Master of Arts in Teaching

The School of Education's Conceptual Framework guides the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program. Program graduates are recognized as "Reflective Facilitators of Learning" who will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions as Reflective Practitioners, Reflective Decision Makers, Instructional Leaders, Action Researchers, Systematic Planners, and Effective Communicators.

The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) is a Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) approved program. And in keeping with Coppin’s rich history and mission, the M.A.T. program is designed to meet the needs of our community with the following objectives:

• To attract high quality, talented individuals to enter the teaching profession
• To increase the supply of qualified teacher candidates in the state of Maryland through an alternate route to certification
• To meet the needs of non-traditional teacher candidates who are career-changers or liberal arts and sciences graduates interested in teaching as a career
• To encourage high quality individuals to enter a teaching career

The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree program requires a minimum of forty-six (46) hours in the elementary education or middle school concentration and forty(40) hours in the secondary education concentration. The program provides an alternate route to teacher certification for individuals holding a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts and sciences. Emphasis is placed on the development of a repertoire of instructional strategies and pedagogical skills, understanding and application of teaching to current trends in educational research, and effective assessment of the teaching and learning processes.

To promote a supportive learning community, students matriculate in cohorts. Emphasis is placed on developing skilled practitioners in either elementary/middle school or secondary education (Biology/Chemistry, History/Social Studies, English, Mathematics). Secondary Education Practitioners must bring an academic background of courses to their specific focus of study. Differentiation occurs in the clinical experiences, internship, and the action research. Each of these experiences is designed to meet the needs and requirements of specific certification areas. The MSDE cutoff scores on the Praxis II examination is required prior to completing or graduating from the M.A.T. program. The specific Praxis II test is determined by area of concentration.

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, students receive a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and are eligible for certification in elementary/middle or secondary education in an identified content areas. The M.A.T. Program has ICC (Interstate Certification Compact) approval, assuring graduates of reciprocal certification without transcript evaluation in the 32 states with which MSDE has teacher certification reciprocity.