HOW TO APPLY FOR MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION

Admission Expectations 

• Faculty will be reviewing applications looking for applicants with prior experience working with youth and a desire to be teachers.

• Applicants are responsible for ensuring all parts of the application are submitted by the deadline. 
• Following the initial screening, applicants may be required to interview with OSU faculty members. 
• Applicants will be informed of the admission decision via an email from the Graduate School.

Admission Requirements

Program Prerequisites - prepare in terms of coursework and field experience. 

• A bachelor's degree (necessary for admission to all graduate degree programs) documented by unofficial transcripts. (Official transcripts required after admission.)
• A minimum grade-point average of 3.0 in the last 90 quarter credits of graded undergraduate and any additional graduate coursework (necessary for admission to all graduate degree programs) documented by transcripts.
• Competence in the chosen subject area, documented by the Content Mastery Sheets and transcripts.
• Competence in working with youth at the middle or high school level in schools or social service settings documented by letters of recommendation, as well as the statement of professional goals and résumé. Learn about opportunities to gain experience with in classroom teaching through the paid internship with the College of Education in K-12 schools in Macau, China.
• Effectiveness in oral and written communication demonstrated in the statement of professional goals and résumé.
• Sincere and appropriate desire to become a public school teacher and an understanding of the life demands placed on a teacher documented by letters of recommendation, statement of professional goals and résumé.
• Truthful answers to Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) character questions documented by the TSPC Character Questions form. Note: By Oregon law, successful applicants must submit one fingerprint card for processing by the Oregon State Police and the FBI.
• For international applicants, the MS requires higher language scores than the Graduate School (IELTS, passing score of 7.5 or TOEFL iBT, passing score of 80 with minimum scores of 22 on all subsets) may be required. This is because students are teaching in English within the United States. See international requirements for application.  Students need to be teaching in person in the United States within a school that has been approved by the Licensure Specialist. For more information contact an advisor.

Application Procedures

Admission to the Master of Science in Education with options in Math or Science Education program is selective; not all applicants are admitted. Applications received after the deadline may be considered on a space-available basis only after all those received by the deadline have been fully considered. Please note most scholarship application deadlines are in January or February.  

Before starting your application, please plan ahead. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• Begin your application to the Graduate School.

  • Campus: Ecampus Distance Education (Online Degrees)

  • Degree Level: Master’s

  • Major: Education

  • Degree Code: MS (Master of Science)

  • The selected degree requires the choice of your option: Mathematics Education OR Science Education

  • You don’t have to respond to this question found in the section for "Other Graduate Questions": "Please refer to the website of the program or major to which you are applying to identify concentrations or subfields or tracks of study that are of interest to you."

• Identify if you plan to attend the MS program as a part-time (2-year path) or full-time student (1-year path). You can change this designation later if you need.

• Upload two essays. The faculty will carefully review both essays when considering applications.
  • Essay 1 - Write a statement of objectives that clearly addresses the following three prompts. At least 300 words and no more than 2 pages.

1. What is your purpose and motivation for becoming a math or science teacher?

2. Point to evidence of your past experiences that influenced your decision to pursue education as a career.

3. Tell us about a time when you felt challenged as an educator (teacher, coach, youth counselor, teaching assistant etc.) and what you learned from that experience.

• Essay 2 - Write and submit a short essay, about half a page, describing your experience with youth. Experience working with youth is required before you start student teaching. At a minimum you will need to have any experience with youth (at least 50 hours) and also complete an observation and/or assist in a math/science classroom (10 hours or more). You will document this experience(s) with one of three options:

1. Upload an email from a teacher and/or supervisor who can describe your experience and approximate hours.

2. Describe your experience working or assisting in a math or science classroom and/or work with youth, include a description of the tasks and activities. Someone from this experience should write one of your reference letters for the MS application.

3. Describe your PLAN for getting an experience working in a math or science classroom and how you will complete it before you start your student teaching assignment.

• Upload your current résumé including education, practicum or teaching experience, other work experience, honors, activities, and interests. 
• Content Mastery Sheets: upload a form for each endorsement area you apply for. Students who want both math and science endorsements must contact the program lead.
• Upload completed and signed Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) Questions.
• Diversity Statement: In two or three paragraphs, discuss your experience with, or commitment to, working with diverse populations.
• Submit unofficial transcripts from all higher education institutions. Please note that colleges and universities may take up to one month to send transcripts. Please plan accordingly. You will need to upload a document of an actual transcript and not a PDF of a student record page from a website. Applications with a PDF of a student records website will not be reviewed. (Official transcripts will be requested once you are accepted by the Graduate School) 
• References: Submit names and contact information for 3 professional references. The purpose of the references is so the faculty can determine your preparation for an academically rigorous program and your ability to connect with students. The references must address your academic and/or work ethic.
  • At least one reference needs to confirm your experience working with students in middle or high school. The faculty prefer at least one reference from a teacher who has seen you work in a classroom.
  • If you graduated with your bachelor’s degree within the last two years, one of your references must be from a faculty who can write about your academic work. For those who no longer have a connection to a university or college, one of the references could address your background in math or science if that is possible.
  • All references must be professional. Please do not submit personal references from family or friends.
  • References will be contacted via the online graduate application system and asked to submit reference letters. Please ask your references to respond quickly with recommendation information.
  • Applications without all references will not be considered.
• Submit official documentation of experience with adolescents, unless you took a teaching practicum and earned a C- or better. A letter from a representative from the agency for your experience can also serve as a reference.
• For international students, see the Graduate School’s guidelines and requirements. IELTS or TOEFL documentation (score of 7.0 or higher) is required.
   

Questions?

Contact [email protected]

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