MA in Teaching Chemistry

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Stony Brook University SUNY

Program Overview

The Master of Arts in Teaching Chemistry at Stony Brook University is designed for students who want to become certified secondary-school chemistry teachers in New York State, particularly those entering the teaching profession with little or no previous formal education coursework. The program combines advanced chemistry content with professional education, science-teaching methods, supervised classroom experience and a teaching project, preparing graduates for chemistry teaching in grades 7–12, with an extension option for grades 5–6.

Curriculum structure

Year 1: Students build advanced subject knowledge alongside foundations in education and teaching practice. Chemistry study can include courses such as CHE 502 Mechanisms and Strategies in Organic Chemistry, CHE 504 Structure and Reactivity in Organic Chemistry, and CHE 511 Structural Inorganic Chemistry, while professional preparation includes CEE 505 Education: Theory and Practice, CEE 565 Human Development, and SCI 510 Introduction to Science Teaching.

Students also begin practical preparation through SCI 549 Clinical Experience I, gaining school-based experience alongside their science-teaching coursework.

Year 2: The second year moves further into applied teaching, with SCI 520 Science Teaching Methods, SCI 550 Clinical Experience II, and SCI 554 Student Teaching Seminar, supported by advanced chemistry options such as CHE 518 Materials Chemistry, CHE 534 Computing in Chemistry, CHE 541 Biomolecular Structure and Analysis, or CHE 593 Demonstrations in Chemistry. Students complete SCI 551 Supervised Student Teaching High School Grades 10–12 and SCI 552 Supervised Student Teaching Middle School Grades 7–9, giving the degree a substantial school-based teaching component.

Focus areas:

Chemistry education, secondary science teaching, advanced chemistry content, science-teaching methods, classroom practice, student development, special education, language and literacy development, and supervised student teaching.

Learning outcomes:

Graduates develop advanced chemistry knowledge, pedagogical skills, classroom-management and instructional abilities, experience working with secondary students, and the professional preparation required for New York State chemistry teacher certification.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

The program is registered and approved by the New York State Education Department for chemistry teacher certification and is aligned with standards from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), National Education Association (NEA), Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

Reputation (employability rankings):

Stony Brook University does not state a program-specific employability ranking for the M.A. in Teaching Chemistry on its official program pages; therefore, no ranking is assigned here. The university does identify the program as a collaboration between the Chemistry Department and its teacher-education units, with content instruction provided through university science departments.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the MA in Teaching Chemistry at Stony Brook University gain practical teaching experience by combining advanced chemistry study with preparation for classroom instruction. The program is designed around the development of chemistry content knowledge and teaching practice, giving students opportunities to connect laboratory-based science with effective methods for teaching chemistry. Students can draw on Stony Brook’s chemistry facilities, instructional laboratories, research environment and education resources as they prepare for professional teaching.

Program-specific experiential opportunities include:

Chemistry laboratory experience: Stony Brook’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology provides teaching laboratories and research facilities where students can strengthen practical chemistry skills and work with modern laboratory equipment.
Teaching-focused preparation: The MA program integrates chemistry coursework with teacher preparation, allowing students to develop the knowledge and practical skills required to teach chemistry in secondary-school settings.
Laboratory-based chemistry learning: Students can work with experimental chemistry through Stony Brook’s instructional laboratory infrastructure, supporting the connection between theoretical concepts and hands-on demonstrations and experiments.
Research environment: Students benefit from the wider Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology research environment, which encompasses areas including analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry and materials chemistry.
Digital and instructional resources: Stony Brook provides access to university-supported digital learning resources and technology that can support coursework, teaching preparation, communication and academic research.
Science and education resources: Students have access to Stony Brook’s libraries and academic resources for researching chemistry content, educational methods and current developments in science education.
Collaborative learning: Coursework in chemistry and teacher preparation provides opportunities to work with peers and engage with instructional activities designed around communicating scientific concepts and developing classroom practice.
School-based teaching experience: The teacher-preparation component provides opportunities for supervised clinical experience in school settings, allowing students to apply their chemistry knowledge and teaching methods with learners in an authentic classroom environment.
Chemistry facilities: The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology supports teaching and research through specialized laboratories and scientific instrumentation, giving students access to an active chemistry environment beyond the classroom.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the MA in Teaching Chemistry are prepared to teach chemistry in New York State secondary schools, with the program leading toward certification for grades 7–12 and an extension option for grades 5–6. The degree combines advanced chemistry content with education coursework, clinical practice and supervised student teaching, creating a direct pathway into secondary science teaching.

Career opportunities: Secondary School Chemistry Teacher, High School Science Teacher, Middle School Science Teacher, Chemistry Education Specialist.

Career development and professional opportunities:

Teacher preparation and certification support: Stony Brook's School of Professional Development administers the MAT programs and works with students through the process of pursuing New York State teacher certification. The Institute for STEM Education and Teacher and Leader Education provide coursework, clinical practice, seminars and special projects specifically designed to prepare science teachers.
Practical teaching experience: The Chemistry MAT includes supervised student teaching in secondary schools. Stony Brook's 2025 Chemistry Teacher Preparation information specifies 75 days of student teaching, divided between approximately equal placements in a middle school/junior high school and a high school.
Employment preparation: Students develop subject expertise, pedagogical knowledge, research techniques and instructional strategies through the Science Teacher Education program, while extensive supervised clinical practice provides experience in real-world educational settings.
Employment statistics and salary figures: Stony Brook does not publish a program-specific employment rate or graduate salary figure for the MA in Teaching Chemistry on its official program pages, so no university-specific percentage or salary is stated here.
University–school partnerships: The program's clinical model places students in actual secondary-school settings for supervised teaching. Stony Brook also operates its science teacher education programs through collaboration among the Chemistry Department, School of Professional Development, Institute for STEM Education and Teacher and Leader Education.
Professional accreditation value: Stony Brook states that its teacher and leader preparation programs are accredited by AAQEP. The program also prepares candidates for New York State certification in Chemistry for grades 7–12, subject to the state's certification requirements.
Graduation outcomes: The program is specifically structured to prepare graduates for chemistry teaching positions in grades 7–12, with the possibility of a grades 5–6 extension and, for eligible candidates, a General Science extension for grades 7–12.
Chemistry education innovation: Stony Brook's Chemistry Department conducts chemical education work involving active learning, project-based learning and technology-assisted learning, and states that chemistry education research can be pursued at the undergraduate, M.S. and Ph.D. levels.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into advanced study in Chemistry or Science Education. Stony Brook offers an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry, while its Institute for STEM Education supports doctoral study focused on science education and K–12 educational issues; graduates can therefore build further expertise in chemistry, chemical education or science education after completing the MAT.