Elementary, middle and high school teachers can get a head-start on a STEM-focused master’s degree when they take tuition-free Earth sciences courses at California University of Pennsylvania.
Cal U’s new master’s degree in Educational Leadership: Weather and Climatology is the only M.Ed. program that incorporates coursework offered in partnership with the American Meteorological Society (AMS), one of the nation’s premier scientific and professional organizations.
Teachers who apply to participate in AMS Education programs — specifically, the 3-credit online DataStreme Atmosphere, DataStreme Ocean and DataStreme Climate courses — are concurrently enrolled in one of Cal U’s graduate-level Earth sciences courses.
They may apply a maximum of nine credits from the AMS DataStreme courses, tuition-free, toward completion of the 30-credit master’s degree.
Teachers then personalize their M.Ed. program by enrolling in additional courses in Earth sciences, meteorology/climatology or a related focus area. They also choose among specialized education courses offered by Cal U’s Department of Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership.
All courses in the weather and climatology program can be completed online, making it convenient for busy educators to maintain their professional and personal commitments while earning a master’s degree in a vital STEM field.
NOAA support
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) provides partial support to the AMS Education professional development program, which has enrolled over 21,000 teachers since its inception.
Cal U Earth sciences professor Dr. Chad Kauffman received a four-year, $320,364 subaward of NOAA funds from the American Meteorological Society to provide the AMS courses to teachers nationwide, and to serve as the AMS coordinator of curriculum development and DataStreme lead.
“This convenient, online master’s degree program helps teachers to bring the latest research-based weather and climate content to their classrooms,” Kauffman says. “It also encourages them to apply research and educational leadership skills in their own schools.
“Because this is a multidisciplinary program, teachers can tailor it to their individual needs. And since the AMS DataStreme courses are offered tuition-free, teachers pay Cal U’s affordable rate for just 21 credits to complete the master’s degree.”
K-12 educators may enroll now for the fall 2018 semester, or explore the 9-credit AMS DataStreme Certificate program.