- Documented experience working with students from groups under-represented in STEM
For students NOT seeking certification:
- Twelve additional credits of content-rich courses [12 credits]
For a pdf checklist of all program requirements, please email: mstinfo@maine.edu.
Suggested Timelines
Please note these timelines serve as guidelines for successful completion of the MST program in two years. However, we work with each MST student to create a personalized experience catered to individual needs.
Those pursuing the non-certification track have more flexibility. However, we recommend fulfilling the core requirements within your first year of the program.
Email mstinfo@maine.edu to see the suggested timelines. In your email include if you are a certification or non-certification track and if you have started or plan to start in the fall or spring semester.
Certification
Initial Certification
The Master of Science in Teaching (MST) program may be used as a means for students to progress toward qualifying for secondary mathematics, life science and physical science teacher certifications in Maine. Students taking MST core courses, and carefully selecting electives, will meet many of the Professional Education Requirements.
The RiSE Center adheres to CAEP Accreditation Standards. The MST program is designed to progress our graduate students through two years of course work, research, and practical in-classroom experience. Students are assessed using the Council of Chief State School Officers InTASC and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards throughout their academic progression.
Applying for Certification
It is the responsibility of MST students desiring certification to work directly with the State of Maine Certification Office to determine all that must be done to qualify. To that end, all MST students desiring certification are encouraged to have the State Certification Office conduct an analysis of their transcripts early in their MST program of study. This process provides each student with documentation of exactly what certification requirements they have met, and which ones they must still meet.
The MST faculty and staff will work closely with students to help them proceed toward meeting the certification requirements.
Certification Requirements can be found on the Maine DOE website.
From the DOE website (5/27/2025)
STudent Teaching
Student teaching is a great way to gain classroom teaching experience with the support and guidance of an experienced classroom teacher!
All students seeking teacher certification will need to complete a semester of student teaching (15 weeks). Students usually complete their student teaching assignment during their second spring semester of the program. During this program MSTs are partnered with a mentor teacher who teaches the grade level and subject area for which the MST is interested in attaining certification. Usually students begin this program by observing the class and learning from the mentor teacher. Over time the student teacher’s role will become more active as they eventually take the lead in instructing the majority, if not all, of the mentor teacher’s classes.
Email mstinfo@maine.edu for a copy of the MST Student Teacher Handbook.
While student teaching, MSTs also take a seminar course that is paired with the student teaching experience (SMT 591). During this class student teachers will reflect on their teaching experiences and develop a teaching portfolio. This class meets in the evenings, approximately six times throughout the course of the spring semester.
In your first year of the MST program, you must complete the following items to APPLY for student teaching:
- Be fingerprinted and registered with ME DOE and submit evidence to the MST graduate coordinator (this can take several weeks so be proactive)
- Pass the PRAXIS I and II exams
- Take SED 500: Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities with a B+ or higher
- Take one course on diversity-centered content
- Take SMT 500: Educational Psychology with Applications to Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning
- Successfully taken the content course(s) associated with the classroom in which the internship will be held (B+ or higher)
Thesis Information
The MST program seeks to build a culture of evidence within its students and faculty by using assessments formatively to guide instruction and summatively to evaluate teaching and learning. The thesis work that MST students do provides opportunities for in-depth study of important problems in teaching and learning, including design of reliable, valid instruments, collection and analysis of data, and drawing conclusions and making recommendations based upon evidence.
The MST is a 33 credit hour Master’s Degree program containing courses that integrate discipline-specific content and research-based instructional strategies. Five of the required 33 hours are devoted to the completion of an educational research thesis project. Used herein, the term “educational research” encompasses all systematic inquiry into the teaching and/or learning of science, mathematics or computer science leading to the development of new knowledge about teaching and/or learning.
The MST program works with RiSE Faculty from a variety of STEM disciplines to find the right project for incoming students. Each student will have a faculty advisor and two committee members to guide them through the nuances of education research and the process of completing a thesis. Students conducting research for their MST thesis projects will:
- Identify a unique education research question.
- Identify existing research relevant to this question, and apply it to the context of the project.
- Collect, reduce, analyze, and interpret data appropriate to the research question.
- Draw conclusions from the analysis, at the proper level of generality, and articulate their significance.
- Recognize and explain the limitations of the study and suggest, as appropriate, future study topics.
Sample Research Questions
The following are examples of appropriate research questions and are presented as guides to help establish the breadth of this field of study. Please take note of the range of settings and scales for the studies.
- Is the construction of three-dimensional models from topographic maps an effective strategy for teaching seventh graders how the maps depict the lay-of-the-land?
- What pre-existing ideas do ninth graders have about the use of variables in algebraic equations?
- Is peer-led team-learning an effective strategy for improving the understanding of chemistry students in high enrollment introductory courses in college?
- What epistemological beliefs do students possess about learning in introductory biology laboratories? How do differences in their beliefs impact their learning?
- When introductory physics is listed as a prerequisite for taking geophysics, what specific content knowledge does the geophysics professor assume the students will possess, and do the students possess it? Do the students with this knowledge do better in geophysics?
MST Theses
You can explore MST student theses in the UMaine Digital Commons.
Forms
MST program of Study Form
Submit prior to the completion of 12 credit hours
Teaching Observation Protocol
Use during student teaching.
Email mstinfo@maine.edu for a copy of the Teaching Observation Protocol.
Completion of Degree Requirements
Requires a Program of Study.
Notice of Oral Examination
Submit at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled defense.
Tentative Thesis Acceptance Form
Submit 5 business days prior to thesis defense, to be complete by your advisor
Oral Examination and Final Project/Thesis/Dissertation Acceptance Form
Resources
IRB Compliance:
All research projects involving human subjects must comply with the University of Maine Policy and Procedure for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research (see Office of Research Compliance website). Before starting their thesis project, students must complete two steps to ensure they are in compliance:
Complete the online Institutional Review Board (IRB) training.
- IRB Overview – Information and directions to complete this online training course
- IRB Training – The training takes 4-5 hours and is valid for 4 years after completion
After the online training is complete, students should complete and submit an application form to the IRB for approval of their research project.
- Forms and Samples – Cover page, instructions, examples, etc.
- Application Deadlines – Application review takes several weeks, so students should plan ahead
UMaine Grad School:
- Oral Defense Notification – To be filled out at least 2 weeks prior to oral defense
- Graduate School Forms page
- Graduate School: Thesis resources
ME Department of Education:
Questions?
Get in touch with our program coordinator by emailing mstinfo@maine.edu.