Master of Arts in Teaching

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) or Master of Science in Teaching (MST) degree is generally a pre-service degree that usually requires a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond the Bachelor's degree. While the program often requires education classes in order to meet state licensure requirements, it emphasizes advanced course work in a specific academic discipline to enhance one's knowledge in that subject area. Furthermore, it focuses on educating the candidate in practical teaching skills for use as a teacher, as opposed to focusing on performing research in the educational field. Candidates usually spend a semester as a student teacher in order to earn the degree. There are two general models that (MAT) degrees follow: a 5th year model in which students spend one year extra beyond their bachelor’s degree to earn a masters degree and an initial teaching license; and a Flex program which usually offers part-time weekend and evening courses to accommodate professionals who are changing careers. The Master’s of Arts in Teaching degree is often advantageous to middle school and secondary school teachers because it allows them to focus on subject area knowledge in their undergraduate program and then acquire pedagogical skills in their graduate studies. It differs from the Masters in Education (MEd) degree which is usually geared toward practicing teachers, or toward those who desire to serve as counselors (school or otherwise) or as educational administrators.

Academic degrees
First-tier
  • Associate degree
  • Foundation degree
Second-tier
  • Bachelor's degree
Third-tier
  • DEA
  • Diplom
  • Engineer's degree
  • Magister
  • Master's degree
Fourth-tier
  • Doctoral degree
  • Terminal degree
Other
  • Honorary degree
  • Licentiate
  • Professional doctorate
  • Professorial degree
  • Professional degree
  • Specialist degree


Famous quotes containing the words master, arts and/or teaching:

    Though it seems improbable on the face of it
    You must master the huge retards and have faith in the slow
    Blossoming of haystacks, stairways, walls of convolvulus,
    Until the moon can do no more. Exhausted,
    You get out of bed. Your project is completed
    Though the experiment is a mess.
    John Ashbery (b. 1927)

    The textile and needlework arts of the world, primarily because they have been the work of women have been especially written out of art history. It is a male idea that to be “high” and “fine” both women and art should be beautiful, but not useful or functional.
    Patricia Mainardi (b. 1942)

    There is no teaching until the pupil is brought into the same state or principle in which you are; a transfusion takes place; he is you, and you are he; then is a teaching; and by no unfriendly chance or bad company can he ever lose the benefit.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)