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Secondary — Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

This program is designed for individuals who have earned an undergraduate degree in biology, business, chemistry, earth science, English, French, health, math, physical education, physics, social studies, Spanish or a closely related field. It offers an opportunity for candidates to earn Professional Teaching Certification while completing a Master of Arts in Teaching degree. The degree provides candidates who have been granted a Temporary Provisional Certificate with a mechanism for refining and demonstrating their teaching skills and competencies during participation in the MAT program.

A master's degree with professional certification is the end result of successful completion of the PRAXIS Tests, a 36-hour program, and successful completion of KTIP from the KY Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB).

Admission Requirements

  1. Official transcript from an accredited institution verifying a baccalaureate degree with a GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale; or a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on the last 30-hours of coursework taken at either the graduate or undergraduate level.
  2. Completion of and successful evaluation by program faculty of an admission interview demonstrating 1) effective communication, 2) creativity, 3) critical thinking, 4) ability to effectively collaborate with others, and 5) an understanding of the professional dispositions required of teachers.
  3. A signed statement that the applicant has read and understands the Professional Code of Ethics for Kentucky School Certified Personnel and Kentucky's fitness and character requirements for teachers.
  4. Submission of a graduate application form and general admission to graduate study (for criteria, refer to Admission to Graduate Study).

Eligibility to Enroll in Coursework

Candidates may enroll in classes required for the Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education or Business, French or Spanish programs when they have fulfilled all of the admission requirements.

Eligibility to Continue in the Program

The following conditions must be met to determine eligibility to continue taking courses for credit toward the MAT degree:

  1. Achieved and maintained a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Option Six Program

A student is admitted to the Option Six Program when he/she obtains a full-time teaching position within a Kentucky accredited school. At that time, a Temporary Provisional Certificate can be issued, which is valid for one year and must be renewed each additional year through the MAT program for a total of three years.

Traditional Program

A student will be admitted to the Traditional Program if he/she wishes to complete the student teaching requirement as per KY EPSB regulations.

Background Check

Students must complete a background check as required by the district in which the student will be teaching (full-time) or student teaching.

Exit Requirements

Candidates must:

  1. Have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0; no credit is awarded when the grade earned is below a "C."
  2. Successfully complete the Supervised Teaching Experience courses (EDUC 650 and EDUC 651).
  3. Pass the PRAXIS Specialty test(s) in the content major prior to the KTIP experience. Students must pass the Principles of Teaching and Learning exam (PLT) and the PRAXIS Specialty exams for degree completion.
  4. Successfully complete program-required portfolio (EDUC 650 and EDUC 651).
  5. Students must file an application for degree completion in the Graduate School, no later than the beginning of the semester during which they plan to complete all degree requirements.

Other Program Procedures and Requirements

  1. Once accepted into the MAT program, candidates seeking employment in a public/private school may secure, along with the school district and the MSU Master of Arts in Teaching Program, a Temporary Provisional Certificate. Candidates may accomplish this through the completion of a CA-TP form available at the school system where employment is desired. The candidate completes pages one and three and then must obtain signatures of the school district superintendent and the MSU certification officer. Finally the form must be submitted to the Education Professional Standards Board by the MSU certification officer.
  2. Candidates who are not employed as full-time teachers must be available for supervised student teaching in a public school for a minimum of two semesters. During the fall term, the candidate will complete 200 hours of observations/teaching and during the spring term, he/she must complete 70 full days of student teaching.
  3. No credit will be given toward completion of required coursework for any MAT Program for correspondence courses.
  4. Candidates who fall below a 3.0 GPA will be placed on probation. Candidates on probation will be allowed to repeat MAT required courses or to take graduate courses that do not count for credit in the MAT Program to raise their GPA to a 3.0. If after that semester, candidates fail to achieve a 3.0 GPA they will be dropped from the MAT Program.
  5. Candidates employed via Temporary Provisional Certification whose employment is terminated by the student or the employing district for unethical practices will be suspended from the MAT Program until the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) rules on the district's allegation. When a decision is rendered, the candidate will either be expelled from or reinstated in the program, based on EPSB's decision. In all cases the candidate must notify the MSU certification officer.

Program Requirements

Professional Core

EDF 610Advanced Human Growth and Development

3
or
EDF 611Adolescent Development

3
 
EDSE 634Secondary School Curriculum

3
 
EDSE 633Effective Classroom Instruction

3
or
EDEL 640Contemporary Instructional Practices in Grades P-9

3
 
EDEL 677Literacy in the Content Areas

3
 
EDSP 601Survey of Exceptional Children

3
or
EDF 680History and Philosophy of Education

3
Total Credit Hours:15

EDSP 601: This course is required when a student has not successfully completed at least one course in the area of special education. The need to take this course will be determined at the Program Entrance and Design Interview.

Supervised Clinical Practice

EDUC 650Practicum I

6
EDUC 651Practicum II

6
EDUC 652Applied Classroom Practice Modules I

2
EDUC 653Applied Classroom Practice Modules II

1
Total Credit Hours:15

EDUC 652: must take with EDUC 650

EDUC 653: must take with EDUC 651, required when officially recommended by MSU supervisor

Content Area

Chose six hours from content area.

Total Credit Hours:6

Extending Certification

Students who complete the MAT in Secondary Education and wish to obtain certification in the same middle grade content area must complete the following:

  1. Complete another graduate application listing the additional certification only and not another MAT program.
  2. Submit substitution forms if applicable.
  3. Must successfully complete EDMG 636.
  4. Must successfully complete one teaching methods course: EDEL 622, EDEL 623, ENG 612, MATH 631, SCI 691, or SCI 690.
  5. Apply for completion of the program.

Total Credit Hours: 36