Integrated STEM (i-STEM), Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (inactive)

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Integrated STEM graduate certificate must hold a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, sciences or computer science from an accredited college or university in this country, or its equivalent in a foreign institution based on a four-year program, and have a strong overall academic record with a “B” average or better in the basic courses required in the area of the proposed certificate program. In addition, the applicants must currently have (or be eligible for) a secondary science, mathematics, or teaching license.

To apply for admissions to the Integrated STEM graduate certificate program the candidate must submit the following:

1. Graduate School Application.
2. Official transcripts of all prior university or college coursework (undergraduate and graduate).
3. Three letters of recommendations by individuals in professionally relevant fields.
4. A professional resume and a personal statement describing reasons for pursuing the Certificate.
5. International students: TOEFL minimum score of 550 (paper test), or a minimum score of 79 on the internet-based test (TOEFL iBT) is required for admission to all programs, or IELTS minimum score of 6.5 or 7.0 to be eligible for a teaching assistantship, but this score does not guarantee acceptance.

Note: Applicants who do not have a secondary mathematics or sciences or technology teaching license may apply; however, the completion of the Integrated STEM Certificate program will not result in receiving a secondary mathematics or sciences teaching licensure.

Students may transfer up to 10 semester hours as a non-degree student at UNCW toward this certificate program.

Individuals who fall short of one of these criteria may be admitted if other factors indicate the potential for success. The courses in this certificate program are all project-based with individual and team collaboration. There is close mentoring from WCE and CAS faculty in the hands-on design of integrated STEM projects. These factors help in the successful completion of the program.

Prerequisites

Students entering the certificate program must demonstrate basic technology skills. Students who are entering the program with very little or no computing experience will be required to take CIT 110 - Fluency in Information Technology or EDN 303, Instructional Technology, or pass the performance competencies test for basic technology skills.

Policies Governing Certificate Admission Criteria and Subsequent Admission to Graduate Degree Programs

The certificate admission criteria and policies governing the relation of certificates to graduate degree programs include the following:

1. Students who are currently enrolled (not admitted) in the Graduate School and who wish to pursue the certificate program must apply for admission to the program before one-half of the required credits are completed.
2. No transfer credit from another institution will be counted toward the completion of the certificate program with the exception of courses offered as part of an agreement between the certificate program and collaborating institutions.
3. A certificate graduate student may enroll on either a part-time or a full-time basis.
4. Students who are enrolled in a certificate program only are not eligible for financial aid.

Certificate Requirements (18 credit hours)

The 18 credit hours leading to the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Integrated STEM (i-STEM) provides professional training for individuals who wish to learn how to plan and implement integrated STEM initiatives at schools and how to break the curriculum silos to plan and deliver meaningfully integrated STEM learning activities.

The following sequence must be followed.

Note:

iSTEM Certificate courses are offered both on campus and online, allowing professionals to earn their certificates by taking courses on-campus or online or a combination of both types.