Master of Arts in Teaching

The Master of Arts in Teaching program is designed to assist career changers and individuals who do not have an undergraduate degree in education. Candidates in this track come from a wide variety of fields including the sciences, mathematics, psychology, sociology, the arts, foreign languages, business and other professional areas. Candidates from these fields bring with them valued experience in backgrounds other than education.  Candidates may focus on middle or secondary schooling. This degree program places emphasis on the psychology of the learner, classroom management and positive learning environments, assessment of student performance, instructional design, ethics and dispositions of a teacher and supervised field experiences. The MAT degree offers graduate education for those with a desire to become middle or high school teachers in the following subject areas:

• Biology 6-12 (Florida state approved)
• Chemistry 6-12 (Florida state approved)
• Earth-Space Science 6-12
• English 6-12
• Middle Grades English 5-9
• Middle Grades General Science Education 5-9
• Middle Grades Mathematics 5-9
• Mathematics 6-12
• Physics 6-12 (Florida state approved)
• Middle Grades Social Science 5-9
• Social Science 6-12
• Spanish K-12

MAT Admission Requirements and Documents

The University of Tampa graduate program in education welcomes applications from individuals who have strong academic records and who have experience and interest in education or related fields. To be accepted into the Master of Arts in Teaching graduate program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Completed application for the University
• $40 application fee
• Official transcripts for all previous college work received directly from each institution:
  • Applicants must have earned a four-year degree from a regionally accredited institution in the subject area designated by their intended program
  • Applicants need to have an overall GPA of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0, or a minimum of 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study
  • Undergraduates who are in the process of completing degrees may apply for admission, with full acceptance contingent upon completion of a baccalaureate degree
• Two professional reference forms (PDF)

• Résumé

• Personal statement addressing why the applicant is seeking a teaching career
• Interview: the applicant may be asked to partake in an admission interview as part of the admission process

Note: A background check will be conducted on applicants. Candidates in the graduate program are required to submit a criminal record information form which entails a complete criminal background check.

Entrance examinations (required for MAT program):

• Documentation of passing scores on all portions of the General Knowledge (GK) Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE). An applicant who took and passed all or part of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) in Florida before July 1, 2002, may use the parts passed on the CLAST toward admission in lieu of the GK. For any parts not passed by that date, corresponding subtests of the General Knowledge Test are required.
• Additional requirements (applicants must meet one of the following criteria):
  • Those individuals applying for admission into the MAT program are required to submit documentation of passing scores on the Subject Area Exam (SAE) portion of the FTCE in the subject area in which they plan to teach (Biology 6-12, Chemistry 6-12, Earth-Space Science 6-12, English 6-12, Middle Grades English 5-9, Middle Grades General Science Education 5-9, Middle Grades Mathematics 5-9, Mathematics 6-12, Physics 6-12, Middle Grades Social Science 5-9, Social Science 6-12 or Spanish K-12).

OR

• Provide documentation of holding a four-year degree from a regionally accredited institution in the subject area designated by the applicants intended program.

NOTE: Applicants admitted without passing GK and/or SAE scores are required to enroll in EDU 680, Professional Development Clinical, and are required to take and pass the GK/SAE prior to the second semester in the program.

Exit requirements:

Candidates in the MAT program must pass all portions of the FTCE as an exit requirement.

The courses offered in the MAT program assist candidates in obtaining initial teacher licensure in the state of Florida. The University of Tampa does not certify teachers. Candidates apply for state certification with the Florida Department of Education. It is the responsibility of each teacher candidate to take required examinations and to pass all portions of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE). Candidates seeking initial teacher licensure should familiarize themselves with the FL DOE certification website (www.fldoe.org/asp/ftce). Please see UT's admissions requirements regarding tests included in admissions and progression. It is the student's responsibility to meet all other certification requirements. In Florida, this means that the student must complete all sections of the FTCE.

Please send required documents to:

Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies
The University of Tampa
401 W. Kennedy Blvd.
Box 102F
Tampa, FL 33606-1490

For more information or assistance, contact the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies at [e-mail] or call [phone].

Transfer Credit Policy

A maximum of 9 credit hours of graduate-level credit taken at other regionally accredited institutions will be evaluated for application toward the MAT degree. Only credits earned with grades of "B" or better will be considered. Coursework completed more than seven years prior to admission will not be applied toward a master's degree.

Degree Requirements

MAT Curriculum Core Courses

EDU 605	Professional Ethics, School Law, Safety and Classroom Management	3
EDU 611	Human Development and Social Dimensions of Learning	3
EDU 613	Research in Education	3
EDU 610	Instructional Methods for Mathematics, Science or Social Science	3
EDU 616	Social Advocacy, School Reform and Leadership in Education	3
EDU 625	Graduate Practicum I	3
EDU 635	Assessment in the Secondary School Curriculum	3
EDU 640	Teaching English as a Second Language: TESOL	3
EDU 645	Graduate Practicum II	3
EDU 660	Secondary Reading in the Content Area	3
	Electives	6
Total Credit Hours:		36

Electives for the MAT program:

MAT candidates will also choose two graduate electives to complete their degree. These can include any electives offered as part of the MAT program.

Students may also choose an elective course offered as part of the M.Ed. or M.S. program in the department with the approval of the course instructor.

Total Credit Hours: 36