This program is a named option in the Curriculum & Instruction MS.

The secondary science program is a streamlined, graduate-level program that prepares students for a teaching license both in a specific content area at the secondary level (grades 4-12) and to work with English language learners (ESL certification). Additional information may be found at https://uwteach.education.wisc.edu. 

The program spans two summers and an intervening academic year. Throughout this time, students take graduate-level courses and engage in fieldwork associated with those courses. To earn the degree, students must complete a master's project. 

Notes: A teacher certification program is offered as a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction with various named options: English, mathematics, science, social studies, and world language. Candidates may apply for more than one content area. However, they will only be allowed to enroll in one area at a time. 

Elementary teacher certification is not available through the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Master's program. Students who desire elementary teacher certification should contact Education Academic Services.

Admissions

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

Graduate Admissions Requirements

Requirements	Detail
Fall Deadline	This program does not admit in the fall.
Spring Deadline	This program does not admit in the spring.
Summer Deadline	January 15
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations)	May be required in certain cases; consult program.
English Proficiency Test	Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not exclusively in English, must provide an English proficiency test score earned within two years of the anticipated term of enrollment, participate in a discussion with the ESL team and meet the Graduate School minimum requirements. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241.
Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT)	PRAXIS 2 content exam may be required if the breadth of coursework does not match licensing content standards.
Letters of Recommendation Required	2

Deadline

The application deadline above is for early admission and priority scholarship consideration. The program will continue to review domestic applications through May. The program will review international applicants through mid-March.

Admissions Requirements

Funding

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Information

Students enrolled in this program are not eligible to receive tuition remission from graduate assistantship appointments at this institution.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Named Option Requirements

Mode of Instruction

Mode of Instruction

Face to Face	Evening/Weekend	Online	Hybrid	Accelerated
Yes	No	No	No	Yes

Mode of Instruction Definitions

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

Curricular Requirements

University General Education Requirements

Requirements	Detail
Minimum Credit Requirement	30 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement	30 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement	24 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244.
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement	3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203.
Other Grade Requirements	Students must earn a B average or above in all coursework to earn the MS. For teaching certification, a candidate must earn a B or better in each course. If a candidate does not earn a B or better additional coursework may be required.
Assessments and Examinations	PRAXIS subject test may be required if breadth of coursework does not match licensing content standards.
Language Requirements	Candidates must demonstrate advanced proficiency in English to acquire the English as a Second Language certification.

Required Courses

There are five distinct content-area programs within the UW-Madison Teacher Certification Program (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Language). Students are admitted to one of these areas. Students in each of the five areas take classes and participate in school field experiences with students from across the subject areas. Teaching and learning about English as a Second Language (ESL) is a co-equal area of certification and is infused throughout the program.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Summer 1 (Full Time - Mid-June to Late August) 1
Coursework
ED POL 600	Problems in Educational Policy	3
CURRIC 736	Educating Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Learners	2
CURRIC 737	Linguistics for Educators	2
CURRIC 735	Epistemic Practice and Science Teaching	2
Fieldwork 1
CURRIC 510	Community-Based Practicum 2	2
Fall: Academic Semester 1 (Full Time - Early September to Mid-January) 3
Coursework
CURRIC 507	Inclusive Education in Secondary Schools	2
ED PSYCH 621	Adolescent Development in Educational Contexts	2
CURRIC 390	Teaching of Science in Secondary Schools	3
CURRIC 673	Learning Second Language and Literacies	2
CURRIC 729	Classroom Management for Secondary Educators	1
Fieldwork 3
CURRIC 511	School-Based Practicum 2	1-4
CURRIC 495	Student Teaching in Science in the Middle School 4	2-12
or CURRIC 490	Student Teaching in Science in the High School
Spring: Academic Semester 2 (Full Time - Mid-January to Early June) 5
Coursework
CURRIC 590	Advanced Practices in the Teaching of Science	3
CURRIC 674	Advanced Methods in Teaching English as a Second Language 6	3
Fieldwork 3
CURRIC 490	Student Teaching in Science in the High School *	2-12
or CURRIC 495	Student Teaching in Science in the Middle School
CURRIC 675	General Seminar 4	1
Summer 2 (Full Time - Early June to Early August) 7
Coursework
ELPA 640	Legal Rights and Responsibilities for Teachers	1
CURRIC 747	Masters Capstone in Teacher Education 7	3
Total Credits		30

¹

The focus of this summer semester includes a field experience in the local community intended to involve program students with adolescents from diverse backgrounds. The university courses present assignments for students to carry out in the practicum sites. Within the content domain, program students will consider how academic subject knowledge is and should be translated into the curriculum.

²

CURRIC 510 Community-Based Practicum is typically taken for 2-3 credits and CURRIC 511 School-Based Practicum is typically taken for 1 credit.

³

In this semester, program students are placed in local secondary schools. University courses provide assignments for students in their practicum sites and present concepts useful for understanding schooling, teaching, and students. Topics addressed across coursework include teaching methods to engage with all students, universal curriculum design, understanding contemporary adolescence, and theories of literacy and strategies in learning languages.

⁴

Fall student teaching is typically 4 credits and spring student teaching is typically 8 credits, and includes a 1 credit seminar. Field-based courses are required for certification.

⁵

Program students will be immersed in a semester of student teaching. University course work provides assignments for students to carry out in their student teaching as well as concepts and practices that will enhance their instructional effectiveness. During this semester, each student will prepare and teach an instructional unit incorporating concepts and theories from all previous semesters. The instructional unit exercise will also provide evidence for the Performance Assessment Portfolio.

⁶

Recommended but not required for the master's degree.

⁷

In the final summer, MS-Science students will complete their master's projects under the direction of their capstone instructor and advisor.

Students will also complete a Performance Assessment Portfolio including artifacts demonstrating proficiency on each of the School of Education’s Teaching Standards.

Students in this program may not take courses outside the prescribed curriculum without faculty advisor and program director approval. Students in this program cannot enroll concurrently in other undergraduate or graduate degree programs.

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions

Students may not transfer graduate credits earned at other institutions.

Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison

Students may not transfer undergraduate credits earned at other institutions or UW-Madison.

Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)

Students may not transfer credits earned as a professional student at UW-Madison.

Credits Earned as a University Special student at UW–Madison

Students may not transfer credits earned as a University Special student at UW-Madison.

Probation

Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.

Advisor / Committee

All students are required to have an advisor. An advisor is assigned to all incoming students. To ensure that they are making satisfactory progress toward a degree, students should meet with their advisor on a regular basis.

The advisor serves as the primary contact within the program and approves the candidate's capstone project. Students can be suspended from the program if they do not have an advisor.

Credits Per Term Allowed

15 credits

Time Limits

Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
  • Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

School of Education Grievance Policy and Procedures

The following School of Education Student Grievance Policy and associated procedures are designed for use in response to individual student grievances regarding faculty or staff in the School of Education.

Any individual student who feels they have been treated unfairly by a School of Education faculty or staff member has the right to file a grievance about the treatment and receive a timely response addressing their concerns. Any student, undergraduate or graduate, may use these grievance procedures, except employees whose complaints are covered under other campus policies. The grievance may concern classroom treatment, mentoring or advising, program admission or continuation, course grades (study abroad grade complaints are handled through International Academic Programs), or issues not covered by other campus policies or grievance procedures. 

For grievances regarding discrimination based on protected bases (i.e., race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, etc.), contact the Office of Compliance (https://compliance.wisc.edu/eo-complaint/).

For grievances or concerns regarding sexual harassment or sexual violence (including sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking, and sexual exploitation), contact the Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program within the Office of Compliance.

For grievances that involve the behavior of a student, contact the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards in the Dean of Students Office at https://conduct.students.wisc.edu/).

For grievances about, or directed at, faculty or staff in a School of Education department, unit, or program, students should follow these steps:

1. Students are strongly encouraged to first talk with the person against whom the concern is directed. Many issues can be settled informally at this level. If students are unable to resolve concerns directly or without additional support, step 2 or 3 should be pursued.
2. If unresolved after taking or considering step 1:
   1. If the concern is directed against a teaching assistant (TA), and the student is not satisfied, the student should contact the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. The course professor will attempt to resolve the concern informally.
   2. If the concern involves a non-TA instructor, staff member, professor, academic department, or School of Education office or unit, the student should contact the chair of the department or the director of the office or unit, or their designee. The chair or director, or their designee, will attempt to resolve the concern informally. If the concern is about the department chair or office/unit director, the student should consult the School of Education Senior Associate Dean for guidance.
3. If the concern remains unresolved after step 2, the student may submit a formal grievance to the chair or director in writing within 30 business days¹ of the alleged unfair treatment. To the fullest extent possible, a formal written grievance shall contain a clear and concise statement of the issue(s) involved and the relief sought.  
4. On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will notify the person at whom the grievance is directed with a copy of the written grievance. The person at whom the complaint is directed may submit a written response, which would be shared with the student.
5. On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will refer the matter to a department, office, or unit committee comprised of at least two members. The committee may be an existing committee or one constituted for this purpose. The committee, or delegates from the committee, may meet with the parties involved and/or review any material either party shares with the committee.  
6. The committee will provide a written description of the facts of the grievance and communicate recommendations to the department chair or office/unit head regarding how the grievance should be handled.
7. The chair or director will offer to meet with the student who made the grievance and also will provide a written decision to the student, including a description of any related action taken by the committee, within 30 business days of receiving the formal grievance.

   ¹

   For the purpose of this policy, business days refers to those days when the University Offices are open and shall not include weekends, university holidays, spring recess, or the period from the last day of exams of fall semester instruction to the first day of spring semester instruction. All time limits may be modified by mutual consent of the parties involved.

If the grievance concerns an undergraduate course grade, the decision of the department chair after reviewing the committee’s recommendations is final. 

Other types of grievances may be appealed using the following procedures:

1. Both the student who filed the grievance or the person at whom the grievance was directed, if unsatisfied with the decision of the department, office or unit, have five (5) business days from receipt of the decision to contact the Senior Associate Dean, indicating the intention to appeal.   
2. A written appeal must be filed with the Senior Associate Dean within 10 business days of the time the appealing party was notified of the initial resolution of the complaint.
3. On receipt of a written appeal, the Senior Associate Dean will convene a sub-committee of the School of Education’s Academic Planning Council. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and/or may hold a meeting at which both parties will be asked to speak separately (i.e., not in the room at the same time).
4. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the Dean of the School of Education, or their designee, who will render a decision. The dean or designee’s written decision shall be made within 30 business days from the date when the written appeal was filed with the Senior Associate Dean.  For undergraduate students, the dean or designee’s decision is final.

Further appealing a School of Education decision – graduate students only

Graduate students have the option to appeal decisions by the School of Education dean or designee by using the process detailed on the Graduate School’s website.

Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Education Dean's Office, 377 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608-262-1763.

Resources

• Office of Compliance (for discrimination based on protected classes, including misconduct) 179A Bascom Hall, 608-262-2378
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts between students, or academic integrity violations) 70 Bascom Hall, 608-263-5700
• Bias or Hate Reporting (for students who experience or observe bias or hate incidents)  70 Bascom Hall, 608-263-5700
• Graduate School (for graduate students who need informal advice at any level of review; for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions, see Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures) 217 Bascom Hall, 608-262-2433
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for UW–Madison employees, including graduate students) 523-524 Lowell Center, 608-265-9992
• Employee Assistance (for conflicts involving graduate assistants and other employees) 256 Lowell Hall, 608-263-2987
• Office of Human Resources for policies and procedures to address workplace conflict) 21 N Park Street Suite 5101, 608-265-2257
• Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for any students needing advice or support) 70 Bascom Hall, 608-263-5700
• School of Education, Office of Student Services (for students, particularly undergraduates, in the School of Education) 139 Education Building, 608-262-1651
• School of Education, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) 145 Education Building, 608-262-8427

Other

n/a

Professional Development

Graduate School Resources

Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

People

Faculty: Professors Agarwal, Baker, L. Berland, M. Berland, Bullock, Feinstein, Ghousseini, Grant, E. Halverson, Hassett, Hawkins, Hess, Ho, YJ Kim, C. Kirchgasler, K. Kirchgasler, Louie, Machado, McDonald,  McKinney de Royston, Pacheco, Popkewitz, LJ Randolph Jr., Roman, Rudolph, Russ, Stoddard, Vieira, Wardrip.

For more information about respective members of the faculty, see People on the department website.