Become a Science Teacher
Master of Arts in Teaching Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics.
The Master of Arts in Teaching programs in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics prepare prospective teachers for New York State certification in the secondary schools (grades 7-12), with an extension option for grades 5-6.
This program is designed for those who have little or no previous coursework in education or formal classroom teaching experience. Candidates admitted may also qualify for a General Science Extension for grades 7-12.
In Stony Brook University's distributed teacher education model, each MAT program is a collaboration between the academic departments (for content courses) and the School of Professional Development (for professional education courses).
MAT students take their science content courses through the University's departments of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences and Physics, where they learn from SBU's prestigious faculty and gain deep subject-level expertise.
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Degree Program
The degree program consists of 44 credits, distributed among the areas listed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is three credits. All degree requirements must be completed within five (5) years from the semester date of admission as a matriculated student.
Graduate Science Courses — 15 credits
Courses are selected with the approval of a departmental advisor. The following are sample programs.
Biology (HEGIS 0401)
Core courses (select 3 of the following)
- CEB 546 Current Topics in Biotechnology
- CEB 547 Current Topics in Molecular Genetics
- CEB 553 Biology of Human Behavior
- CEB 554 Current Topics in Immunology
- CEB 556 Ecology
Plus two of the following*
- CEB 505 History of the Long Island Environment
- CEB 557 Forensic Science
- CEB 548 Current Topics in Microbiology
- CEB 549 Laboratory Science Curriculum Development
- CEN 508/CHE 593 Demonstrations in Chemistry
*With prior approval of the MAT Biology program director, you may choose a content course from one of the masters or PhD programs in Marine Science, Genetics, Molecular & Cellular Biology and Ecology & Evolution to satisfy requirements in this area.
Earth Science (HEGIS 1917)
Each student’s content curriculum within the Earth Science MAT will be predicated on background preparation. For further information visit the Department of Geosciences.
Chemistry (HEGIS 1905)
- CHE 501 Instrumental Methods in Chemistry
- CHE 504 Structure and Reactivity in Organic Chemistry
- CHE 507 Biomolecular Structure and Reactivity
- CHE 511 Structural Inorganic Chemistry
- CHE 590 Master's Term Paper
Physics (HEGIS 1902)
- PHY 570 Introductory Physics Revisited for Teachers
- PHY 571 Electromagnetic Theory for Teachers
- PHY 573 Mechanics for Teachers
- PHY 576 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics for Teachers
- PHY 578 Quantum Physics for Teachers
Professional Studies in Education — 23 credits
- CEE 505 Education: Theory and Practice
- CEF 547 Principles and Practices of Special Education
- CEE 565 Human Development (formerly PSY 595)
- CEE 594 Language Acquisition and Literacy Development (formerly LIN 544)
- SCI 510 Introduction to Science Teaching (co-requisite SCI 549)
- SCI 520 Science Teaching Methods (prerequisite SCI 510; co-requisite SCI 550)
- SCI 549 Clinical Experience I (one-credit; co-requisite SCI 510)
- SCI 550 Clinical Experience II (one-credit; prerequisite SCI 549; co-requisite SCI 520)
- SCI 554 Student Teaching Seminar (prerequisites SCI 510, 520, 549, 550, CEE 505, CEE 565, CEE 594, and CEF 547, and all content courses required for completion of the degree; interview with and permission of Science Education Committee ; and matriculation in degree [MAT/BIO, CHE, ESS, or PHY] program. Co-requisites SCI 551 and SCI 552.)
Supervised Student Teaching
- SCI 551 Supervised Student Teaching High School Grades 10-12: Science (prerequisites SCI 510, 520, 549 and 550; co-requisite sSCI 552 & SCI 554)
- SCI 552 Supervised Student Teaching Middle School Grades 7-9: Science (prerequisites SCI 510, 520, 549 and 550; co-requisites SCI 551 & SCI 554)
Written Project
Students will be required to complete a teaching project approved by the sponsoring department.
Teacher Certification
Stony Brook University requires that students must have completed an undergraduate degree and have at least 36 credits in the content field for admission to the MAT program. This course of study should be substantially the equivalent to that of a Stony Brook undergraduate degree program.
The Master of Arts in Teaching is a New York State registered and approved program that qualifies students for license upon successful degree completion. Students must complete all courses required for the MAT and must receive a grade of B or better in all pedagogy and foundation courses as well as an overall GPA of 3.0 or better in all course work attempted while matriculated in a graduate teacher preparation program.
Workshops
Teacher preparation candidates must be fingerprinted and must also complete certification workshops in:
- Child Abuse
- Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
- School Violence (Project Save)
- Identification and Referral of Substance Abuse
See Certification and Licensing Workshops for workshop details and schedules.
Tests
All students will have to complete the Educating All Students Test and the revised CST (Content Specialty Test) in the area of the Certificate. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor the TEACH website to ensure that they are taking the appropriate examinations.
Note: As of April 27, 2022, the NYS Education Department eliminated the edTPA as a certification requirement. Effective September 1, 2023, in lieu of the edTPA, all students in teacher preparation programs will be required to complete a teacher performance assessment. This assessment will be developed, administered, and evaluated by Stony Brook University instructors.
Mandatory Professional Licensure Disclosure for Registered Teacher Certification Programs at Stony Brook
New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals. For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State. SUNY’s academic programs leading to licensure or certification are carefully designed to meet and exceed these State requirements. This is a role SUNY plays in protecting the public.
Per federal regulations on state authorization (34 CFR 600.9) and disclosure of information about licensed programs (34 CFR 668.43), Stony Brook University has determined that if successfully completed, the Master of Arts in Teaching English teacher certification program is sufficient to meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in New York State.
For purposes of state authorization and disclosure of information about licensed programs, Stony Brook University determines a student’s initial location based on the reported permanent (“home”) address on the admission application. (See Student Location Procedure for complete details.)
Enrolled out-of-state students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact their state’s licensure entity to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.
Visit the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives website for complete details on certification requirements.
Tuition and Financial Information
Cost of Attendance
Tuition and fee information can be found on the Bursar's website.
Payment Plan
Stony Brook recognizes the need for helping students manage the expenses of higher education. To this end, the University offers a Time Option Payment Plan (TOPP), a program that allows students to make equal and consecutive payments throughout the year.
Financial Aid
For information on financial aid options, contact the Stony Brook Office of Financial Aid at (631) 632-6840, or visit the Financial Aid website.
Application Instructions
Minimum Requirements To Apply*
- An academic major or a minimum of 36 credits in the content field (e.g., Biology, Earth Science, etc.)
- A minimum GPA of 2.75 in your overall bachelor's degree program
- A minimum GPA of 3.00 in science courses
- One year of college-level study of a foreign language with a grade of “C” or better (this may include American Sign Language)
*As of Spring 2022, Graduate Record Exam scores are no longer required for admission.
Electronic transcripts should be sent to spd_transcripts@stonybrook.edu. Paper transcripts and supporting materials should be sent to:
Debra Szostak, Administrator
Institute for STEM Education
092 Life Sciences Building
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5233
Contact Information
Science Education
Keith Sheppard, EdD
Director, Institute for STEM Education
(631) 632-2989
keith.sheppard@stonybrook.edu
Jessica Chen, EdD
Coordinator, Science Education Program
(631) 632-7075
jessica.l.chen@stonybrook.edu
Program Advisors
Biology
Rachel Pilero
Undergraduate Advisor
(631) 632-8571
Rachel.Pilero@stonybrook.edu
Kristen Vadasz, MAT
Graduate Advisor, Biology
(631) 632-9035
kristen.vadasz@stonybrook.edu
Chemistry
Susan Oatis, PhD
Undergraduate and Graduate Advisor, Chemistry
(631) 632-1571
Susan.Oatis@stonybrook.edu
Earth and Space Sciences
Hanna Nekvasil, PhD
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Hanna.Nekvasil@stonybrook.edu
Gregory Henkes, PhD
Graduate Program Advisor
(631) 632-2905
Gregory.Henkes@stonybrook.edu
Physics
Angela M. Kelly, PhD
Undergraduate and Graduate Advisor
(631) 632-9750
Angela.Kelly@stonybrook.edu
Stony Brook University is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher
Education Accreditation. Its teacher education programs have been awarded full accreditation
by AAQEP through June 30, 2030.