Get certified to teach!
To succeed in the classroom as a teacher of a secondary school subject, you need a specific skill set that not only prepares you to teach, but also equips you with a level of expertise in your chosen curriculum area, whether it is science, math, English, history, art or other subject. Through your bachelor’s degree, you already have that subject-area expertise; the Master of Arts in Teaching-Secondary will provide you with the training and field experience necessary to earn initial State of Missouri teacher certification in grades 9-12 or K-12, depending on the subject area.
The Master of Applied Arts in Teaching-Secondary is designed for college graduates who want to pursue a career as a teacher. You have gained content knowledge in the secondary subject area through your undergraduate degree; our master’s degree program will provide you with training in educational theory and practice to prepare you as an outstanding and effective educator.
Yes! All who successfully complete the M.A.T. program and meet DESE minimum requirements will earn initial teaching certification for secondary settings in the State of Missouri. This is one of the quickest ways to attain certification available.
Missouri Western offers the M.A.T. in 19 different secondary curriculum areas:
- Art (K-12)
- Biology (9-12)
- Business (9-12)
- Chemistry (9-12)
- Earth science (9-12)
- English (9-12)
- Family consumer sciences (K-12)
- French (K-12)
- Health (K-12)
- Journalism (9-12)
- Mathematics (9-12)
- Music – instrumental (K-12)
- Music – vocal (K-12)
- Physical education (K-12)
- Physics (9-12)
- Social studies (9-12)
- Spanish (K-12)
- Speech and theatre (9-12)
- Technology and engineering (9-12)
- Only 38 credit hours to earn initial teacher certification in the State of Missouri and a master’s degree at the same time
- The M.A.T. holds high market value–currently, school districts not only in Missouri Western’s region but throughout the state and country are experiencing critical teacher shortages in the majority of secondary curriculum areas
- All coursework is online
- Courses are taught by full-time, experienced educators, most with public school experience at the secondary level
- Coursework can be completed while employed in a school district under a provisional license
Students who are accepted to this degree program will have no more than 6 years from admission or subsequent declaration to meet the requirements listed below. If certification, accreditation or statutory requirements change and additional requirements become effective during this time, the new requirements take precedence.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Content Courses 1 | ||
| EDU 511 | Content Area Literacy | 3 |
| EDU 515 | Fundamentals and Strategies for Teaching Learners with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| EDU 521 | Teaching Students with Reading Deficits | 3 |
| EDU 561 | Induction to the Teaching Profession | 5 |
| EDU 565 | Instructional Methods for Secondary Learners | 3 |
| EDU 604 | Seminar for Student Teaching Professionals | 1 |
| EDU 667 | Teaching Critical Thinking through Technology, Collaboration and Differentiated Instruction | 3 |
| EDU 676 | Behavioral Management & Interventions | 3 |
| TSL 664 | Language and Culture | 3 |
| Field and Clinical Experiences | ||
| EDU 562 | Participation in Teaching - Secondary Education | 1 |
| EDU 603 | Internship in Teaching - Secondary Education | 2 |
| EDU 607 | Professional Student Teaching - Secondary Education (Required to hold a Missouri Provisional Certification and have successfully completed 2 years of teaching in the content area) | 3-8 |
| or EDU 608 | Student Teaching-Secondary Education | |
| Total Credit Hours | 33-38 | |
- 1
In addition to the courses listed below, students will be required to take an Orientation Workshop (EDU 500).
Program Graduation Requirements
- Pass Missouri Content Assessment in the content area in which earned bachelors degree (within first two semesters of study).
- Earn a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, with no more than 6 credit hours of C in all required coursework.
University Graduation Requirements
- Satisfactorily complete all required coursework in the program;
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours;
- Satisfactorily complete the required capstone experience.
Ready to take the first step toward your new career as a teacher? Download, sign and submit the form(s) to the program director.
- Major: M.A.T.-Secondary
Dr. Beth Potts
“Be a teacher, and help us create the future!”
About Our Graduate Programs
Delivery: 100% online
Application Deadlines:
- Spring 2023: Jan. 10, 2023
- Summer 2023: May 23, 2023
- Fall 2023: Aug. 21, 2023
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