| Department: | Teacher Education / College of Education |
| Hours Required: | 30 |
| Categories: | Graduate |
| Completion Time: | 1-2 years * |
| Delivery: | Online |
* Based on 2 classes per semester including summer
Statement of Purpose
The Master of Arts in Teaching program at Southern Arkansas University is designed to enable career changes for those people who hold a baccalaureate degree in subject areas commonly taught at the elementary, middle, and secondary level, grades k-12. Candidates will be required to choose a track (elementary, middle, secondary, or K-12 licensure) prior to program start and must continue on that track throughout the program. SAU MAT program allows for candidates to be initially licensed in any content area the Arkansas Department of Education recognizes as an initial licensure area (except Special Education). It is incumbent upon students from other states to determine the licensing requirements in their state.
The program is comprised of 24 hours of online graduate coursework, and six hours of internship. During the internship the individual may be hired as a fully-employed teacher of record in a public school. K-6, Middle School, and Secondary Social Studies require a course in Arkansas History for graduation.
Initial Course
- MAT 6003 Teaching and Learning for Diverse Learners
CORE Courses
- MAT 5023 Survey of Exceptional Individuals
- MAT 5013 Classroom Assessment
- MAT 6073 Learning Theory
- MAT 6013 Methods in Education
Licensure area K-6 Elementary Education:
- MAT 5173 Teaching Literacy I
- MAT 5273 Teaching Literacy II
- MAT 5343 STEM Methods for Science and Math
Licensure areas 4-8 and K-12/4-12, 7-12:
- MAT 5003 Strategies for Content Area Reading (fall, summer I)
- MAT 6083 Reading Diagnostics (spring, summer II)
Supervised Experience (choose 6 credit hours):
- MAT 6033 Internship I (first year of teaching)* (fall, spring)
- MAT 6043 Internship II (first year of teaching)* (fall, spring)
or
- MAT 6053 Student Teaching I ** (fall, spring)
- MAT 6063 Student Teaching II ** (fall, spring
- COE Policy Handbook
- MAT Internship I and II Handbook
- MAT Student Teaching I and II Handbook
- Course Descriptions
- Arkansas Testing Requirements
Learning Goals
- Candidates engage in scholarly research activities such as action research or program evaluation to solve authentic problems. Teachers seek advice of others and draw on education research and scholarship to improve their practice.
- Candidates model leadership and communication strategies that promote valuing diversity throughout the community. Teachers recognize individual differences in their students and adjust their practice accordingly.
- Candidates design and modify instruction and the learning environment based on assessment of student learning and behavior. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
- Candidates employ technologies including communications, productivity and presentation applications to enhance their collaborations. Teachers regularly assess student progress.
- Candidates design and modify instruction and the learning environment based on assessment of student learning and behavior. Teachers command specialized knowledge of how to convey a subject to students.
Each candidate for the Master of Arts in Teaching degree must complete 30 semester hours of coursework (33 hours for the elementary education track). All candidates regardless of licensure level will complete the core courses. Candidates will select the appropriate licensure track and complete requirements for that track.
MAT Initial course (Required to be taken during first term by all MAT Candidates)
| MAT 6003 | Teaching and Learning for Diverse Learners (fall, spring, summer I) |
MAT Core Courses (Required)
| MAT 5023 | Survey of Exceptional Individuals (fall, spring) |
| MAT 5083 | Class and Group Management |
| MAT 5013 | Classroom Assessment (fall, summer II) |
| MAT 6013 | Methods in Education |
| MAT 6073 | Learning Theory (spring, summer II) |
Licensure area K-6 Elementary Education
| MAT 5173 | Teaching Literacy I |
| MAT 5273 | Teaching Literacy II |
| MAT 5343 | STEM Methods for Science and Math |
Licensure areas 4-8 and K-12/4-12, 7-12
| MAT 5003 | Strategies for Content Area Reading (fall, summer I) |
| MAT 6083 | Reading Diagnostics (spring, summer II) |
Supervised Experience (choose 6 credit hours)
| MAT 6033 | Internship I (first year of teaching)* (fall, spring) |
| MAT 6043 | Internship II (first year of teaching)* (fall, spring) |
OR
| MAT 6053 | Student Teaching I ** (fall, spring) |
| MAT 6063 | Student Teaching II ** (fall, spring) |
*Teacher candidates must have completed with a C or above six (6) hours in order to apply for the provisional licensure in the specified content area and specified grade span prior to registration for Internship I MAT 6033 and Internship II MAT 6043. Elementary candidates can apply for a provisional license upon admission if hired to teach.
*Candidates entering the MAT program seeking licensure in K-6 Elementary Education will only be allowed to enter the program under Track 1 as described in the policies governing teacher preparation programs. Track 1 allows a candidate to be employed as a teacher of record with a provisional teaching license for the duration of the prescribed program of study. Candidates in all programs except for K-6 Elementary Licensure route must have complete with a C or above six (6) hours in order to apply for the provisional licensure in the specified content area and specified grade span prior to registration for Internship I MAT 6033 and Internship II MAT 6043.
** Any candidate that has completed the initial 24 hours of coursework and has not found a teaching position is eligible to student teach for 1 year and take Student Teaching I MAT 6053 and Student Teaching II MAT 6063. If you find a job after 1 semester of student teaching you will be placed in Internship II.
The following documentation must be housed in the teacher candidate’s licensure folder in the Office of Admission, Field Experience, and Licensure: official transcript, passing scores on all three parts of Praxis I or GRE score of Verbal Reasoning 142 or higher, Quantitative Reasoning 142 or higher, and Analytical Writing 3.5 or higher, passing scores on all required content area tests within the individual’s subject areas, results of fingerprinting by the FBI and the Arkansas State Police Department, completed application for provisional licensure, a letter of hire from the school district, and a mentor information form.
MAT Graduate Certificate Program
Candidates for the MAT Graduate Certificate must complete 12 hours. This program does not lead to teacher licensure.
| MAT 5013 | Classroom Assessment |
| MAT 5083 | Classroom and Group Management |
| MAT 6003 | Teaching and Learning for Diverse Learners |
| MAT 6013 | Methods in Education |
The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at Southern Arkansas University is accredited by the Council of Educator Preparation (CAEP),www.caep.org. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator programs at Southern Arkansas University. However, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, re-licensure, or other purposes. It is incumbent upon students from other states to determine the licensing requirements in their state.
Program Admission Requirements (Must be completed PRIOR to taking courses):
- Apply and be accepted to graduate school. saumag.edu/graduate
- Provide proof of a 3.0 GPA or higher overall or in the last 60 hours for your undergraduate degree.
- Complete a background check at https://portal.castlebranch.com/SI89
- Take and pass a basic skills test and the Praxis II content test. The following Basic Skills test are accepted Praxis CORE/GRE/ACT/SAT (your choice) The Praxis II Content exams will be in your content. Please send me a score report when you get it as ETS will not. Here is the website for the Praxis exams: https://www.ets.org/praxis/ar/requirements (For help on the praxis visit here: https://web.saumag.edu/education/praxis-information/)
- Complete the MAT admissions form here https://web.saumag.edu/education/cps/masters-of-arts-in-teaching/apply/
