Mallinson Institute for Science Education College of Arts and Sciences Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Offers Excellence in Science Education at the Mallinson Institute for Science Education

The Mallinson Institute for Science Education (MISE), a degree granting institute within the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University, is known for excellence in the areas of graduate education and graduate research in science education. The institute is currently ranked as one of the best graduate research programs in science education in the United States. This excellence is built upon its having one of the largest cadres of science education research professors, its excellent facilities for learning and research, and its numerous research projects funded by agencies such as the National Foundation for Science.

The Master of Arts in Science Education is designed both for graduate students who are secondary science teachers wishing to augment their teaching abilities and for those graduate students who want to begin working toward Doctor of Philosophy in science education degrees. Elementary school teachers with strong science backgrounds may also be qualified for admission to the program.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education prepares those students who have backgrounds in science or science education for careers as college or university science teachers, science education researchers, science teacher educators, curriculum specialists, and high school department chairs. The PhD program is also for students who wish to serve as professionals in government agencies or school districts. Because Western Michigan University's MISE is dedicated to excellence in science education, its graduate students attend courses that encourage them to think critically about how their own future students will understand science.

Members of the Science-Focused Institute Teach in WMU Science Departments

The Mallinson Institute is science-focused. This strong science content focus prepares students for college teaching of science in science departments and for science teacher education in teacher preparation units. The institute operates within the College of Arts and Sciences of Western Michigan University (WMU). It works closely with the WMU science departments. All faculty members at the institute hold joint appointments in science departments.

Science-focused education involves practical techniques and fundamental knowledge about the nature of science and the ways people learn. The institute's philosophy is to view science education as an interdisciplinary academic discipline found at the intersection of science, education, and cognitive psychology, augmented by science's own history, philosophy, and sociology. In this light, the institute's programs are designed to help prepare students to think critically about why people should become scientifically literate, what science is most important to know, and how their students learn.

The MA program is directed toward secondary school science teachers (or elementary school teachers with an adequate science background) who want to improve their skills as learning facilitators. The program is also appropriate for students wanting to begin their PhD preparations.

The PhD program offers tracks that share a common core while providing some specialization. One track prepares students for college science teaching at community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and teaching-focused universities. A second PhD track carries a discipline-specific research focus as it prepares students to teach and perform research as faculty members in a university science department or teacher education unit. Students study and research the teaching and learning of science while concentrating on specific disciplines, i.e., biology, chemistry, earth science, geography, or physics. The third track, in curriculum and instruction, offers a specific focus on the teaching and learning of science at the K-12 level, preparing professionals for careers in college science teaching as science teacher educators, school science department chairs, science education researchers, and science curriculum specialists.

Unique Opportunities Are Available to Students and Professionals, Including a Concurrent Master's/PhD Program

The Mallinson Institute for Science Education offers several unique opportunities for graduate students. First, in preparing graduate students to teach college science, the institute has a distinctive focus that involves mentored and supervised college teaching experiences. Also, the institute's programs offer unique opportunities that emphasize the study of the teaching and learning of science learning while concentrating on specific disciplines, like biology, chemistry, or earth sciences. The institute's precise focus on science education also provides the unique potential for preparation as an educator of science teachers. The Mallinson Institute also is distinguished by the amount of funding offered for graduate students, resulting in the institute's having one of the largest groups of full-time, science education graduate students in the U.S. For some students, the concurrent enrollment program offered by the institute is the most unique opportunity of all. This one-of-a-kind program allows student to gain a master's degree at one of the WMU science departments while enrolled in the institute's doctoral program.

Please see the next section below for additional details.

College Science Teaching Program

MISE offers a unique program for students interested in careers as college teachers of science. College teachers of science find positions teaching undergraduate science at community colleges, liberal arts colleges, teaching-focused universities.

College teachers of science typically need a science background at the masters degree level and then a doctoral degree that focuses on the teaching and learning of science.

Students with a master's degree in a science can apply for:

-PhD Science Education: Biological Sciences

-PhD Science Education: Chemistry

-PhD Science Education: Earth Sciences

-PhD Science Education: Physics

Students at the baccalaureate level can apply for concurrent admission to one of the WMU science department (Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, or Physics) master's degree programs and the Institute PhD program.

If you are interested in such a program we strongly urge you to contact the Director by email or phone.

All programs are research based, which means that these programs also prepare students for research positions regarding the teaching and learning of science.

The Institute has financial support for selected students who are admitted to the concurrent-enrollment program and the Ph.D. program. Support is based on participation in supervised science teaching experiences at the college level. The teaching experience serves the dual purpose of helping to financially support students while providing them with opportunities to gain experience as a college teacher of science and to improve their teaching skills.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Science Education Master of Arts (MA)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Science Education: Biological Sciences Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Science Education: Chemistry Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Science Education: Geosciences Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Science Education: Physical Geography Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Science Education: Physics Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees Not reported
• Doctoral Degrees 2
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? No
• Evening/weekend programs available? No
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? No

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Not reported
• Doctoral Degrees Required and oral and written exams
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied12
• Accepted5
• Acceptance Rate41%
• Enrolled4
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic Not Reported
• Application Fee - International Not Reported
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline February 15th Not Reported Not Reported
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's Degreesundergraduate degree in a science or science education, teacher certification (or appropriate education courses)
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE General Test, master's degree in a science or science education
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL recommended

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *Not Reported
• Out-of-state tuition *Not Reported
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year feesNot Reported
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 15
• Types of financial support availableNot Reported

• Gender
• Total Graduate StudentsNot Reported
• Female PercentageNot Reported
• Male PercentageNot Reported
• Participation
• Total Graduate StudentsNot Reported
• Part-time PercentageNot Reported
• Full-time PercentageNot Reported
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino0%
• Black / African American0%
• White / Caucasian93%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native7%
• Asian0%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown0%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty10
• Full-time Percentage80%
• Part-time Percentage20%
• Female Percentage50%
• Male Percentage50%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchHistory and philosophy of science, curriculum and instruction, science content learning, college science teaching and learning, social and cultural factors in science education
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported