Prepare to Teach In-Demand STEM Content & Skills
WPI’s Innovative Graduate Program for PreK-12 Educators
Make your teaching more meaningful and relevant in today’s STEM-focused world.
Equip students with the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills they’ll need in the future—while advancing your own content expertise—with the online master’s degree in Integrated STEM Education at WPI.
Discover how to drive student learning in STEM through standards-aligned, real-world projects.
Help students see that they can use their knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems—now and in the future. Gain research-based practical tools you can apply in your classroom immediately.
Program Highlights
- Become a model STEM educator and fill urgent demand in the US.
- Boost your confidence and hone your knowledge in STEM subjects.
- Enhance access, engagement, and support for the diverse student body in your STEM classroom.
- Advance to a new position in your career.
- Deepen your understanding of issues related to STEM education locally and throughout the US.
- Build experience developing and facilitating high-quality STEM curriculum, guided by world-class WPI faculty.
*See Curriculum section for modality details.
Competitive Tuition Pricing
$500 per credit
for full-time educators
(proof of full-time teaching position required)
Multipurpose Program
Earn points toward your professional development requirement
- OR -
Take stand-alone courses in STEM pedagogy for graduate credits
- OR -
Complete your full master’s degree in integrated STEM education
Learn from the award-winning leader in STEM education.
WPI is a top-tier STEM-focused research university and a pioneer in project-based learning. Our distinctive model for experiential education uses a blended approach combining multiple disciplines and hands-on problem solving. Guided by our acclaimed experts in content and pedagogy, you’ll learn new, innovative ways to teach STEM subjects at any grade level.
IIE Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education Award
Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization
Grad Studies Blog: Catalyst.
Explore Catalyst, our graduate school blog, where you’ll find student stories, expert insights, and answers to common questions. Whether you’re a prospective, admitted, or current grad student, it’s your go-to source for STEM perspectives, career advice, and essential tips—all in one place.
Graduate Studies Series.
Team members from Graduate & Professional Studies host quick and convenient webinars designed to highlight popular topics when starting grad school. Take a deep dive into specific areas of interest such as how to secure funding, how to ace your application, an overview of student services, and more!
Master our general teaching framework, then make it yours.
Choose from a wide variety of electives or zero in on your desired discipline. Then, complete a final project in which you research and design solutions to a real-world problem related to STEM education.
Take advantage of WPI's flexible course schedule, designed to meet the needs of working teachers.
Curriculum
Graduates of WPI’s Integrated STEM Education program will gain tools for high-quality STEM teaching in PreK-12 settings, supporting learners in developing problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills that benefit their future careers, lives, and communities.
MS in Integrated STEM Education: Program Requirements
WPI’s MS in Integrated STEM Education requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of graduate coursework.
- Three core courses in STEM education (9 credits)
- Four elective courses (12 credits)
- Two courses focused on the final project:
- Research methods (3 credits)
- Capstone, research thesis, or Graduate Qualifying Project (GQP) (6 credits)
This program can be completed 100% online or hybrid (i.e., with a mix of courses that can be taken either online or in person).
- All core courses in STEM education are online only and require synchronous participation.
- Some elective and research methods courses are offered in person only.
- However, enough elective and research methods courses are offered online that students can complete the program 100% remotely if desired.
Concentrations are available.
- Taking four courses in the same subject will award you a concentration in that subject.
- The program director will provide information and guidance about which courses are offered fully online.
For complete details on the available courses for this degree, visit the Graduate Catalog below.
Meet Our World-Class Faculty & Staff
Caitlin is responsible for coordinating the design, development and implementation of online, blended, or technology-enhanced courses and faculty training in current pedagogical practices.
Mia is passionate about supporting educators in finding the excitement and beauty in teaching students about problem solving and the world around them. Mia’s 20+ years of experience as a science and STEM educator include founding and managing a science enrichment business, working with Native American teachers on embedding cultural themes with science and math, developing a game-like research tool for studying young children, and teaching graduate level courses at the University of Minnesota, Lesley University, and WPI.
Kathy Chen joined The STEM Education Center at WPI after 15+ years as a professor in Materials Engineering at California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University, San Luis Obispo where she served as Department Chair and lead many K-12 and community STEM outreach activities. In her current role to support PreK-12 STEM educators, she works to broaden the participation of students in STEM (especially those from underrepresented and excluded groups) by advancing equity in education through holistic and innovative approaches. She also currently leads the Central MA STEM Network.
Prior to joining the STEM Education Center full time in 2018, Donna was a classroom teacher with 15 years of teaching experience. She holds National Board Certification in Early Adolescence Science and is a NASA Network of Educator Astronaut Teacher. She has won several awards for teaching and curriculum development including the Blackstone Valley Educational Consortium Promising Practices in Education Award. She was named Florida Wildlife Federation Conservation Educator of the Year, the Florida Association of Science Teachers Most Outstanding Science Teacher and the Palm Beach County Outstanding New Science Teacher. She is most proud of the Everglades: An American Treasure curriculum which she developed with the assistance of numerous agencies. As a result of her work on this curriculum, Donna began teaching professional development workshops in 1999 and truly enjoys working with teachers. It is this passion that brought her to WPI. She is excited to share all of her experiences and love of learning with teachers to better help them understand how integrated STEM and phenomenon driven project & problem based learning can be incorporated into their classrooms.
Jillian DiBonaventura joined the STEM Education Center at WPI as the Director of Teacher Preparation in 2022. Her extensive and varied background within the field of education include rich experiences as a classroom educator for middle-level Science and before coming to WPI, she served as the Coordinator of Teacher Education for Smith College.
Noemi Robertson joined the STEM Education Center as the Director of Community Partnerships & Education Access in October 2022.
Projects are the reason I came to WPI. As a longtime experiential educator and true believer in the transformational power of hands-on learning, I was eager to engage with faculty and students as part of WPI’s project-based curriculum. In my former role leading WPI’s Global Projects Program, I watched teams come together, start projects, learn new things and new ways of working together, travel to our project centers, sometimes have to change their approach, sometimes struggle, and almost always accomplish things they never thought possible at the start of the project.
As the director for team learning, I collaborate closely with staff and faculty across campus to support successful project team experiences for WPI students. It is my mission to ensure that every WPI student will experience at least one highly effective and equitable team experience before they graduate, and will leave with skills and tools to increase their own ability to collaborate effectively in teams throughout their careers. My work includes collaborating with colleagues across WPI to identify and disseminate best practices for supporting effective and equitable teaming, and to create resources and processes to support students in the teamwork they undertake throughout their project experiences at WPI.
I hold a BS in Zoology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MS in Adult and Organizational Learning from Suffolk University. Prior to leading team learning initiatives, I oversaw WPI's Global Projects Program for eight years, serving initially as the director of global operations and then as executive director. As executive director, I had the privilege of leading the Global Projects for All initiative of WPI’s strategic plan Elevate Impact, which significantly expanded WPI’s Global Projects Program, and established a program to provide a scholarship for every entering student to complete a project off-campus.
Caitlin is responsible for coordinating the design, development and implementation of online, blended, or technology-enhanced courses and faculty training in current pedagogical practices.
Mia is passionate about supporting educators in finding the excitement and beauty in teaching students about problem solving and the world around them. Mia’s 20+ years of experience as a science and STEM educator include founding and managing a science enrichment business, working with Native American teachers on embedding cultural themes with science and math, developing a game-like research tool for studying young children, and teaching graduate level courses at the University of Minnesota, Lesley University, and WPI.
Kathy Chen joined The STEM Education Center at WPI after 15+ years as a professor in Materials Engineering at California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University, San Luis Obispo where she served as Department Chair and lead many K-12 and community STEM outreach activities. In her current role to support PreK-12 STEM educators, she works to broaden the participation of students in STEM (especially those from underrepresented and excluded groups) by advancing equity in education through holistic and innovative approaches. She also currently leads the Central MA STEM Network.
Prior to joining the STEM Education Center full time in 2018, Donna was a classroom teacher with 15 years of teaching experience. She holds National Board Certification in Early Adolescence Science and is a NASA Network of Educator Astronaut Teacher. She has won several awards for teaching and curriculum development including the Blackstone Valley Educational Consortium Promising Practices in Education Award. She was named Florida Wildlife Federation Conservation Educator of the Year, the Florida Association of Science Teachers Most Outstanding Science Teacher and the Palm Beach County Outstanding New Science Teacher. She is most proud of the Everglades: An American Treasure curriculum which she developed with the assistance of numerous agencies. As a result of her work on this curriculum, Donna began teaching professional development workshops in 1999 and truly enjoys working with teachers. It is this passion that brought her to WPI. She is excited to share all of her experiences and love of learning with teachers to better help them understand how integrated STEM and phenomenon driven project & problem based learning can be incorporated into their classrooms.
Jillian DiBonaventura joined the STEM Education Center at WPI as the Director of Teacher Preparation in 2022. Her extensive and varied background within the field of education include rich experiences as a classroom educator for middle-level Science and before coming to WPI, she served as the Coordinator of Teacher Education for Smith College.
Noemi Robertson joined the STEM Education Center as the Director of Community Partnerships & Education Access in October 2022.
Projects are the reason I came to WPI. As a longtime experiential educator and true believer in the transformational power of hands-on learning, I was eager to engage with faculty and students as part of WPI’s project-based curriculum. In my former role leading WPI’s Global Projects Program, I watched teams come together, start projects, learn new things and new ways of working together, travel to our project centers, sometimes have to change their approach, sometimes struggle, and almost always accomplish things they never thought possible at the start of the project.
As the director for team learning, I collaborate closely with staff and faculty across campus to support successful project team experiences for WPI students. It is my mission to ensure that every WPI student will experience at least one highly effective and equitable team experience before they graduate, and will leave with skills and tools to increase their own ability to collaborate effectively in teams throughout their careers. My work includes collaborating with colleagues across WPI to identify and disseminate best practices for supporting effective and equitable teaming, and to create resources and processes to support students in the teamwork they undertake throughout their project experiences at WPI.
I hold a BS in Zoology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MS in Adult and Organizational Learning from Suffolk University. Prior to leading team learning initiatives, I oversaw WPI's Global Projects Program for eight years, serving initially as the director of global operations and then as executive director. As executive director, I had the privilege of leading the Global Projects for All initiative of WPI’s strategic plan Elevate Impact, which significantly expanded WPI’s Global Projects Program, and established a program to provide a scholarship for every entering student to complete a project off-campus.
Caitlin is responsible for coordinating the design, development and implementation of online, blended, or technology-enhanced courses and faculty training in current pedagogical practices.
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