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 of, master, arts and/or teaching:

    He’s a man who shoots from the hip. And a man who’s hip when he shoots.
    Jeremy Larner, U.S. screenwriter. Banquet master of ceremonies (Pat Harrington, Jr.)

    There is hardly an American male of my generation who has not at one time or another tried to master the victory cry of the great ape as it issued from the androgynous chest of Johnny Weissmuller, to the accompaniment of thousands of arms and legs snapping during attempts to swing from tree to tree in the backyards of the Republic.
    Gore Vidal (b. 1925)

    The arts are not just instantaneous pleasure—if you don’t like it, the artist is wrong. I belong to the generation which says if you don’t like it, you don’t understand and you ought to find out.
    John Drummond (b. 1934)

    For good teaching rests neither in accumulating a shelfful of knowledge nor in developing a repertoire of skills. In the end, good teaching lies in a willingness to attend and care for what happens in our students, ourselves, and the space between us. Good teaching is a certain kind of stance, I think. It is a stance of receptivity, of attunement, of listening.
    Laurent A. Daloz (20th century)