Master of Arts in Teaching (12 Month)

The UMBC Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is a Council of the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) approved graduate program for career changers and recent graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree seeking initial teaching certification. Students are introduced to pedagogy, including curriculum planning, instructional design, assessment and human development as well as a subject-specific methods course. In keeping with Maryland’s Redesign of Teacher Education (1996), the MAT incorporates competency-based course work and a Professional Development School 100 day internship program for every student in the program. The course work integrates content and pedagogy as recommended by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) (1996), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and the Council of the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). All MAT candidates’ competencies in essential teaching and content knowledge will be evaluated through performance-based assessments. Graduates of this program will meet all Maryland certification requirements, receive initial teacher certification at the secondary level in their area of specialization, and extend their understanding of issues germane to teaching and learning.

The Graduate School recommends applicants have at least a 3.0 GPA or “B” average when applying.For transcripts from schools abroad, the UMBC Graduate School will accept official WES (World Education Services) ICAP Course-by-Course evaluations but note that these evaluations are not required.Students who are unable to meet the minimum GPA standards may still be admitted to graduate study by demonstrating outstanding performance on one or more of the graduate aptitude tests or by providing letters of recommendation from evaluators who can speak to the applicant’s performance as a student or in a professional capacity.Standards for admission to a doctoral program are generally higher than those for admission to a master’s program. The terms of this admission are based on specific recommendations made by the applicant’s department in conjunction with the Graduate School.