You know STEM. Now make it official.
Your background in STEM counts here. Jayhawk Flex’s Secondary STEM Education master’s is built for those ready to step into the classroom and turn what they know into a Kansas teaching license.
Flexible. Competency-based. Built around your pace and your goals.
Your experience is the starting point
STEM classrooms across Kansas need teachers who can make complex ideas clear and attainable for students and who have actually done the work. Whether you've spent years in a lab, in the field, or in industry, your expertise is exactly what today's students need in front of them.
With a competency-based model, you don't start from zero. You demonstrate what you already know and build from there, moving faster through areas where your background gives you a head start and investing more time where you want to grow. Along the way, you apply what you’re learning in authentic K–12 classroom settings through practicum experiences that prepare you for teaching.
No seat time requirements. No rigid schedule. Just a clear path from where you are to where you want to be.
Your knowledge. Your speed. Your degree.
How the program works
Progress is based on what you can demonstrate in practice, not how long you spend in a course. Your existing STEM expertise is built into how you advance.
Learn anywhere. Connect on your schedule. All course materials are available online, anytime. Optional live learning sessions run multiple times each week, so you stay connected with faculty and peers without rearranging your life. You’ll also complete clinical learning experiences in a school setting, giving you applied classroom practice as you progress toward licensure.
Faculty members as coaches. Your instructors hold active certifications, advanced credentials from institutions including Harvard, and professional classroom experience across the grade levels you're preparing to teach. You can expect realistic and practical feedback.
A credential that carries with weight. This is the first competency-based teacher licensure program approved by the Kansas State Department of Education. When you earn your license through Jayhawk Flex, you graduate prepared to step into the classroom.
Want to start teaching full-time while you earn your degree?
Start teaching sooner than you might expect. The restricted licensure pathway lets you work as a teacher in an accredited Kansas school while you complete the program. You’ll identify a school willing to hire you, and a mentor teacher will be assigned to support you throughout.
Not ready to jump in right away? You can still gain hands-on classroom experience through the standard clinical pathway, working in a supervising teacher’s classroom as you build your skills.
The program meets you where you are. Both pathways lead to an initial teacher license.
Learn More about Secondary STEM Education Flex
Fill out the form to receive details about KU’s Secondary STEM Education Master of Science Education (MSE) program, including admissions requirements, tuition, and upcoming start dates.
How Jayhawk Flex works in STEM Education
In a traditional teacher preparation program, you complete coursework on a fixed schedule, then enter the classroom once your degree is finished. Jayhawk Flex is built differently.
You progress by demonstrating what you can do. Each step forward is based on your ability to design lessons, support student learning, and use teaching practices effectively.
Your STEM background gives you a head start. If you already have a solid foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, or math, you can focus on learning how to teach. Experience in coaching or other teaching contexts can also help you move faster where you’re already strong.
Your learning is connected to real classrooms from the start. Coursework and assessments are designed around core teaching practices, so what you’re doing in the program directly translates to what you’re doing with students.
You move at a pace that fits your life and classroom opportunities. There are no fixed class times or weekly deadlines. You decide when to move forward, and how quickly.
Tuition is structured around time, not courses. You pay a flat rate per term and can complete multiple competencies within that period—so your pace can directly impact your total cost.
KU's School of Education and Human Sciences graduate education programs are ranked 15th in the nation. The Secondary STEM Education master’s carries that same standard, delivered in a format that fits your life.
30 credit hours. Approximately 18 months to complete. Rolling admission.
Graduates are recommended for initial teaching licensure in Kansas in their content area. From there, additional Praxis exams open doors to licensure in other subjects and grade levels.
Program details
Let’s get specific. Use the following resources to break down the details behind KU's Flex Online Master of Science Education (MSE) in Secondary STEM Education.
Costs
You pay one flat rate per term, not per class or credit hour.
- $4,165 per 16-week term (Fall and Spring)
- $2,083 per 8-week term (Summer)
Enrollment is structured as full-time for each term, allowing you to complete as many competencies as you’re able within that period.
Because tuition isn’t tied to individual courses, your total cost depends on how quickly you move through competencies.
Make more progress in a term, and you may need fewer terms to finish.
Funded Pathways to Get You Started
Financial aid and funding options are available for the online master’s in secondary STEM education — because making the transition into teaching and earning your license shouldn’t be out of reach.
For those pursuing the traditional pathway, school districts may offer support or incentives for individuals entering these high-need teaching fields, and the program is structured to support working professionals making that transition.
Federal financial aid is available for qualifying students, including those enrolled in online programs. Veterans and military-affiliated learners may be eligible for VA education benefits and military tuition assistance. Financial aid eligibility and options can vary, and our team can help you understand what may be available based on your situation.
Admission
Applications for the STEM program open May 5, with a final deadline of August 13. The program begins August 25, 2026. Admissions are reviewed on a rolling basis, so applying earlier is encouraged. We recommend applying by July 15 to help ensure full consideration and give you time to secure a school placement and begin clinical learning experiences as soon as possible.
To apply, you’ll submit official transcripts from your previous college or university, along with a resume, a personal statement, and two letters of recommendation. These materials help provide a full picture of your academic background, professional experience, and goals for entering the field of STEM education.
The program is designed for individuals with a background in STEM or a related field, as well as those with relevant professional experience. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in your content area is recommended, though applicants who do not meet this threshold may still be considered based on the strength of their overall application.
Additional requirements may apply for international applicants, including proof of English proficiency.
Curriculum
Coursework is delivered online, giving you flexibility in how and when you study. The program also includes in-classroom teaching experience in a Kansas school, so you’re applying what you learn in actual classroom settings as you teach.
Optional live sessions give you opportunities to problem-solve and gain perspective from peers and faculty.
It all counts toward your master's
The experience you've built in your career, every project, every problem solved, every skill developed, is applied learning. At Jayhawk Flex, it counts toward your degree, and you build on it to become a licensed teacher without starting from zero. Education that moves with you, built on everything you've already done.
How flexible is online learning at KU?
KU’s online degree programs are designed with your busy schedule in mind and offer the flexibility to study wherever — and often whenever — is most convenient for you. Our online courses are taught by the same highly regarded faculty and expert instructors, and contain the same rigorous curriculum and instruction as our on-campus programs.