Content Area Specialization MAT

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

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)

(Biology, English, English as a second language, History, French, Spanish and Reading.) Specific requirements for these content area emphases are found in the departmental listings of this bulletin.

MAT Prerequisites

1. An undergraduate degree with a major and/or a minor(s) in teaching area(s).
2. Six semester credits, including a course in educational psychology, and other basic areas such as educational philosophy, instruction, or evaluation. If not previously taken at the undergraduate level, the 6 credits may be taken at the graduate level but do not necessarily apply toward the
   graduate degree program.

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.