Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Academics / Departments & Programs / Education / Academics / Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Degree Overview
Earn your Master of Arts in Teaching degree and Michigan teaching certificate in one year.
Are you ready to put your skills and passions into a new career direction as a teacher? Calvin’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program provides an accelerated pathway to initial middle and high school teacher certification. Designed for career-changers, those re-entering the workforce, and recent bachelor’s degree graduates, you’ll complete the MAT in one year, coming away with a master’s degree and a teaching certificate.
If you’ve completed a bachelor’s degree* and are ready to teach, join Calvin’s high-quality program to be equipped to excel as a middle or high school teacher. The MAT includes academic work alongside an entire school year of field experience in local classrooms. You’ll be mentored by both expert classroom teachers and Calvin faculty trained to guide you to proficiency in all aspects of teaching.
*Some bachelor’s degree subject areas lend themselves to teaching more than others; consult with Shari Brouwer to determine if your undergraduate coursework is applicable to the middle and high school setting. See the list of majors and minors that are teachable in secondary education.
Learn more from a recent news story about the MAT.
If you have any questions, please contact Erek Kooyman.
Program Requirements & Opportunities
- Overview
Program Details
- 35-40 credit hours
- Full-time, on-campus program
- 12 months to completion
- Cohort-based program with new cohorts starting annually at the beginning of each summer
- Cost $585 per credit hour
- Students can apply for the MI future educator stipend
(up to $9,600) (this is a no strings attached grant available to anyone student teaching in a public or charter school) - Graduate loans are available (up to $20,500)
Frequently-asked Questions
What if my bachelor's degree is in a different subject than one in which I want to teach?
If you do not have a bachelor’s degree in an approved certifiable content area, it is likely you will need to take some additional courses in the desired content area before beginning the Calvin MAT program. We encourage you to contact Shari Brouwer if this is something you are considering.What if I already have a teaching certificate?
If you already have a teaching certificate this program is probably not for you. If your goal is to earn a graduate degree in education, consider our Master of Education program. If you have a teaching certificate but would like to pursue an additional endorsement, contact Shari Brouwer to explore options.I'm an international student, am I eligible for this program?
We plan to be able to enroll international students in the future, but currently we are awaiting approval from the U.S. government. Once approval has been received, international students will be eligible to apply for this program and will need to complete requirements for obtaining a student visa.When are applications due?
The program is cohort-based and starts in the summer term each year. Applications are preferred by December 1 but accepted through March 15. - Admission
Complete Calvin's graduate application. Applications are preferred by December 1 but accepted through March 15. A new cohort starts each summer. You will need:
- Interest in working with middle or high school students.
- Bachelor’s degree with an approved certifiable content area from a regionally-accredited college or university.
- Grade point average of 2.8 or greater. Graduate coursework and/or work history will be considered.
- An essay outlining why you have chosen teaching as a profession and why you have selected Calvin’s MAT program for professional preparation.
- A current resume.
- Submission of two letters of professional recommendation.
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- An interview with members of the MAT team, which will be scheduled after all application documents are submitted.
- Attempt the appropriate Michigan Test for Teacher Certification subject test. If you do not pass the first attempt, you may enter the program with the understanding that you must retake and pass the test for teacher certification.
- Advising
Shari Brouwer
Certification and Assessment Coordinator
Full profile- Phone: (616) 526-6208
- shari.brouwer@calvin.edu
- Education
- SC 398
Erek Kooyman
Affiliate Professor
Full profile - Courses
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
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