Teaching, MAT with Emphasis Areas

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 core proposals of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as goals of the program. When conducting best practice, teachers:

1. Are committed to students and their learning;
2. Know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students;
3. Are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning;
4. Think systematically about their practice and learn from experience; and
5. Are members of learning communities.

All MAT students who are public school teachers are encouraged to use their program of study as a springboard to obtaining national certification.

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, research infield situations, 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 which is never ending.

Students who are seeking teacher certification and do not meet graduate admission requirements may qualify for the Post-Baccalaureate Certification Program offered at select campuses.

Add-On Certificates

Mild/Moderate Cross Categorical Special Education, Gifted Education, and Reading Specialist endorsements are available at select campuses to students who are certified teachers. Students wishing to pursue an endorsement need to work closely with their academic advisors to fulfill endorsement requirements.

Columbia College offers Teacher Certification Programs in:

Art Education K-12 
Music Education K-12 
Special Education K-12 
Elementary (grades 1-6) 
Middle School (grades 5-9) 
(Content areas: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Speech/Theatre)
Secondary (grades 9-12) 
(Content areas: Biology, Business (non-vocational), Chemistry, English, General Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Speech/Theatre)

Click here   to view additional information about our certification programs.

Program Requirements

1. Students must meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the College.
2. Students must complete a minimum of thirty-six graduate semester hours in an approved course of study. 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.
3. 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.
4. To complete the program, students are expected to do the following:
   1. Within the first session on campus, meet with an advisor to discuss career goals and program outcomes.
   2. Complete EDUC 500 - Research Design 3 hours , and EDUC 504 - Curriculum Design and Evaluation 3 hours  as early in the program as possible.
   3. Upon completion of nine semester hours, file an intended program of study, which includes course work to be taken and personal goals and outcomes to be achieved. Once approved, students are expected to follow this program; any changes should be approved by the advisor.
   4. Students may not register for EDUC 508 - Integrative Project 3 hours  until they are within one session of completion of the MAT and have approval of the course instructor. Students who register for EDUC 508 , but do not complete the course in one session, will receive a grade of Incomplete. Subsequently, students must continue to register each session (except for Summer session) until the project is completed and accepted.
   5. 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.
5. 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 satisfactory oral presentation before a jury of faculty and peers.
6. Students must participate in a final review, which includes a portfolio that documents progress toward exit competencies and program goals, a self-evaluation which demonstrates an ability to reflect and use analytic and creative skills, a collaborative assessment with faculty and an evaluation of the program.

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:

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

Students completing the MAT program document their professional growth and accomplishment of the propositions through portfolios. The portfolio is evaluated by a committee of faculty members. A portfolio must also be presented in a public forum attended by the committee and interested parties. A grade of B or better is required. Outcomes data are collected 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.