Why Should I Earn a Sixth-Year Degree in STEAM?
Specialization in the STEAM disciplines advances your career and your students’ future careers
Science, technology, engineering, the arts and math (STEAM) industries have been growing and advancing for several years and will continue to do so. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEAM occupations are expected to increase 10.8% by 2032. STEAM education is a vibrant movement in K-12 education, preparing students for futures in STEAM and beyond.
Sacred Heart University offers a sixth-year degree in STEAM program for those looking to hone their craft as educators, curriculum developers and teacher-leaders in the STEAM disciplines. Darcy Ronan, director of the program, shares how the program prepares educators to lead STEAM innovation in their districts.
What is STEAM education?
STEAM education embraces the interconnections of science, technology, engineering, the arts and math and encourages students to think creatively, use problem-solving skills and make connections between subjects. With this model, K-12 students will develop the hard and soft skills to succeed in college and in their future careers.
What types of educators should consider earning this degree?
SHU’s program is for certified K-12 educators who teach in the STEAM disciplines or hope to do so. Many students in the program are looking to broaden their knowledge of STEAM disciplines to enhance how they can teach in an interdisciplinary way. SHU’s program has representation from both elementary and secondary educators, making it equitable and inclusive for all students.
The educators in this program want to push the boundaries of what is possible in K-12 education. They understand what makes things complicated and what drives decision making in schools. They strive to make change happen.
How does this degree cater to changes in the education field?
There are many school districts with goals and priorities around critical thinking, student engagement, high-quality instruction and social/emotional learning. STEAM education provides a great vehicle for teaching these highly valued growth skills. With STEAM fields rapidly growing, all students deserve the chance to engage with these subjects early in their education. Having students engage with these concepts early increases the likelihood of them pursuing a STEAM discipline as a career.
“We want to disrupt the inequitable patterns of participation in STEAM. We need to ensure that students from all kinds of schools serving all kinds of student populations have opportunities to engage in STEAM education,” said Ronan.
What is the curriculum in a sixth-year degree in STEAM program?
After a STEAM standards survey course, the program highlights the pedagogy and possibilities of each STEAM discipline plus computer science discipline in a dedicated course. After the initial course in teaching computer science, students have a choice to continue towards the computer science endorsement or select the STEAM track.
Computer science track
This track features the remaining three courses needed for most candidates to earn a cross-endorsement in computer science in the State of Connecticut. Computer science is a rapidly expanding K-12 field with a major need for educator capacity to teach these courses.
STEAM track
This track will expand your knowledge of pedagogy, leadership principles, career opportunities and resources related to science, technology, engineering, the arts and math.
Capstone
The capstone is a teacher leadership experience in STEAM applied to your current district. You will become a practitioner of and advocate for the application of STEAM disciplines in response to educational practices and challenges. You will deepen your knowledge of and appreciation for the political, economic and social forces that influence the decisions of leaders. Previous capstone projects include redesigning interdisciplinary units, holding special events highlighting interdisciplinary connections and spearheading renovation projects to enhance students’ access to STEAM learning.
How does a sixth-year degree in STEAM advance an educator’s career?
A sixth-year degree in STEAM advances your position in salary structure and qualifies you for advanced positions and responsibilities in instructional leadership and curriculum development. Hear from graduates of the program as they share how the program impacted their careers.
Graduates from SHU’s program have landed their dream jobs and been honored as Teachers of the Year in their districts and finalists for the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. Several alums have applied their STEAM credits towards doctoral degrees.
Interested in earning your sixth-year degree in STEAM?
Sacred Heart University’s sixth-year degree in STEAM program is the first program of its kind in Connecticut. It is designed for full-time, working educators, and can be completed in either one or two years, while preserving teachers’ summer break. With a blended format of both online and on-campus Saturday courses, the program offers flexibility.
“While other programs in the area are collections of courses, SHU’s program has a beginning, middle and end, allowing students to grow individually and as a community,” said Ronan.
For more information, schedule an appointment with Whitney Kolwicz or reach out at kolwiczw@sacredheart.edu or 203-365-4716.
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