Master of Arts in Teaching
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Master of Arts in Teaching |
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Program focus
Building on the candidate’s solid bachelor’s degree, the M.A.T.
focuses primarily on developing and extending the pedagogical, leadership, and
research skills needed by teachers.
For licensure candidates in middle grades and high school subjects, and
in the K-12 fields of art, dance, music, theatre, French, and German, there are
also discipline-based graduate coursework requirements. For Phase Two, candidates
are expected to be employed as teachers in order to conduct the required action
research and leadership assignments.
Program timeline
Unlike some M.A.T. programs that lead only to the initial license, or liberal arts graduate programs that are course- and project-centered, this program cannot be completed in one academic year. Coursework is only one part of the program; classroom application and experience is the other.
Phase I requires a serious investment of time in classrooms and will typically take 3 - 4 semesters. It may be completed as a part-time or full-time student. The final course is a full-time internship, but carries only 3 credit hours. In general, all coursework must be completed prior to the internship, but some programs allow certain courses to be taken with the internship.
Phase II, to be entered only after completion of Phase One, demands professional employment as a teacher. Phase II and its co-requisite teaching experience focus on building advanced content knowledge and pedagogical skills, conducting research, and providing collaborative leadership to other teachers as required for the advanced "M" license. Most candidates will take another 1 - 2 years to complete this phase while they teach.
Program exclusions
The M.A.T. program is not designed for fully licensed, experienced teachers already holding a Standard Professional I license in their teaching field unless they wish to change fields. Individuals holding the Standard Professional I license, rather than a provisional (lateral entry) or emergency license, should investigate UNC Charlotte’s variety of M.Ed., M.A., and M.S.A. programs which lead directly to the advanced “M” license.