Designed for Massachusetts-based aspiring teachers and career changers, the Master of Arts in Secondary Education (MAT)1 offers an appreciation for and an understanding of the diverse educational needs, social concerns, and cultural values of today’s secondary schools.
This MAT in Secondary Education seeks to enhance your foundational skills, broaden your perspectives, and strengthen your ability to inspire and educate. This master’s degree, which includes a full term of student teaching, seeks to produce graduates well positioned to make a meaningful impact in their school, in their community, and in the lives of their students.
- Gain political, social, and historical perspectives on education
- Explore the richly complex environments of schools and communities
- Develop a working understanding of teaching and learning in diverse settings
- Investigate how humans learn, acquire knowledge, and make sense of their experiences
- Examine theories of teaching and explore how best to teach for understanding and learning achievement
- Research methods and materials, pedagogies, and assessment strategies that foster integrated learning
Options for endorsement to licensure include history, 5–12; biology, 8–12; social science, 5–12; English, 5–12; mathematics, 8–12; chemistry, 8–12; earth and space science, 8–12; political science/political philosophy, 8–12; or physics, 8–12. Determination of program of study to be made by faculty review at time of admission.
The MAT+ offers qualifying students the opportunity to complete a MAT with further study in a selected area of expertise. Currently, students can take additional coursework to earn either endorsement for an additional license in special education (Teacher of Students of Moderate Disabilities, 5–12) or an endorsement for an additional license in ESL (Teacher of English as a Second Language, 5–12) to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
A formal application for approval or placement of field-based experiences for prepracticum and practicum requirements must be filed with the Office of Licensure and Field Placement before a student may enroll in a course requiring fieldwork. Deadline for fall placements and approvals must be completed by April 1 (of the previous spring quarter), October 1 for winter placements and approvals, and February 1 for spring placements and approvals.
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The Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education (grades 5–12 or 8–12 dependent on content area) has been approved at the initial licensure level by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
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For students who do not pass or complete their Gateway Performance Task I in this course, complete Project (EDU 6995) to meet programmatic and endorsement requirements.
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For students who do not pass or complete their Gateway Performance Task II in this course, complete Project (EDU 6995) to meet programmatic and endorsement requirements.
Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.
Required Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
EDU 6051 | Introduction to Social Justice in Educational Settings | 4 |
EDU 6064 | Curriculum and Assessment | 4 |
EDU 6101 | Critical Issues in Education: Past and Present | 2 |
EDU 6102 | Reflection, Community Engagement, and Agency in Education | 2 |
EDU 6104 | Child and Adolescent Development, Learning, and Teaching | 4 |
EDU 6107 | Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity 1 | 4 |
EDU 6162 | Language, Culture, and Literacy in Middle and High Schools | 4 |
Complete one of the following: | ||
For students pursuing emergency secondary teaching licenses or ESL+ licensure in Massachusetts | ||
Sheltered English Immersion in the General Classroom | ||
For students not pursuing emergency secondary licenses and ESL+ licensure in Massachusetts | ||
English-Language Learners in the General Education Classroom | ||
Complete the following: | ||
EDU 6183 | Collaborative Strategies for Effective Classroom Management | 3 |
EDU 6866 | Teaching Practicum and Seminar | 6 |
Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
Teaching the Language Arts 2 | ||
Teaching History and the Social Sciences 2 | ||
Teaching Science 2 | ||
Teaching Mathematics 2 |
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For students who do not pass their Gateway Performance Task I in this course, complete EDU 6995 to meet programmatic and endorsement requirements.
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For students who do not pass their Gateway Performance Task II in this course, complete EDU 6995 to meet programmatic and endorsement requirements.
Elective Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete 4 quarter hours from the following: | 4 | |
Interdisciplinary Foundations | ||
Introduction to Language and Linguistics | ||
Special Education: Role of Special Educators in an Inclusive School | ||
Developmental Language, Literacy, and Writing: Assessment and Instruction | ||
Variations in Child and Adolescent Development | ||
Teachers as Curriculum Leaders | ||
Critical and Creative Thinking | ||
Adaptive Learning/Behavior Management Strategies: Consultation and Collaboration | ||
Differentiated Instruction and Assessment in Mathematics |
Program Credit/GPA Requirements
45 total quarter hours required (additional hours may be required for endorsement for Massachusetts licensure)
Minimum 3.000 GPA required
Looking to Deepen Your Knowledge and Expertise?
The MAT+ offers qualifying students the opportunity to complete a MAT with further study in a selected area of expertise. Currently, students can take additional coursework to earn either an additional license in special education (Teacher of Students of Moderate Disabilities, pre-K–8 or 5–12) or an additional license in ESL (Teacher of English as a Second Language, pre-K–6 or 5–12).
MAT+ in Special Education
The MAT+ provides qualifying students with the opportunity to complete a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with further study in a selected area of expertise. Currently, students can take additional coursework to earn either an additional license in special education (Teacher of Students of Moderate Disabilities, pre-K–8 or 5–12) or an additional license in ESL (Teacher of English as a Second Language, pre-K–6 or 5–12). Teacher candidates may also plan a program of study that allows for triple licensure in consultation with the program director.
The special education course requirements are:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
EDU 6425 | Special Education: Role of Special Educators in an Inclusive School 1 | 4 |
EDU 6426 | Developmental Language, Literacy, and Writing: Assessment and Instruction | 4 |
EDU 6528 | Adaptive Learning/Behavior Management Strategies: Consultation and Collaboration | 4 |
EDU 6569 | Differentiated Instruction and Assessment in Mathematics | 4 |
EDU 6874 | Practicum, Portfolio, and Panel Review | 4 |
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For students who do not pass their Gateway Performance Task I in this course, complete EDU 6995 to meet programmatic and endorsement requirements.
MAT+ in English as a Second Language (ESL)
This Commonwealth of Massachusetts-approved MAT+ program consists of five courses, some of which may be taken as electives in the MAT program.
The English as a Second Language course requirements are:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
EDU 6300 | Introduction to Language and Linguistics | 4 |
EDU 6310 | Literacy Development and the Academic Domains 1 | 4 |
EDU 6426 | Developmental Language, Literacy, and Writing: Assessment and Instruction | 4 |
EDU 6517 | Foundations of Teaching English as a Second Language: Research and Practice 2 | 4 |
EDU 6874 | Practicum, Portfolio, and Panel Review | 4 |