Program Requirements
The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree is designed for mid-career professionals who are seeking to change fields and for students with backgrounds in content areas who are not currently certified to teach. The program in Middle Level Education possesses several intrinsic advantages over other initial certification programs. Most importantly, it places well-prepared candidates in the classroom in a timely manner. An individual possessing a bachelor’s degree in a content or closely related field is given an intensive one-year, field-based experience. He/she can then expect to start in the classroom as a first year teacher after a full academic year (including summer sessions).
The objectives of the Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Level Education are to promote the entrance of content-ready individuals into the South Carolina classroom in a timely manner and to provide a rigorous yet plausible route for individuals seeking to change careers and enter teaching. The program is approved by AMLE.
Admission Requirements
Acceptance is based on a combination of previous academic performance, two letters of recommendation, test scores, and personal interview.
- A minimum GPA of 2.7 (on a 4.0 scale) either overall or in the content area as evidenced on transcripts
- Competitive Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
- Passing Praxis II score in the content area for which certification is sought is required before student teaching.
Course Requirements
The MAT program, offered at the University Center of Greenville, is composed of three elements: core pedagogical coursework, content coursework and an intensive field-based component. This includes six hours of Methods Practicum, three in each area of content certification. These six credit hours meet the state’s requirements for student teaching. The remaining 12 credit hours are taken individually in the content areas.
Students in the MAT block begin during the fall semester when public schools begin.
The MAT in Middle Level Education program requires 36 credit hours, 24 in core education classes and 12 in the content areas.
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