The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program is designed for individuals who do not already hold a bachelor’s degree and/or professional teaching license in Special Education.  The M.A.T. program is a 39-hour program composed of two phases, the Graduate Certificate phase (Phase I) and the Master's degree completion phase (Phase II).  Completion of Phase I of the M.A.T. leads to the North Carolina Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License in Special Education.  Phase I requires 27 semester hours of coursework, including the graduate student teaching/internship experience.  Upon completion of Phase I, qualified candidates may continue into Phase II to complete the remaining requirements for the Master’s degree and qualify for the North Carolina Standard Professional 2 (SP2) Professional Educator’s License.

To see program planning sheets, refer to the links on the left-hand side of this page.  For more information on the M.A.T, link to http://www.pathwaytoteaching.com, refer to the M.A.T. Handbook (on the left-hand side of this page), or contact Dr. John Beattie, M.A.T. Advisor (PHASE I), at 704-687-8834 or jrbeatti@uncc.edu or Dr. Kelly Anderson, M.A.T. Advisor (PHASE II), at 704-687-8832 or keanders@uncc.edu.

All courses for both phases of the M.A.T. must be completed within six years.  Coursework within Phase I/Graduate Certificate must be completed within four years.

General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School
Please refer to general information provided at the beginning of the Graduate Catalog.

Admission Requirements for Graduate Certificate in Teaching (M.A.T. Phase I Initial licensure only)
1. An undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year institution
2. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0.  Contact the Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR) office at
    704-687-8725 or trecruitment@uncc.edu for alternative ways to demonstrate academic competence that may be used to replace
    this specific GPA.
3. Three recommendations from persons knowledgeable of your interaction with children or youth
4. A statement of purpose
5. Clear criminal background check

Apply online at http://graduateschool.uncc.edu

Admission Requirements for M.A.T. (Phase II) Program
1. Completion of the Graduate Certificate in Teaching
2. A minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching
3. Students with a GPA below 3.5 in the Graduate Certificate may be considered for admission to the M.A.T. program with
     scores above the 30th percentile on either the GRE or Millers Analogies Test.
4. One recommendation from a full-time faculty member who has taught you in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching program
5. A statement of purpose

Apply online at http://graduateschool.uncc.edu   

The admission process includes timely completion of the Admission to Candidacy form and the Application for Graduation from the Graduate Certificate program. 

Students with a GPA below 3.5 in the Graduate Certificate phase may be considered for admission to the M.A.T. program with scores above the 30^th percentile on either the GRE or Miller Analogies Test. 

Additional Admission Requirements
In addition to the required application materials, candidates must be currently employed as a teacher, teacher assistant, or have taught within the last two years. Candidates must submit proof of employment along with the required application materials.

Committees
The instructor of SPED 6691 (Seminar in Professional and Leadership Development) and one other assigned faculty serving as a second reviewer, will serve as members of the candidate’s culminating committee in completion of the capstone evidence project (Data-based Decision Project).

Admission to Candidacy
The Candidacy form supplied by the Graduate School must be received no later than the eighth instructional day of the semester in which completion of all degree requirements is expected. 

Application for Degree
The Application for Degree/Graduation form supplied by the Graduate School must be received early in the last semester of the student’s program. 

Clinical Field Experiences
Most courses require students to develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions in public school/agency settings.  All students are expected to complete clinical experiences in at least two significantly different settings.  Clinical field experiences provide opportunities for helping all students learn, including children with exceptionalities and students from diverse ethnic/racial, linguistic, gender, and socioeconomic groups.  During clinical experiences, students apply theories and understandings gained in course work, analyze P-12 student learning, and develop the ability to positively impact all learners.  All students are expected to complete clinical experiences in at least two different settings.  These structured experiences can take place in multiple settings such as neighboring schools or districts, day care centers and after-school programs, alternate youth centers, or in the schools and classrooms in which the candidates work.

Candidates who are lateral entry teachers and teacher assistants must move beyond their own classrooms and schools for at least two clinical experiences.  Alternative settings must be approved by the course instructor.  A limited number of clinical experiences may be approved in significantly different classrooms within their school of employment.  Employed candidates are encouraged to seek assistance and support from their administrators.

Internship/Student Teaching
The graduate-level student teaching/internship is the culminating experience in Phase I of the M.A.T, offering students the opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for the North Carolina Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License. Students are assigned to an appropriate classroom for a full-time, semester-long experience under the supervision of the classroom teacher and university faculty.  Lateral entry teachers and teacher assistants must contact the Office of Field Experiences to determine the appropriateness of their classroom for the student teaching/internship experience and licensure requirements.  This contact should take place at least one semester before student teaching. There is no required internship for Phase II of the M.A.T.

Capstone Experiences
The capstone experience for the M.A.T. will be fulfilled by completing the SPED 6691 (Seminar in Professional and Leadership Development) evidence project (Data-based Decision Project).

Advising
Upon acceptance into the program all students are assigned an advisor.  Students are expected to meet with their advisor each semester to discuss their coursework.

Assistantships
The Program sometimes has a limited number of graduate assistantships with salaries starting at $8,000/academic year.  You may apply for a Graduate Assistantship by using the application form at http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/images/stories/forms/AsstAppl.pdf.  Return the completed form to the Department of Special Education and Child Development.

Licensure
Upon successful completion of the M.A.T. Phase I/Graduate Certificate, students will be recommended for the North Carolina Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License. For this initial license, students are required to complete an electronic licensure portfolio that is created during coursework and the internship.  Upon successful completion of the M.A.T. Phase II, students will be recommended for the North Carolina Standard Professional 2 (SP2) Professional Educator’s License. For the advanced license, students are required to complete an advanced electronic licensure portfolio during coursework.

Tuition Waivers
A person may qualify for in-state tuition if he/she has established legal residence in North Carolina.  For more information, please visit http://resdetermination.uncc.edu.

Financial Aid/Financial Assistance
Information is available from the Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment office (TEALR) located in Room 119, College of Education (704-687-8725).  You may also find additional information at the UNC Charlotte Office of Financial Aid at http://finaid.uncc.edu/.

Program Approval
All teacher education programs at UNC Charlotte are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.  The M.A.T. in Special Education has been approved by North Carolina State Board of Education.