The elementary STEM certificate program is designed to prepare elementary teachers to engage and motivate students in meaningful STEM learning from their earliest school years. With the evolution of the 21st century global marketplace comes increased demand for students who excel in science, technology, engineering and math. That means today’s teachers must be well equipped to deliver a dynamic STEM-based curriculum.
The program explores theoretical and foundational underpinnings of the STEM mindset. Certificate candidates engage in hands-on activities and problem-based learning, just as their young students will. They discover — and practice — techniques that broaden STEM’s reach across disciplines. And, on the way to the capstone project, they learn strategies for promoting inquiry and creative thinking in their own classrooms.
Hood’s certificate program is geared to teachers who want to step up their students’ learning — and step into the exciting new career opportunities that STEM offers within education. Thanks to small classes instructed by professional educators, certificate candidates benefit from individual attention and research-based instruction. For those ready for more depth, the 15-credit certificate can be applied to a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction.
* Please note that graduate certificate programs are now eligible for loans.
Program Director
Director of Graduate Admission
Associate professors for education at Hood College, Tricia Strickland, Ph.D. and Kristy Calo, Ph.D were recently awarded a $45,000 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education.
For students applying to the Elementary STEM Education program, please submit the following to the Graduate School:
Once these documents have been submitted to the Graduate School, the applicant will interview with the Program Director and a decision for admittance into the STEM certification graduate program will be made.
An applicant to the graduate program in Elementary STEM Education must already hold teacher certification to apply. This program does not issue teacher certification.
