Education and Human Development

Graduate Programs - Master of Arts in Teaching

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program for Maine certification grades 7-12

Applications for the 2012-2013 MAT cohort are currently closed. Applications for the 2013-2014 MAT program will be accepted until February 1, 2013.

The MAT program is fully accredited under the rigorous standards and on-going review of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Maine Department of Education. Internships providing a realistic setting for learning, teaching and research are conducted in partnership with area schools belonging to the Penobscot River Educational Partnership (PREP).

Overview

The MAT program is designed for graduates of four-year colleges with degrees in the liberal arts and sciences. It includes all education courses and school internships required for Maine state teacher certification in English, mathematics, life and physical sciences, and social studies at the secondary level (7-12); and foreign languages (K-12).

Program Highlights

• 12-month program leading to a master’s degree and recommendation for Maine teacher certification grades 7-12.
• Runs full time from June to June. Deadline for applications is February 1st.
• Standards-based and centered around work in professional development partnership schools.

The MAT is a full-time, 12-month professional development program, based on immersion in educational methods, practice and inquiry, and extensive internships in area schools. In addition to coursework, intensive in-school experiences are required. Successful participants need to dedicate the vast majority of their time to meeting the demands of the program. Trying to balance even a part-time job is not advised.

MAT students bring diverse backgrounds and new ideas to the program and the public schools. They are graduates of public universities and private colleges from throughout the United States and ther countries. Some students have recently completed their bachelor’s degrees, while others come from working in other careers. The common bond is that they all want to be highly effective, knowledgeable teachers.

Prerequisites

• A commitment to teaching as a career.
• A minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA), with a degree in an appropriate academic discipline
• Submission of evidence of passing scores, as established by the State of Maine, on the Praxis I Exam.
• Have completed at least 30 credit hours of coursework in the subject chosen for certification.
• Successful prior experience working with students in teaching/learning environments and at least one recommendation referring to that experience.
• Maturity, sensitivity to others and the ability to reflect on learning experiences and to learn from those reflections.
• Evidence of these prerequisites should be included in the applicant essay and in letters of recommendation.
• For students who would like to be considered for a competitive University scholarship the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) results are also required.

Technology Requirements

Students admitted to the MAT program are required at the time of enrollment to own a laptop computer with the minimum hardware and software requirements specified by the College. More information is available from the Computer Connection store at UMaine, (207) 581-2510, or on the College’s Laptop in Education policy.

Secondary Education (7-12), including Foreign Languages (K-12)

Social Studies (7-12)

• At least 30 credit hours in social studies.
• At least 6 credits must be in history, including a U.S. history course
• You must have 24 credits in one of the following four content areas: history, economics, geography or political science.
• To reach the 30 credits, 6 credits may come from anthropology, sociology or psychology coursework.

English/Language Arts (7-12)

• At least 30 credits in English
• A blend of courses in writing, genre studies, and literature

Mathematics (7-12)
At least 30 credits in math, which includes at least three credits form each of the following areas:

• calculus
• geometry
• probability and statistics
• discrete mathematics

Foreign Language (K-12)

• At least 30 credits in one of the modern or classical language endorsement areas approved by the State of Maine, OR
• Earned a score of advanced level or higher on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview administered by a certified ACTFL oral proficiency tester in the modern language endorsement being sought.

Life Science (7-12) (Examples: biology, botany, zoology, anatomy/physiology, ecology, marine biology)
At least 30 credits in science (at least 18 credits in life sciences) which includes at least 3 credit hours in one of the following:

• botany
• zoology
• ecology

Physical Science (7-12) (Examples: chemistry, physics, geology, earth science, space science, oceanography)
At least 30 credits in science which includes at least six credits each of:

• chemistry
• physics

All candidates must demonstrate satisfactory performance on the Praxis 2 content knowledge test in the appropriate content area(s) prior to beginning their internships.

Application Process

Applications to the Graduate School are due on February 1. Review begins in February, and applications are considered until the cohort group is full. For more information about the MAT program, contact:

Cheryl Robertson, Coordinator of MAT Program
160 Shibles Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
(207) 581-2465

cheryl.robertson@umit.maine.edu

What students and graduates say about the MAT program at the University of Maine

“My year in the MAT program was one of the toughest and best of my life. I highly recommend this experience to others interested in the field of education.”

“Being such a part of the school culture gave us a real look into the inner workings of education. They didn’t shelter us from anything.”

“The internship is a non-stop learning experience.”

“It’s an intense program for those who can unplug their lives and commit to it. The MAT is a life commitment for that year.”

“These veteran teachers are just incredible in their different methods of successful teaching and classroom management.”

“Content knowledge is a strength of the program. The MAT students have strong content knowledge and learn to teach those who don’t.”

“You get to build a relationship with the school. I felt at home there.”

“As part of a team, you learn from experts and from one another, not by trial and error.”

“The variety of experience and different grade levels and exposure to different instructional styles helped me make good choices about where I want to be and my own approach to teaching.”

“The professional experience is powerful. You’re quickly in the classroom, and the research projects are meant to be incorporated into the classroom.”

“If I had known then what I know now about the MAT program, I would do it all over again.”

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