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Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.): Special Education

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 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.

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.

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, please visit http://www.pathwaytoteaching.com, or contact Dr. LuAnn Jordan (Graduate Certificate in Special Education Program Advisor) at 704-687-8844 or lujordan@uncc.edu or Dr. Kelly Anderson (M.A.T. Advanced Licensure Program Advisor) at 704-687-8832 or keanders@uncc.edu.

For application materials, please visit http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/gradadmissions.html.

General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School
Please refer to admission information in the Graduate School section 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.  (For alternative ways to demonstrate academic competence, applicants may contact the Office of Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR) at 704-687-8725 or trecruitment@uncc.edu.) 
  3. Three recommendations from persons knowledgeable of the applicant’s interaction with children or youth
  4. A statement of purpose
  5. A clear criminal background check

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

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 the applicant in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching program
  5. A statement of purpose

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

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

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.

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. 

Assistantships
The Program sometimes has a limited number of graduate assistantships.  Students may apply for a graduate assistantship by using the form available online at  http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/funding-resources/assistantships-employment.  Students should return the completed form to the Department of Special Education and Child Development.

Clinical Field Experiences
Most courses require students to develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions in public school settings. These experiences broaden their ability to help 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 coursework, 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 significantly different settings.

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 instructor and may include schools on different schedules, after-school and summer programs, Saturday programs, and private and charter schools.  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.

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.

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.

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).

Financial Aid/Financial Assistance
Information is available from the Office of Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR), located in Room 119, College of Education (704-687-8725).  Additional information is available from the Office of Student Financial Aid at http://finaid.uncc.edu/.

Program Accreditation/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.