Master of Arts in Teaching Degree Program |
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The MAT Degree Program is only 9 additional credits upon completion of Phase I: Elementary or Secondary Certification!
A Two-Phase Process
The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is divided into two phases. Upon completion of the first phase, graduate students must qualify for a certificate of completion for a standard elementary or secondary Nevada teaching license. After graduate students have completed the required coursework and passed all tests for initial licensure, they may enroll in the 600-level courses to complete the MAT degree. The MAT builds on a teacher’s required educational program and classroom experience to further his/her understanding of educational theory, reflective teaching practices, and research skills.
Goals & Standards
The MAT degree program goals, adopted August 2004, are a natural outgrowth of the mission and objectives of the College. Specifically, the Masters program seeks to prepare graduate students to:
- Teach a diverse population of learners
- Implement a variety of instructional strategies
- Meet or exceed professional teaching competencies within the global, multicultural paradigm of the Twenty-first Century
- Incorporate a relevant, interdisciplinary, collective philosophy and approach to classroom instruction
- Communicate the conviction that learning is a lifelong process
- Utilize educational technology in teaching practice
MAT Degree Program Overview
During Phase I, Elementary Certification or Secondary Certification, all MAT graduate students take core foundational courses: psychological foundations of education, sociological foundations of education, special education, health education, and computers in education. Elementary education candidates take specialized courses in the teaching of reading, math, science, language arts, and social studies. Secondary education candidates take specialized courses in reading, learning theories, methods, and interactive approaches to curricular design. In the secondary methods courses the graduate students apply teaching strategies and learning to their appropriate disciplines and levels. After all required testing, core classes, and specialized classes have been completed and passed with a 3.0 GPA, students move forward to the final step of Phase I: Student Teaching. Student teaching is an integral part of the program in addition to course field observations in classroom settings. When student teaching has successfully been completed along with all required testing, the student can move into MAT 600 level courses. Complete descriptions of 600 level courses can be found in the College Catalog.
MAT Degree | 600 Level Courses
Graduate students have two options for completing their MAT degree.
Option 1 Thesis:
The main focus of this option is the understanding of educational research and using research to improve practice.
The culminating activity for candidates who choose this option is a thesis either in the form of action research or a
critical analysis of existing literature. The required courses for this option are EDUC 610, 620 and 630. More information can be on this option may be found in the MAT Thesis Handbook.
Option 2 Professional Project:
Candidates focus their learning on the advanced pedagogical studies of a chosen teaching field and their own
professional development guided by the professional standards of their chosen teaching field. The culminating
activity for candidates who choose this option is a professional project. The required courses for this option are
EDUC 615, 625, and 635. More information on this option may be found in the MAT Professional Project Handbook.
Candidates who require additional time to complete their degree after enrollment in EDUC 630 or 635 must register for either EDUC 699T (thesis completion) or EDUC 699P (professional project completion) each semester until their work is completed.
Required Testing
All required testing: Praxis I or CBEST, Praxis II and/or Specialized Praxis Tests, Nevada School Law, Nevada Constitution, and U.S. Constitution, must be taken with passing scores received by the SNC Teacher Education department before enrolling in 600 level courses. Visit our Required Testing page for more information on testing.
