Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with an Emphasis in Secondary 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 secondary school education are to cultivate graduates who are:

• Knowledgeable of the history of secondary education, characteristics of adolescent students 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 adolescent students. 
• 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 adolescent students.

Emphasis in Secondary School Education

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

• Art (K-12)*
• Biology (9-12)
• Chemistry (9-12)
• English (9-12)
• French (K-12)*
• German (K-12)*
• Mathematics (9-12)
• Social Science (9-12)
• Spanish (K-12)*

*Certifications for art, French, German and Spanish are for grades K-12.

Required Coursework

The following 24 hours of courses and 10 hours of field experiences are required to earn the MAT with an emphasis in secondary 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 (24 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 each 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)
  or 
  *CMAT 5350 Arts and Humanities Methods (3 hours) 
  or CMAT 5180 Elementary Arts and Humanities 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)
• SPED 5860 Psychology of the Exceptional Student (3 hours

*Required for those seeking Art K-12 or World Language K-12 only

Clinical Field Experiences (10 hours)

• CMAT 5001 Introductory Teaching Practicum (1 hour)
• CMAT 5104 Practicum: Secondary English (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5105 Practicum: Secondary Mathematics (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5106 Practicum: Secondary Social Science (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5107 Practicum: Secondary Biology (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5108 Practicum: Art K-12 (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5109 Practicum: French K-12 (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5110 Practicum: German K-12 (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5111 Practicum: Spanish K-12 (1 hour)
  or CMAT 5113 Practicum: Secondary Chemistry (1 hour)
• CMAT 5204 Apprentice Teaching: Secondary English (8 hours) 
  or CMAT 5205 Apprentice Teaching: Secondary Mathematics (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5206 Apprentice Teaching: Secondary Social Science (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5207 Apprentice Teaching: Secondary Biology (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5208 Apprentice Teaching: Art K-12 (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5209 Apprentice Teaching: French K-12 (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5210 Apprentice Teaching: German K-12 (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5211 Apprentice Teaching: Spanish K-12 (8 hours)
  or CMAT 5213 Apprentice Teaching: Secondary Chemistry (8 hours)

Total: 34 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.

Art - K-12 (30 hours)

• Design
• Drawing 
• Painting 
• Graphics (Printmaking photography, serigraphy)
• Ceramics 
• Sculpture 
• Fibers (Papermaking, weaving, macramé, fiber sculpture)
• History, Theory, Criticism in Visual Art (minimum 3 hours)
• Art Electives

Biology (minimum 35 hours)

• PHIL 2330 Philosophy and Technology (3 hours)
• 20 hours Biology coursework aligned with DESE matrix
• 12 hours additional Science coursework aligned with DESE matrix

Chemistry (minimum 35 hours)

• History/Philosophy of Science & Technology (3 hours)
• 20 hours Chemistry coursework aligned with DESE matrix
• 12 hours additional Science coursework aligned with DESE matrix

English (33 hours)

• 12 hours Composition, Rhetoric, Grammar (to include a course in the teaching of writing)
• 6 hours Study of the English Language (to include modern grammar, history of the language, and/or dialects)
• 6 hours American Literature (to include one course focusing on multi-ethnic literature)
• 6 hours English and/or World Literature
• 3 hours Young Adult Literature

World Language (Spanish, French, German) - K-12 (30 hours)

Thirty (30) semester hours in the world language to be taught, or twenty-seven (27) semester hours plus two (2) or more earned units of high school credit in that language.

Math (33 hours)

24 hours from all of the six categories below:

1. Algebra
2. Geometry
3. Trigonometry
4. Pre-calculus
5. Calculus
6. Statistics

Nine (9) hours of additional Math coursework aligned with DESE matrix. 

Social Science (39 hours)

• 12 hours U.S. History 
• 9 hours World History
• 6 hours Political Science (to include U.S. and state government) 
• 6 hours Behavioral/Social Sciences (including sociology, anthropology, and psychology)
• 3 hours Economics 
• 3 hours Geography

Admission

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.