Step Into the Classroom With Confidence
With a Master of Arts in Teaching, you’ll gain the skills and certification you need to lead, inspire, and 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 speed your way to a teaching certification.
Everything about our program is focused on getting you the practical experience that will start your new career on the strongest possible foundation. That means you’ll get an entire year of field experience in a local classroom alongside your classroom learning. You’ll be mentored by faculty who 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. Calvin’s MAT emphasizes field placements and student teaching, where you’ll master the essentials of lesson planning, classroom management, and assessment. You’ll graduate with a full year of real-world classroom experience.
Faith and ethics: At Calvin, your teaching is grounded in a Christian worldview. You’ll explore how faith shapes education. You’ll learn to see your teaching as an act of profound and life-changing 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 throughout your journey.
Duration
Cost per credit; financial aid available
Total credit hours
Available through the MI Future Educator stipend *
Program outcome
* this $9600 grant is contingent upon teaching in the public school system after graduation. Contact us for details.
What Can You Do with a Calvin MAT?
- Become a 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
What Will Your Courses Look Like?
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 specifically 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.
Philosopy of Education
Examine how education works in real life—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.
