STEM Certificate

Program Overview

The graduate and doctoral degree programs in the Educational Technology department at New Jersey
City University are highly regarded in the field for their effective teaching, extensive faculty/student
collaboration, and practical application to the real world. The STEM Certificate program is unique in
that it addresses STEM education and educational technology in PreK-12 environments, and has the content and pedagogy to build relevant industry-specific skills in STEM fields such as adult education, training, and ISD. A STEM Certificate at NJCU will develop and deliver world class programs in STEM Education and innovative learning practices for educators, instructional coaches, instructional designers, and trainers.

In addition, the program employs a collaborative learning platform in which graduate students have rich and abundant collaboration using online technologies as well as engaging interactions throughout the program. One of the biggest advantages of the program is that professionals in the field mentor students and alumni in a community of practice. Connections and relationships are created that students need to advance into leadership positions in STEM education.

The Certificate is delivered completely online, including hands-on instruction and submission of a portfolio to evidence learning. The four courses are offered in two pathways: A non-credit course option available to educational school districts located in the continental United States that enroll cohorts of their faculty or staff in 7-week sessions; or, as graduate credit in the MA in Ed Tech courses in 15-week sessions each semester. The Certificate classes apply 12 credits toward a 36-credit Master of Arts degree in Educational Technology or a Master of Arts degree in Educational Technology with School Library Media Specialist certification. Courses in the program run every semester--Summer, Fall, and Spring.

Why a STEM Certificate? 

Teaching and learning for the 21st-century is imperative now more than ever. In December 2022, U.S. Department of Education has launched the You Belong in STEM conference to further the Raise the Bar: STEM Excellence for All Students initiative from the Biden-Harris Administration.

The goals seek to:

• Address equity and belonging in STEM for culturally-relevant teaching practices as well as support for LEA/SEA organizations to diversify their workforce
• Commit to advancing the recruitment, training, and support of new STEM educators
• Develop and offer new curriculum modules and lessons to raise awareness of CS, STEM, CTE, and integrate through multidisciplinary teaching and learning
• Provide direct education support for ongoing professional learning of educators in STEM and CTE, particularly African American or Latinx/Hispanic professionals
• Improve equitable access to high-quality, evidenced-based STEM education for marginalized students

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting that STEM occupations will see a 10.8% increase by 2031, as compared to a 4.9% increase in employment in other occupations. To fill these critical roles, the U.S. needs to restructure P-12 and higher educational systems to adopt and deliver innovative pedagogical approaches with cutting-edge curriculum to its students. The COVID-19 pandemic off-set many of the advances public schools were working towards, and recent data released from NJDOE statewide assessment data show that test scores have fallen to the lowest point in five years since the highest recorded numbers in 2019.

• Mathematics fell from 44% to 35.4%
• ELA fell from 57.6% to 48.9%
• Science fell from 25.4% to 23.2%
• Among demographic groups, the largest drops in scores was evidenced in Hispanic students, followed by African American students
  • Students that were economically disadvantaged, English Language Leaners, and Students with Disabilities fell even further behind

As public schools work to help support students that have been impacted by pandemic-era learning loss, higher education institutions across the United States have also taken a special interest in STEM education in the P-12 sphere, as an increasing number of students continue to need additional academic, mental health, and executive functioning support in college. What's more, industry professionals also need to provide more targeted training and pedagogical strategies to meet the needs of individuals entering private sector, industry positions in CTE and STEM fields.

The STEM Certificate Program is geared towards helping teachers, school library media specialists, school administration, and related educational professionals build capacity in STEM education concepts and empowering and supporting them in the integration of STEM into every classroom for every student. Learners in the program will gain experiential knowledge on the proper planning and implementation of exemplary STEM programs in their schools that focus on cohesive alignment to appropriate content, transdisciplinary applications, and evaluation.

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