Step Into the Classroom With Confidence
With a Master of Arts in Teaching, you’ll gain the skills and certification you need to teach in middle school and high school—all in just one year.
Overview
Calvin’s MAT is designed for aspiring educators—career changers, those re-entering the workforce after time away, and anyone with a recent bachelor’s degree in a field they want to teach. At Calvin, you’ll find a program specifically designed to streamline your path to teacher certification. Plus, potential grants and scholarships from the state of Michigan make the program very affordable.
Our program focuses on equipping you with practical experience that will start your new career on a strong foundation. You’ll gain an entire year of field experience in a local school alongside your classroom learning. Faculty mentors will help you chart a course to your career goals. At the end of the year, you’ll have everything you need to launch a career in teaching.
| Course number | Course name |
|---|---|
| EDUC 103 | Introduction to Education |
| EDUC 240 | The Social Context of Education |
| EDUC 241 | Inclusive Teaching: Ability, Language, and Multicultural Education |
| EDUC 243 | Teaching and Learning Lab |
| EDUC 249 | The Christian Teacher |
| EDUC 399 | Philosophy of Education |
| EDUC 507 | Curriculum, Instruction, and Content Area Literacy |
| EDUC 508 | Internship I |
| EDUC 510 | Framing Questions, Global Forces, Constraining Structures |
| EDUC 546 | Student Teaching Internship |
| EDUC 554 | Pathways to Inclusion: Re-examining Beliefs about Learners |
| EDUC 559 | Student Teaching Seminar |
| EDUC 590 | Independent Study |
Why Earn an MAT from Calvin?
Practical experience: You won’t just be learning in a classroom—you'll be teaching in one. Through a full year of field placements, you’ll master the essentials of lesson planning, classroom management, and assessment.
Faith and ethics: You’ll explore how faith shapes education, recognizing teaching as an act of profound service built on a vision for justice and integrity.
Mentorship and support: You won’t go it alone. Calvin’s faculty are committed to your success, offering guidance, encouragement, and career connections.
What Can You Do with a Calvin MAT?
- Become certified teacher in Michigan
- Teach in public, private, or charter schools
- Pursue advanced roles in curriculum development or educational leadership
- Serve in international or faith-based education settings
Course Spotlights
Courses in Calvin’s MAT program are interactive, practical, and connected to the realities of today’s classrooms.
Curriculum, Instruction, and Content Area Literacy
Explore how reading and writing shape the way students learn in middle and high school classrooms. You’ll approach everything through a reformed Christian lens, connecting big ideas with real classroom experience through an in-depth practicum. You’ll also complete a project tailored to your specific teaching interests.
Philosophy of Education
Examine how education works not just in classrooms, but as part of culture and society. You’ll look at the ideas, history, and social influences that shape how schools operate and what they teach. Along the way, you’ll reflect on your own beliefs and begin to shape a personal, faith-based view of what education means and how it should be practiced.
Framing Questions, Global Forces, Constraining Structures
What makes a good society, and how does education fit into it? You’ll look at how schools are shaped by politics, money, and global issues—and how these forces affect students and teachers. Using Christian ideas of justice, hope, and shalom, you’ll explore how faith can guide your view of education.
Calvin’s MAT program has exceeded every expectation. Professors go above and beyond, and the classes have challenged me to foster a growth mindset.
Frequently Asked Questions
The MAT is a cohort program, and cohorts start once per year in the summer.
It is possible to complete a limited number of courses prior to the start of the cohort. Eligibility is determined by an advisor and based on course capacity.
The program is designed to be completed in under 12 months. Cohorts consist of three full-time, consecutive terms - summer, fall, and spring.
In-person on Calvin's campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Field placements take place in West Michigan.
Eligible applicants must have an undergraduate degree (major or minor) that is aligned with a current certification area offered by the School of Education. Please consult with a MAT advisor to find out if your bachelor's degree would qualify. Note that all applicants are required to complete the MTTC (state certification test) in their respective certification area as part of the application process and must pass the test to earn certification.
