MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING

The Master of Arts in Teaching program (M.A.T.) seeks recent graduates who have majors in the sciences, humanities, or social sciences, and who have few, if any, formal courses in education. The M.A.T. provides students with graduate study in their own field, preparation in education, and a sustained clinical experience, leading to teacher certification.

Washington University offers graduate secondary teacher certification programs in the following areas: Art, Classics (Latin), English, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages (K-12) (French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Russian), Unified Science (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics), and Social Studies (usually History or Political Science major). Art and foreign languages are K-12 certifications; all other areas are for grades 9-12.

UPDATE: Applicants for the MAT in Latin (only) will also be required to take a
Latin Placement exam. Contact Natalia Kolk for more information.

The M.A.T. student must do graduate level study in an academic discipline. Some of this study may fill in gaps in the student's undergraduate major, but there is also the opportunity to build upon special interests developed during undergraduate study.

Students admitted to the M.A.T. program must complete the equivalent of a Washington University undergraduate major in the subject to be taught as well as meeting the state requirements for that area. Requirements for certification are mandated by the State of Missouri and can be found on the state Department of Education web site.

As a medium-sized institution, Washington University's departments are comprehensive, yet small enough to encourage faculty-student contact. As a research-oriented university, we offer our M.A.T. students the opportunity to study their teaching specialty in an atmosphere of academic excitement and excellence. Work in the Department of Education is intellectually challenging while also practical. The M.A.T. program strives to relate the theoretical perspectives of the university to the practice of teaching in the classroom by maintaining close working relationships with cooperating schools.

Admission

UPDATE: Effective for the Fall 2010 MAT applicants, the MAT program will be
changing to three semester (Fall, Spring, Fall) program.

This is a fall entrance only program. The deadline for application is January 15 of the year in which the applicant wishes to enroll. Prospective students must submit a completed application form, three letters of reference, two sets of official transcripts from all colleges attended, and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test scores (submission of the scores from the relevant subject area is optional).

We strongly encourage you to apply on-line with the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. Supporting materials such as letters of recommendation and transcripts should be mailed to our campus address. However, if you prefer to apply by mail, request an application from Natalia Kolk.

In addition to general application procedures, two M.A.T. content areas have special requirements. Foreign language applicants must send a tape for the purpose of evaluating proficiency in the foreign language, and applicants in English must submit a recent paper in the area of literary criticism (a copy is acceptable).

Program of Study

The design of a particular M.A.T. program is determined by the student in consultation with two advisors: one in Education and one in the teaching major. If the student has no undergraduate education course work, then the M.A.T. program will include the full education sequence. A student who has done introductory education courses as an undergraduate will concentrate on M.A.T. study in the teaching field. Depending on the nature of a student's undergraduate preparation, the M.A.T. program will range from approximately 30-42 credit hours. In most cases the program will take one calendar year with the student enrolling in Fall, Spring, and Summer course work.

Financial Aid

Students whose applications are completed by January 15 who indicate a desire to be considered for tuition scholarships are considered on the basis of academic promise. Awards are made for the academic year beginning the following fall. Assistance is sometimes, but not generally, available during the summer.

Middle School Certification

Middle school certification (grades 5-9) in your subject area may be added with additional course work and an additional student teaching experience. If you are interested in this option, check with your advisor. It cannot be done within the one year time frame of the M.A.T. program.

For further information, please contact:
Office of Student Services
Department of Education, Box 1183
Washington University
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 935-6791