Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with an Emphasis in Middle School Education

 

This program is offered by the School of Education. It is available online (asynchronous). 

Admission is offered once a year in the Spring 1 term. 

Program Description

Learning Outcomes

The goals of the MAT with an emphasis in middle school education are to cultivate graduates who are:

• Knowledgeable of the history of middle school education, characteristics of students in early adolescence and principles and foundations underlying best practices.
• Proficient in designing, adapting and modifying effective assessment plans, instructional strategies and curricula and/or intervention plans based on current research regarding cognitive, social and emotional development of students in early adolescence. 
• Reflective about their roles as educators to improve learning outcomes, and who collaborate with families and other members of the community to advocate for inclusive and equitable educational opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds. 
• Capable of recognizing, valuing and responding to the unique individual abilities and differences of students in early adolescence. 

Emphasis in Middle School Education

The emphasis in middle school education is designed to prepare candidates to meet Missouri initial teacher certification requirements in one of the following areas:

• Language Arts (5-9)
• Mathematics (5-9)
• Science (5-9)
• Social Science (5-9)

Required Coursework

The following 27 hours of courses and 10 hours of field experiences are required to earn the MAT with an emphasis in middle school education. Students are advised that Missouri initial teacher certification may require more hours than are listed for the MAT degree. Students must consult an advisor in order to obtain a personalized program of study.

Professional Coursework (27 hours)

• CMAT 5000 Teaching in a Diverse Society (3 hours)
• CMAT 5015 Inclusive Practices and Methods for Teaching English Learners (3 hours)
• CMAT 5025 Applications in Teaching and Learning (0 hours) repeated every term
• CMAT 5170 Classroom Culture and Behavior Management (3 hours)
• CMAT 5350 Arts and Humanities Methods (3 hours)
  or CMAT 5360 STEM Methods (3 hours)
• CMAT 5380 Teaching Reading and Writing in the Content Areas (3 hours)
• CMAT 5390 Differentiated Reading Assessment and Intervention (3 hours)
• CMAT 5505 Psychological Foundations of Education (3 hours)
• CMAT 5700 Middle School History and Philosophy (3 hours)
• SPED 5860 Psychology of the Exceptional Student (3 hours)

Clinical Field Experiences (10 hours)

• CMAT 5001 Introductory Teaching Practicum (1 hour)
• CMAT 5100 Practicum: Middle School Language Arts (1 hours)
  or CMAT 5101 Practicum: Middle School Mathematics (1 hours)
  or CMAT 5102 Practicum: Middle School Science (1 hours)
  or CMAT 5103 Practicum: Middle School Social Science (1 hours)
• CMAT 5200 Apprentice Teaching: Middle School Language Arts (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5201 Apprentice Teaching: Middle School Mathematics (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5202 Apprentice Teaching: Middle School Science (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5203 Apprentice Teaching: Middle School Social Science (8 hours)

Total: 37 credit hours

Content Areas

Students choose one of the following content areas in which to seek Missouri initial teacher certification. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their content area in order to be recommended for certification.

Language Arts (24 hours)

• 3 hours of Composition
• 6 hours of American Literature
• 6 hours of World Literature
• 3 hours of Modern Grammar
• 3 hours of Oral/Interpersonal Communication
• 3 hours of Young Adult Literature

Mathematics (24 hours)

• 4-5 hours Calculus I (MATH 1610)
• 4-5 hours Calculus II (MATH 1620)
• 14-16 hours from the following: (to be determined in consultation with advisor)
  • Statistics
  • Geometry
  • Discrete Mathematics

Science (24 hours)

• 4-5 hours of Biology with lab
• 4-5 hours of Chemistry with lab
• 4-5 hours of Physics with lab or Physical Science with lab
• 9-12 hours of coursework addressing:
  • Astronomy
  • Environmental Science
  • Physical Geology
  • Meteorology

Social Science (24 hours)

• 3 hours of Economics
• 3 hours of Geography
• 3 hours of American Government
• 6 hours of American History (to include 18th, 19th, 20th Century)
• 6 hours of World/European History
• 3 hours of Young Adult Literature

All of the above courses are required to complete the requirements for Missouri initial teacher certification in the middle school education program.

Admissions

See the Admission section of this catalog for general admission requirements. Students interested in applying must submit their application online at www.webster.edu/apply. Transcripts should be sent from your institution electronically to transcripts@webster.edu. If this service is not available, send transcripts to:

Office of Admission
Webster University
470 E. Lockwood Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63119 

Additional Requirements

Admission to Teacher Certification

Admission to teacher certification is a significant milestone in a candidate's academic career. This means that a candidate is formally accepted in the initial teacher certification program and on track to meet the requirements of both the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Webster University.   

Candidates must meet the following requirements:  

• Completion 15 hours of graduate credit, including CMAT 5000 and 5001, with grades of B or better.
• Successful completion of Passport Tasks 1-5.
• Minimum professional GPA of 3.0. This must be maintained throughout the program.

After 15 hours of graduate credit, candidates will be restricted from registering in further coursework until admitted to teacher certification status.  

Candidates must be admitted to teacher certification in order to take specified EDUC or CMAT methods courses.

Requirements for Missouri Initial Teacher Certification

Demonstration of Missouri Teacher Standards Through Quality Indicators

The Department of Teacher Education (DTE) Passport Portfolio is an integral element in the assessment system for initial teacher certification programs. The system is designed to foster the iterative development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions for pre-service teacher candidates in the digital age and is aligned with the Missouri Teacher Standards, which "convey the expectations of performance for professional teachers in Missouri."  

Passport tasks are integrated with key coursework assignments and are assessed both for a course grade and for competency within the Passport system. Passport tasks will be collaboratively evaluated by the course instructors and cohort coordinators.  Where appropriate, candidates may be asked to revise and resubmit key assignments. Successful completion of Passport tasks allows the candidate to move through the phases of the program.

Early Field Experience (CMAT 5001)

Candidates enrolled in CMAT 5001 must complete a 30-hour early field experience designed to provide an introduction to educational environments. This early field experience serves as a foundational step in understanding the dynamics of schools, educators, and student learning.  In this experience, candidates will choose from a menu of activities, such as classroom observations, interviews with educators, attendance at extracurricular school events, and participation in school board meetings and document their engagement. Candidates must have access to a school setting to fulfill these requirements. Students are responsible for seeking their own Early Field Experience placements and must coordinate all arrangements with the Field Experience office. The Program Handbook provides a guide for locating and securing approval and agreements needed for all field experiences.

Students will apply for substitute teacher licensure in the state in which they will be completing their field experiences. It is the student’s responsibility to consult their state’s education department or licensing board to understand and meet the substitute teacher licensure requirements for their state. 

Additionally, students must obtain and submit a letter of agreement from the school(s) where they will complete their Early Field Experience and Intermediate Practicum requirements. The Program Handbook provides guidelines to support the student in this process.

Intermediate Practicum

Students must complete a 5000-level Practicum in a classroom setting appropriate to their intended content area with a grade of B or better and the concurrent CMAT 5025 Applications in Teaching and Learning with a passing grade (P) or a grade of B or better. Practicum requires 45-135 hours involving observation, lesson planning and teaching during daytime hours. 

Prior to intermediate practicum students must complete the application process as outlined in the Program Handbook, including:

• Provide proof of substitute teacher licensure.
• Submit school location and cooperating teacher information to the Field Experience office for approval in the semester prior to intermediate practicum.

Apprentice Teaching

Apprentice teaching along with the concurrent section of CMAT 5025 Applications in Teaching and Learning are required for all initial teacher certifications.  Students are responsible for seeking their own apprentice teaching placement and must coordinate all arrangements with the Field Experience office. Placements may be made in public, private, or independent schools. All candidates for certification must complete either their practicum or apprentice teaching in a diverse setting.

Prior to apprentice teaching students must complete the application process as outlined in the Program Handbook, including:

• Submit school location and cooperating teacher information to the field office for approval and secured a signed MOU (template provided in the Program Handbook) after Field Experience office site approval in the semester prior to apprentice teaching.
• Met all course and departmental assessment requirements, including formal acceptance to teacher certification status.
• Successfully completed practicum and concurrent section of CMAT 5025 Application in Teaching and Learning with a passing grade (P) or a grade of B or better.
• Passed the state-required content assessment examination.

State Licensure Requirements

Upon successful program completion, students will qualify for initial teacher certification in the state of Missouri. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for Missouri licensure at the appropriate time and meet any additional requirements of the application process. Additionally, if the student will be transferring Missouri licensure to their home state, it is the responsibility of the student to meet any additional certification requirements of that state. Some states have specific licensure requirements that are not part of the MAT program and must be fulfilled in addition to the degree requirements. These state licensure requirements might include but are not limited to: submission of all official transcripts, state –specific subject-specific licensure exams, state-specific teacher performance assessments, coursework related to state history, basic skills exams, application fees, and background clearances.