Teaching, MAT

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Program Description

For the Master of Arts in Teaching Program, Columbia College and the Education Faculty have endorsed national certification of teachers, and have adopted the five core proposals of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) as goals of the program. These core propositions are:

Teachers are committed to students and their learning;
Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students;
Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning;
Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience; and
Teachers are members of learning communities.

To help students reach these goals, Columbia College believes that truly effective teaching must be modeled, not just taught. Therefore faculty are encouraged to engage students in active learning, problem solving, interactive dialogue and questioning, and constant exploration of what is and what could be. Students are supported in their efforts to identify and evaluate relevant issues as they relate to various aspects of teaching and learning; to engage in critical and creative thinking with colleagues, peers and professors; to develop as whole persons, valuing individualism, uniqueness and diversity of others; to consistently use reflection and research as the foundation for decision making; and to value and promote professionalism and a commitment to learning that is never ending.

Students who are seeking teacher certification would apply to the Graduate-Level Teacher Certification (Post-Baccalaureate) Program. Those who do not meet graduate admission requirements may qualify for the Undergraduate-Level Teacher Certification (Post-Baccalaureate) Program offered at select locations. Note that the teacher certification programs leads to Missouri certification.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
Teachers are members of learning communities.

Program CIP: 13-0301 - Curriculum and Instruction.

Program SOC: 25-2000 - Preschool, Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Special Education Teachers

Admission Requirements (Master of Arts in Teaching)

Columbia College offers a variety of teacher certification programs. All candidates for the teacher certification programs are expected to meet general admission requirements to Columbia College. (See Admissions Requirements for more details.) Not all programs for teacher certification are available at all Columbia College Locations. See specific program details in catalog and on our website at www.ccis.edu. Contact the Recruiting & Admissions Department for more program-specifications.

Note: Acceptance to Columbia College does not guarantee acceptance to the teacher certification course sequence.

Admission Requirements

Completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
Goal statement consisting of 300 - 500 words which (1) describes your work experiences, skills, and abilities, (2) addresses your professional goals, and (3) demonstrates your ability to be successful in a graduate program.
Professional resume

Note: Acceptance to the Master of Arts in Teaching program is not an acceptance to the teacher certification program.

Applicants with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average lower than 3.0 are eligible to apply for Conditional Admission. Conditional Admission allows enrollment in one course per session for two sessions, and requires an earned grade of B or higher in those two sessions to remove Conditional status. Failure to earn a B in each course may result in dismissal from the program.

Undergraduate students in the Teacher Certification program who have earned 90 hours of credit or more, and who will finish their bachelor’s degree through this program at Columbia College, may apply for Pre-Graduate status. Applicants must meet all other qualifications for the Teacher Certification Program, in addition to having a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Applicants for Pre-Graduate status must submit a completed and signed application for graduate admission, and transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Those accepted as Pre-Graduate students may take up to nine (9) semester hours of graduate coursework, as approved by their advisor.

Admission Requirements (Master of Arts in Teaching, Post Baccalaureate)

Columbia College Master’s Post Baccalaureate program (MAT.PB) and Master’s Alternative Certification program (MAT.AC) are designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue teacher certification along with a master’s degree. (This program is offered at a select number of Locations in the state of Missouri. Contact the Recruiting & Admissions Department for more information.)

Completion of application materials for admission to the Teacher Certification Program. (Application materials are available on the Education Department website.) https://www.ccis.edu/degrees/teacher-certification-program.

Note: Applicants cannot be admitted as both a Conditional and Post-Baccalaureate status. If Post-Bacc students do not meet minimum GPA requirements in addition to missing pre-requisites, their application will be reviewed by the Dean of the program School for admission approval.

Students admitted under the status of post-baccalaureate must complete the requirements of the status in order to be fully admitted to their graduate program. Once a student’s post-baccalaureate requirements have been successfully completed, the student’s record will automatically be updated to reflect full admission at the beginning of the next academic semester (i.e., Fall, Spring, or Summer). The student will be notified of this change, and will then be eligible for graduate course enrollment.

Once admitted to Columbia College, students completing post-baccalaureate courses fall under the same program retention requirements as full program graduate students. The consequences for earning grades of C or lower in post-baccalaureate undergraduate courses are the same as those listed for graduate courses (see Grading and Academic Standing ).

Conditional Admission

Conditional admission is based on appropriate professional work and teaching experience, and/or potential for academic success at the graduate level. Students who are granted conditional admission are limited to one course per session until a GPA of 3.0 has been maintained through six (6) hours of coursework. When this condition has been met, students will automatically be updated to full program status.

Pre-Graduate Students

Students who have earned over ninety (90) undergraduate semester hours toward the baccalaureate degree at Columbia College who wish to start their graduate studies early may apply for admission in the Pre-Graduate category. Pre-graduate students may complete a maximum of nine (9) graduate hours without full program acceptance. After completion of the baccalaureate degree and up to nine (9) graduate semester hours, Pre-Graduate students must submit application materials to be considered for full program admission (see Full Admission policies). Pre-graduate students are subject to the same academic regulations and requirements as all degree-seeking students. MAT Pre-Graduate students may enroll in designated courses only.

Students in the Teacher Certification program who have earned 90 hours of credit or more, and who will finish their bachelor’s degrees through this program at Columbia College, may apply for Pre-Graduate status. Applicants must meet all other qualifications for the Teacher Certification Program, in addition to having a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and a passing score on the appropriate Praxis exam. Applicants for Pre-Graduate status must submit a completed and signed application for graduate admission, and transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Those accepted as Pre-Graduate students may take up to nine (9) semester hours of graduate coursework toward certification.

MAT Degree Program Requirements

Students must meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the College.
Students must complete a minimum of thirty-six graduate semester hours. The program is comprised of a core of three courses and three courses in each of the three areas of curriculum and instruction, psychological and philosophical foundations, and measurement and evaluation.
Transfer credit for courses already completed before admittance to the program may be substituted for required courses upon recommendation of the Education Department. After being admitted, the student must complete all course work at Columbia College, unless specific permission is obtained from the MAT Graduate Program Coordinator. A maximum of nine graduate hours may be accepted in transfer. Petitions for consideration of transfer credit must be made prior to the successful completion of 12 hours of graduate course work at Columbia College.
To complete the program, students are expected to do the following:
1. Within the first session on campus, meet with an advisor to discuss course selection and plans for degree completion.
2. Complete EDUC 500 - Research Design , and EDUC 504 - Curriculum Design and Evaluation as early in the program as possible.
3. Students may not register for EDUC 508 - Integrative Project until they are within one session of completion of the MAT and have the approval of their advisor and course instructor.
4. Clinical experiences are available for a maximum of six hours of graduate credit. The purpose of clinical experiences is to provide an opportunity to do field research or to conduct professional practice; the experience must not duplicate previous experience or be a part of a regular teaching assignment. This is an option at select campuses only.
Completion of the degree means more than the accumulation of the required course hours. Students must be aware that the integrative project requires acceptance as demonstrated by a satisfactorily written portfolio and oral presentation.

Required MAT Core Courses (15 sem. hrs)

Complete the following courses:

MAT Elective Courses (21 sem. hrs)

Complete 21 additional hours from EDUC graduate level course not previously applied.

Minimum Total Semester Hours: 36

Assessment

The five core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) provide the goals for the Master of Arts in Teaching Program. These core propositions are:

Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring students learning.
Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
Teachers are members of learning communities.

Students completing the MAT program document their professional growth and accomplishment of the propositions through a portfolio. The portfolio is evaluated by a committee of two faculty members. The portfolio must also be presented orally to the committee. A grade of B or better is required. Outcomes data are collected in various courses and in an exit interview. These data are used to guide appropriate changes and improvements in the MAT program in order to better meet students’ needs for course scheduling, course offerings, learning activities for the accomplishment of course objectives, use of technology, etc.