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 completes Passport Tasks 1-5.
• Minimum professional GPA of 3.0 and Content GPA (if applicable) 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

Prior to or upon Admission, students must make available official academic transcripts to the Coordinator of Educator Certification in the School of Education to complete and evaluation of coursework. Based on this transcript evaluation, the Coordinator of Educator Certification will identify the exact number of credit hours that an MAT candidate will require to complete initial teacher certification with respect to Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requirements. Prior coursework, such as transfer courses and content area courses, will be identified from the students' transcripts. Using this evaluation, an academic advisor, in conjunction with the coordinator of Teacher Certification, will prepare a personalized program of study for the student. Students may be required to take more than the required coursework listed for the emphasis area. Students should talk to their advisor and the teacher certification professionals at Webster University throughout their program to understand how any changes to DESE requirements are accommodated in their personalized program of study. 

Background Checks

Students are required to obtain various annual background checks prior to field experiences. The state requires current fingerprint clearance prior to issuing the teaching certificate.

State Assessments

To obtain a teaching licensure in Missouri, students are required to complete a number of state assessments. State required assessments are administered by designated agencies, and students are required to pay all associated fees. All state assessments are administered in a digital format. Students must pass the state-required content assessment examination prior to apprentice teaching. 

Practicum

Students must complete a 5000-level practicum and accompanying practicum seminar with a grade of B or better. To enroll in a practicum, students must submit an application by September 15 for a spring placement and by February 15 for a fall placement. No late applications will be accepted. Candidates must meet with the Coordinator of Field Placement prior to applying for practicum.  

Apprentice Teaching

Apprentice teaching and the accompanying apprentice teaching seminar are required for all initial certifications. To enroll in apprentice teaching, students must submit an application by September 15 for a spring placement and by February 15 for a fall placement. No late applications will be accepted. 

Prior to apprentice teaching students must have: 

• met all course and departmental assessment requirements, including formal acceptance to teacher certification status. 
• successfully completed practicum and practicum seminar with a grade of B or better.
• passed the state-required content assessment examination. 

Apprentice Teaching placements are made by the Field Experience Office. Placements will be arranged with the St.  Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and Jefferson County School Districts along with private and independent schools. All candidates for certification must complete either their practicum or apprentice teaching in a diverse setting.