Program Overview

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is designed with initial North Carolina teaching licensure in mind. The program consists of 40 credit hours of coursework paired with a two-semester student-teaching internship. Students choose from multiple tracks depending on their career goals and the type of licensure they plan to pursue.

Program Tracks

• Elementary Education: For students pursuing licensure in Elementary Education (K-6).
• Secondary Education: For students pursuing licensure in one or more of the following areas:
  • Science (Grades 6-9 and/or 9-12)
  • Social Studies (Grades 6-9 and/or 9-12)
  • English/Language Arts (Grades 6-9 and/or 9-12)
  • Mathematics (Grades 6-9 and/or 9-12)
• Special Education (K-12, General Curriculum): For students pursuing licensure in K-12 Special Education, General Curriculum.
• Optional Add-on Licensure: Students may choose to pursue add-on licensure in Special Education, further expanding their preparation and potential impact in the classroom.

Curriculum and Courses

Each content area has specific prerequisite course requirements for admission. The program includes a range of courses, such as:

Elementary Education Track

• Summer I:
  • EDUC 615: Schools and Community Collaboration, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 614: Innovative and Engaging Teaching, 3 hrs
• Summer II:
  • EDUC 628: Teaching English Language Learners, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 689: Foundations of Special Education, 3 hrs
• Fall Semester:
  • EDUC 685: Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary Grades, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 686: Teaching Science in the Elementary Grades, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 687: Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary Grades, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 688: Teaching Intermediate English Language Arts, Grades 3-6, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 699: Teaching the Science of Literacy, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 701: Internship and Special Topics Seminar, 2 hrs
• Winter-Spring Semester:
  • EDUC 746: Student Teaching Internship and Special Topics Seminar, 9 hrs
  • EDUC 747: Methods and Materials for Teaching Secondary Subjects, 3 hrs
• Final Summer:
  • EDMX 708: Teacher Researcher I, 2 hrs

Secondary Education Track

• Summer I:
  • EDUC 615: Schools and Community Collaboration, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 614: Innovative and Engaging Teaching, 3 hrs
• Summer II:
  • EDUC 532: Introduction to Development and Learning, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 628: Teaching English Language Learners, 3 hrs
• Fall Semester:
  • EDUC 701: Internship and Special Topics Seminar, 2 hrs
  • EDUC 689: Foundations of Special Education, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 617: Teaching in the Middle School, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 755: Classroom Assessment, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 760: Advanced Methods for Teaching Secondary Subjects (STEM or Humanities), 3 hrs
• Winter-Spring Semester:
  • EDUC 746: Student Teaching Internship and Special Topics Seminar, 9 hrs
  • EDUC 747: Methods and Materials for Teaching Secondary Subjects, 3 hrs
• Final Summer:
  • EDMX 708: Teacher Researcher I, 2 hrs

K-12 Special Education (General Curriculum) Track

• Summer I:
  • EDUC 615: Schools and Community Collaboration, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 614: Innovative and Engaging Teaching, 3 hrs
• Summer II:
  • EDUC 628: Teaching English Language Learners, 3 hrs
  • EDMX 782: Behavioral Support Methods, 3 hrs
• Fall Semester:
  • EDUC 685: Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary Grades, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 689: Foundations of Special Education, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 701: Internship and Special Topics Seminar, 2 hrs
  • EDUC 744: Assessment in ESL & SPED, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 699: Teaching the Science of Literacy, 3 hrs
• Spring Semester:
  • EDUC 746: Student Teaching Internship and Special Topics Seminar, 9 hrs
  • EDUC 747: Advanced Methods for Teaching
  • EDUC 791: Specially Designed Instruction for Literacy and Mathematics, 3 hrs
• Maymester:
  • EDMX 708: Teacher Researcher I, 2 hr

K-12 Special Education Add-on License (Optional)

• Additional courses required for the K-12 Special Education (General Curriculum) Add-on License:
  • EDUC 699: Teaching the Science of Literacy, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 685: Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary Grades, 3 hrs
  • EDUC 791: Specially Designed Instruction for Literacy and Mathematics, 3 hrs
  • EDMX 782: Behavior Support Methods, 3 hrs

Student Teaching Internship

The student-teaching internship is required of all teaching licensure candidates in the MAT program and provides near immediate real-world experience that connects educational theory with classroom practice.

Accreditation

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) as a licensure program.

Pre-MAT Affiliation

UNC-Chapel Hill students may apply to affiliate with Pre-MAT as early as the second semester of their first undergraduate year. Early affiliation status provides the opportunity to enroll in up to 12 credit hours of specified graduate-level courses in the School of Education, which may later be considered for transfer credit toward the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree, if admitted. A maximum of 12 credit hours of Pre-MAT courses may be double counted toward both the undergraduate program of study and the potential future MAT graduate program. To be considered, a grade of B or better must be earned in each course.