Teaching, Learning & Curriculum

Total Credits: 32**

* Students who enter the MAT program without teacher certification must qualify for a teaching certificate to complete the degree.

Required Courses

Specialization and Electives — 17–20

Professional Education Courses

Listed below are the required graduate professional education courses for Michigan elementary-teaching credentials which must be taken. If students have taken the undergraduate-level course, they do not need to repeat the graduate-level course. Graduate-level students who are qualifying for certification and wish to apply credit to a graduate degree must select courses at the graduate level.

• EDTE 408 - Principles of Teaching and Learning Credits: 3
• EDTE 424 - Classroom Testing and Evaluation Credits: 2,3
• EDTE 444 - Elementary Language Arts Methods Credits: 2
• EDTE 445 - Elementary Mathematics Methods Credits: 3
• EDTE 446 - Elementary Science and Health Methods Credits: 3
• EDTE 447 - Elementary Social Studies and Character Education Methods Credits: 3
• EDTE 448 - Methods for Integrating Arts & Movement in Elementary Curriculum Credits: 3
• EDTE 480 - First Days of School Experience Credits: 2
• EDTE 487 - Student Teaching Seminar Credits: 1
• EDTE 588 - Graduate Student Teaching: Level Credits: 1–10
• EDTE 630 - Seminar: Philosophical and Social Foundations of Education Credits: 2
• GDPC 514 - Psychology of Learning Credits: 3

The Planned Program Minor — 20

The planned program minor consists of a group of courses related to teaching in the elementary school and is required by the State of Michigan. All courses listed must be completed either in the Planned Program minor or in other areas of the degree requirements. The total credits in the planned program minor must be at least 20.

• EDTE 228 - Strategies for Educating Exceptional and Diverse Learners Credits: 3 ***
• EDTE 418 - Methods for Teaching Beginning Reading Credits: 3
• EDTE 420 - Literacy Intervention Strategies Credits: 3
• EDTE 424 - Classroom Testing and Evaluation Credits: 2,3
• EDTE 448 - Methods for Integrating Arts & Movement in Elementary Curriculum Credits: 3
• EDTE 476 - Methods for Integrating Instructional Technology Credits: 2,3
• EDTE 480 - First Days of School Experience Credits: 2
• EDTE 484 - Developmental Reading Methods Credits: 2
• ENGL 407 - Literature for Children Credits: 2,3
• GEOG 110 - Survey of Geography Credits: 3
• GEOG 475 - Regional Geography: ____________ Credits: 3
• MATH 220 - Geometry and Numbers Credits: 3

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

This flexible, professional degree program is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of individuals. Typical MAT students belong to one of the following categories:

Persons who have earned a bachelor’s degree and are now seeking teacher certification at the elementary or secondary level

1. Persons who hold teacher certification at either the elementary or secondary level and seek certification at the other level.
2. Persons who hold a teaching certificate and want to strengthen or add a specific subject area endorsement.
3. Candidates for the MAT degree must hold or qualify for a Seventh-day Adventist or State of Michigan teaching certificate or its equivalent before the degree can be granted. The 32 credits listed for the completion of this degree represent the minimum number of hours required for the MAT. Persons who enter the MAT program without a teaching certificate should expect to complete more than 32 credits. The Certification Registrar evaluates transcripts and identifies specific certification requirements for each student needing certification.

Three specialization options are available in the MAT program:

• An elementary education emphasis
• A secondary education emphasis
• A specific content area emphasis - (permission of the TLC department required)

MAT Prerequisites

1. An undergraduate degree with a major and/or a minor(s) in teaching area(s).
2. MAT students are required to meet the same requirements for a content major/minor as
   undergraduate students. If these requirements have not been met, they will need to be
   completed as soon as possible. Graduate level education courses may be taken
   concurrently; however any undergraduate requirements will need to be met before student
   teaching can be done.

MAT Program Procedures

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) gereral exam scores.  Note: MAT students may receive provisional acceptance without GRE scores, but will need to complete the exam within four months of course enrollment.
• Apply for admission to the Andrews University School of Education
• Request evaluation of transcripts by the Certification Registrar
• Develop a course plan in collaboration with advisor
• Take initial classes during the first semester
• Maintain a 3.0 GPA
• Take the Professional Readiness Examination (PRE) section of the MTTC during first semester 
• Students transferring in a major and/or minor must pass the relevant MTTC Subject Exams during their first semester of enrollment
• Apply for admission to the teacher preparation program and student teaching candidacy during EDTE 408  (see here )*
• Continue course work
• Take the Subject Area section(s) of the MTTC 
• Complete course work, including EDTE 588  & EDCI 696 .
• Apply for teaching certificate .
• Students should apply for Advancement to Candidacy at the time they begin First Days of School Experience or the summer prior to Student Teaching.

Field Work and Comprehensive Examinations. Field work and comprehensive examinations may be required at the discretion of the subject specialization advisor and/or the professional education advisor. 

Notes:

*Course requirements for persons seeking their first teaching certificate vary slightly from those who already have a teaching certificate.

**A minimum of 12 credits must be 500-level or higher. Students who enter the MAT program without a teaching certificate typically must complete more than 32 to qualify for a teaching certificate.

***On the graduate level GDPC 525 replaces EDTE 228.