Middle Grades Education: Initial Certification, M.A.T.
Prerequisite Degree – Bachelor’s Degree
The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T) degree program is designed to meet the needs of candidates who do not hold a teacher certification. Prior to Admission to Teacher Education the candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree from a PSC-accepted accredited institution and pass or exempt the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Program Admissions Assessment. Before taking the Internship II semester, the candidate must pass the appropriate GACE content area tests to be recommended for initial certification. Completion of all program requirements and passing scores on the GACE content area tests will lead to recommendation for Georgia certification in Middle Grades Education.
The M.A.T. program consists of a minimum of 58 semester hours, 120 hours of field experience, and one semester of student teaching. Of the 58 hours of course work required for initial certification, 52 hours must be taken at Piedmont College. The last 12 academic hours in the candidate’s program, exclusive of student teaching, must be taken at Piedmont College. Full-time M.A.T. candidates can complete the program within six semesters if the candidate is approved for the minimum program. Students may take up to six years to complete the program. No course older than six calendar years may apply toward graduation.
Course Requirements
Required Courses:
Five Content Area Courses at the graduate level (minimum)
Methods Courses: One per area of concentration
Content Courses:
A minimum of 9 hours and 6 hours, respectively, in two content areas at the graduate level. Prerequisites may apply, check course descriptions.
Natural Science
The 5000-level courses are for those who have no experience in the course being taught:
The following courses are for those candidates who have a degree or the equivalent in science:
English
Mathematics
The 5000-level courses are for those who have no experience in the course being taught.
Social Science
Electives
| EDUC 6600 | Educational Assessment | 3 |
| EDUC 6607 | Fundamentals of Learning and Cognition | 3 |
| EDUC 6628 | Literature for Children: Expanding Students' Reading Abilities and Interests | 3 |
| EDUC 6642 | Critical Thinking and Creativity in the Classroom | 3 |
| EDUC 6656 | Essentials of Collaboration and Inclusion | 1 |
| SPAN 5580 | Spanish for the Professions | 3 |
| EDUC 7701 | Critical Analysis of Current Trends and Issues in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 7712 | Group Processes and Interpersonal Skills | 3 |
| EDUC 7730 | School Law | 3 |
| EDUC 7770 | The Foxfire Approach to Instruction | 3 |
Program Completion Requirements:
- Minimum course work hours: 59
- Minimum field experience hours: 120
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in all graduate courses attempted, with not more than one grade of “C”;
- Submit and have approved an application for graduation the semester before graduation;
- Successful completion of Capstone;
- Successful completion of Professional Development Portfolio;
- Successful completion of one semester Student Teaching or full year internship;
- Pass GACE Program Admission Assessment and content area tests.
NOTE: In order to register for student teaching or take the capstone course in any program (whichever occurs last), M.A.T. candidates must successfully pass the appropriate Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) tests(s).
NOTE: Candidates wishing to fulfill the teaching experience sequence in a private school are advised that private schools must be pre-approved for internship in order for that experience to satisfy the program requirement.
NOTE: The College assures candidates in our middle grades education programs that we can provide supervision of student teaching and internships at public schools and approved private schools located within 40 miles of either the Demorest or Athens campus. Consideration for supervision in placements beyond 50 miles is on a case-by-case basis and requires approval by the Chair of Middle Grades Education prior to registering for an internship or student teaching. A candidate should not consider a position on the assumption that Piedmont College is obliged to provide that service.
Candidates are expected to arrange with their host schools to leave school on days of the methods class (EDUC 736) to arrive on time every time the class meets. Responsibility for extra-curricular school activities, including band, chorus, theatre, and athletics, is not an accepted reason for missing class sessions.
NOTE: Content Area Courses:
Candidates must have a minimum of 15 semester hours at the graduate level (5000 courses or higher) is required; 9 hours and 6 hours, respectively, at the graduate level in the fields of intended certification.
Candidates with undergraduate majors in fields not related to the chosen content areas will be required to add to their programs additional 3000-, 4000-, or graduate level courses in order to provide a substantial content knowledge base for teaching and for passing the GACE content area tests. Courses at the 3000- or 4000-level will not count toward the requirement for graduate level content courses. A transcript analysis of undergraduate coursework will be completed with the Department Chair to determine the additional number of courses that must be taken to meet the 15 hours per content area requirement.
See course descriptions