A master's program on the leading edge of innovation in learning analytics, curriculum, and technology in education.
The one-year Learning Sciences and Technologies master’s program lays the foundation for graduates to pursue fulfilling and creative careers as educators, researchers, and developers of next-generation curricula, technology-enriched learning environments, and instructional programs.
What Sets Us Apart
About the Program
The Learning Sciences and Technologies program gives you the knowledge, skills, and techniques to assess, design, and implement programs in learning settings that range from after-school opportunities for children to corporate professional development.
Fall: 3-4 courses; Spring: 3-4 courses; Summer: 2 courses
Internship experience60 hours for the year
Culminating experienceMaster’s capstone project
- Full-Time
- Part-Time
Learning scientists study and create real-world learning experiences to make education more effective, efficient, and engaging. They investigate how people interact with information and ideas, as well as what interests and motivates them. And then they use this knowledge to create new, often computer-based, approaches to enhance the learning process.
Coursework is just one facet of the graduate experience in the Learning Sciences and Technologies master's program. All students in receive an internship placement in an out-of-school environment such as an educational non-profit, museum, cultural institution, or library.
This program qualifies for the STEM OPT extension for students on an F-1 visa.
Curriculum
The program is student-driven and requires a significant amount of student engagement. You will work closely with your academic advisor to tailor your program of study to your interests. For more information on courses and requirements, visit the Learning Sciences and Technologies M.S.Ed. program in the University Catalog.
*Note: based on a faculty proposal, the distribution of course requirements may be changing in Fall 2020.
Internship Program
Our Internship Program gives you an in-depth understanding of how learning occurs in out-of-school environments, such as the Franklin Institute science museum, the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, the Philadelphia Zoo, and the Free Library of Philadelphia. During your studies, you will work at your internship site and, in parallel, be enrolled in a seminar that addresses informal learning, site-specific topics, and reflexive practice. In previous years, interns have prepared workshops, designed communication materials, curated exhibitions, and written literature reviews for publication.
The Teaching, Learning, and Leadership division's close-knit partnerships leverage a range of Philadelphia organizations – including major science institutions, small museums, and after-school organizations – to provide dynamic internships that engage students with sites of informal learning with K-12 populations. Each partner organization is characterized by dedicated staff who work in established informal learning programs. The internship is designed so that you can draw on your experience for your Master’s Capstone Project, allowing you to synthesize your core coursework, applied internship, and professional interests into a powerful learning experience.
Our program is competitive, and we can only accommodate sites that are able to meet the program’s requirements. The program selects partner sites based on an established set of criteria, and potential partners are vetted for close fit with our program. We will match you with a partner institution, based on your interests, availability, and site preferences. Early in the internship, you will observe work at your site, establish weekly hours, and sign an internship contract. We work closely with part-time students who hold regular employment to ensure that your internship placement complements your schedule.
On-site supervisors at partner institutions advise students every two weeks. You are expected to work a total of 60 hours; you determine your internship schedule in collaboration with your supervisor. Both site supervisors and interns complete an exit survey at the end of the internship.
Our Faculty
Our award-winning faculty design and research formal and informal learning environments. Innovations developed by our faculty range from online learning communities and teacher professional development workshops to more effective curricular and pedagogical approaches. They work in school clubs, museums, classrooms, and virtual worlds across multiple educational settings. With grant-funded projects, as well as ties to Philadelphia schools and institutions, the faculty offer students direct access to nationally significant research on education. Their work connects closely to Penn GSE’s broader focus on equitable access to education across social strata.
Aileen Tschiderer
Our Graduates
The Learning Sciences and Technologies program prepares graduates for a variety of careers. Recent graduates have gotten jobs in curriculum design, nonprofit administration, teaching, and the for-profit sector. Other graduates have continued on to doctoral studies.
Alumni Careers
- Associate Director of Online Curriculum Design, Penn Dental
- Associate Software Developer, Pearson
- Consultant, Ellucian Development Manager, Riot Games
- Director of Technology, AIM Academy
- Founder, Smart Aleks Education, Ltd.
- Instructional Designer, China Europe International Business School
- Senior Academic Technology Consultant, Bates College
Admissions & Financial Aid
Please visit our Admissions and Financial Aid pages for specific information on the application requirements, as well as information on tuition, fees, financial aid, scholarships, and fellowships.
Contact us if you have any questions about the program.
Financial Aid
Graduate School of Education
University of Pennsylvania
3700 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-6415
admissions@gse.upenn.edu
finaid@gse.upenn.edu
Veronica E. Aplenc
Program Manager
Adjunct Assistant Professor
(215) 746-2566
vaplenc@gse.upenn.edu
Jacey Hallock
Program Assistant
(215) 898-5690
jaceyh@upenn.edu
Please view information from our Admissions and Financial Aid Office for specific information on the cost of this program.
Penn GSE is committed to making your graduate education affordable, and we offer generous scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.
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