Start your journey
Earn your MN 9-12 teaching license to teach science education in just over a year
Our accelerated program will prepare you to step into your classroom with confidence and solid classroom experience. You will complete all of the required teaching hours through school-based field experiences and required coursework in 12 months. Our license is highly transferable to other states.
This is a graduate-level, full-time program integrating educational theory with classroom practice.
After successfully completing licensure requirements, students are recommended for state teaching licensure in one or more of the following licensure specialty areas:
- Chemistry (grades 9-12)
- Earth and space science (grades 9-12)
- Life science (grades 9-12)
- Physics (grades 9-12)
- General Science (grades 5-8)
Students can complete requirements for a single licensure area (e.g., standalone 5-8 general science, standalone 9-12 physics) or in combination (e.g., 9-12 life sciences with 5-8 general science). It is highly recommended by the college that students completing requirements for a 9-12 licensure area also choose to complete requirements for general science (grades 5-8).
Program details
Program Duration
- 12 months (3 semesters)
Modality
- In-person, cohort-based work
Schedule
- Full time, Monday thru Friday
Timeline
- The initial teaching licensure coursework is offered in a full-time, 12-month, graduate-level format integrating educational theory with classroom practice. Courses start in the summer and finish the following summer
Cost
- $9,984 per semester (MN resident)
- $15,600 per semester (non-MN resident)
Career outlook
100% Science education graduates found jobs within a year of finishing licensure coursework (2021-2022 cohort)
- Teachers with a master's degree are regarded as experts in their field, making you a more competitive job candidate with an MEd
- Teachers who have a master's degree will see a roughly $7,000 annual salary increase [Teacher.org]
- Though the salary increase with a master's degree will vary by district and state, Minnesota teachers are on the higher end of the payscale. Median Minnesota teacher salaries were $64,790 and $64,960 for middle school and high school respectively in 2019 [BLS]
- Once a teacher is employed, there is much more mobility that comes with a master's. Teachers with advanced degrees can be promoted to school administration positions and can become mentors to other teachers based upon specific graduate training
Admission information
Important dates:
- October 1 - Application opens
- December 15 - Application closes
Decisions are released mid February
Application requirements
International applicants
International applicants may also need:
- An English translation of your transcripts, if the transcript is not in English.
- A course by course evaluation may be required.
- TOEFL scores. Official TOEFL scores are required. You may qualify for an exception if you have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States. Please see the University of Minnesota TOEFL score requirements and submission guidelines from the Graduate School. Early application is advised to ensure timely admission.
- International students with F-1 visas may take no more than the equivalent of one completely online education class (or 3 credits per semester) and count it towards their full-time course requirement. Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 6 credits. If you are enrolled in an online program and studying in your home country, you do not need full-time enrollment status.
Admissions support
Additional admissions information
Before applying online, make sure you have all the required materials. Download and refer to this application tip sheet as you work through the application. The included directions will help you complete your application quickly and smoothly.
We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the academic advisor in your program area:
Financial aids
- Apply for financial aid and scholarships when you submit your application
- Each year we award partial scholarships to qualified teaching candidates. Teaching candidates received over $600,000 in scholarships from CEHD last year.
- If you intend to teach a high-need subject in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income families, you may be eligible to receive grants of up to $4,000/year. Learn more about the TEACH grant on Onestop.
- If you plan to teach full time for five complete and consecutive years in schools that serve low-income families, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 through a program administered by the federal government.
- Learn more about teacher loan forgiveness
Tuition and funding
Program prerequisites
Before you are admitted to the MEd and Teaching license programs, you must complete some prerequisite coursework, which varies based on the type of license you are seeking. Below, you will find a list of prerequisites listed by license. Please email the program advisor your unofficial transcript(s).
Program adviser:
Request information
We’re here to help. Complete our form and a member of our department will be in touch.
Why choose a master's in science education at the University of Minnesota?
Our science education MEd and teaching license program stands out for its accelerated, graduate-level pathway to becoming a licensed teacher in just 12 months. Preparing you to launch a meaningful career in middle or high school science classrooms. This graduate-level program is designed to help you build on your undergraduate science background while developing the instructional tools and reflective habits needed to become an effective and responsive science educator. Through integrated coursework, you’ll deepen your technical content knowledge while learning to apply evidence-based teaching methods that make science engaging and accessible for all learners. You’ll be guided by experienced faculty and supported by a community of future educators who, like you, are committed to sparking curiosity, promoting equity, and shaping the next generation of scientific thinkers.
About the program and coursework
Master's of education
This program includes two components: initial teaching licensure and MEd degree. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers our teacher preparation programs at the graduate level because it affords you the opportunity to master your content knowledge through your undergraduate degree before being placed in a real classroom for an optimal learning experience.
This model offers the following advantages:
- Teachers who have a master's degree will see a roughly $7,000 annual salary increase [teacher.org]
- Though the salary increase with a master's degree will vary by district and state, Minnesota teachers are on the higher end of the pay scale.
- Teachers with advanced degrees can be promoted to school administration positions and become mentors to other teachers based upon their graduate training.
Program duration:
12 months (3 semesters)
Modality:
In-person, cohort-based work
Schedule:
Full time, Monday thru Friday
Our program is sequential and each required course is offered once per academic year, beginning in the summer semester, and can be completed by the end of the next summer (12 months). Summer semester courses are offered in shorter two to three week overlapping intervals meeting in both the morning and afternoon. Each of our three fall courses meets once a week from 4:40-7:20 p.m. for 14 weeks. Eight weeks of student teaching at the elementary level and eight weeks in middle or high school is usually completed in the spring semester.
In order to be recommended for your Minnesota 5-8 and/or9-12 science education license(s), you must successfully complete these licensure requirements mandated by the state of Minnesota.
This material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to the Office of Teacher Education at ote@umn.edu, 612-625-5060.
- If you already have earned your initial teaching license, we offer an additional teaching license(s)
- DirecTrack to Teaching is an exploratory education program that lets you experience schools and school culture in a K-12 education setting
- The Racial Justice in Urban Schooling undergraduate minor lets you explore school systems and offer support to advance educational equity.
Our unique co-teaching program and cohort experience will help you gain the confidence you need to start in your own classroom with plenty of support. You will teach at both a middle school and high school as part of your student teaching practicum. Learn more about the student teaching experience.
Quote from Brenna Peterson
Something that drove me to enroll in this specific program is that it allows you to get a Tier 3 MN teaching license in just one year and then you can work as a licensed teacher while you finish the MEd degree. You also get into a classroom right away, and you get to be in a classroom for a significant portion of the program (all but the first summer of orientation).
