Master of Arts [M.A] [Interdisciplinary Science] From University of Texas

The Master of Arts in program at University of Texas Arlington is intended to help prepare teachers who desire certification in science, teachers who may wish to expand their knowledge of specific science disciplines, or those who wish to update their knowledge in rapidly changing science disciplines. Traditional masters degrees focus on classes in a single science department and encourage mastery of material in a sub specialty within the discipline. A thesis involving scientific research in the area of specialization is usually encouraged. In contrast, the MAIS program allows students to explore two or three areas of interest, and the courses are designed to provide an overview of current knowledge in each field. Since this is not a research-oriented degree, no thesis is required.

The content of the required courses was developed to contain material consistent with TEKS standards and to provide as much replicable laboratory experience as possible. While these classes are drawn from the foundational classes in each discipline, they are designed to cover the areas in greater depth, deal with historical aspects of the topics not covered in undergraduate classes, and focus on teaching and laboratory methodologies.