Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Goals:
1. Graduates will be “teachers of teachers” who lead instructors in creating communities in each individual learning environment.
2. Graduates will be ethical teachers and leaders who build their respective schools into unified learning communities.
3. Graduates will actively involve members of the community outside their school (families, business, outside agencies, and other stakeholders).
Outcomes:
A) Ensure successful communication between administrators, teachers and parents to help nurture the whole child.
B) Demonstrate leadership by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional development.
C) Promote the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner that demonstrates respect for all cultures, ethnicities, gender, socioeconomic status, and exceptionalities.
D) Create a community of caring relationships that unify all educational participants (students, teachers, families, community members, other stakeholders) in the education process.
E) Incorporate sound research and information (including action research generated by the school community) into the perpetual process of educational improvement.
F) Promote the success of all students by understanding and influencing the larger political, social, economic, and legal institutions which impact education.
These goals and outcomes of the program foster professional competence in educational leadership and effective instruction by requiring students to complete a curriculum of study, a comprehensive examination over the core curriculum, and a practicum in teaching (MAT).
Admission Requirements for the MAT Program
The admissions policy for the MAT at Benedictine College are designed to select students who have demonstrated the ability to be successful in academic and teaching vocations. The School of Education carefully considers each application during department meetings and makes one of the following decisions: a) regular admission, b) probational admission, or c) denial of admission. The decisions of the department with regards to admission are subsequently brought to the Committee on Graduate Studies for confirmation. The Director of the program will notify the applicant of the admission decision in writing. The applicant may appeal any adverse decision by submitting a written petition. Unless formal approval is received from the Director, a maximum of two courses taken as a special graduate student may be applied to degree requirements.
The requirements for formal admission are as follows:
Regular Admission
In addition to the completed application form, applicants must meet admission criteria.
Elementary
Applicants to the MAT elementary program must meet the following requirements:
1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
2. Minimum 2.5 grade point average in their most recent 60 credit hours of undergraduate work.
3. Verification of employment in an accredited school
4. Agreement with a school-based mentor with at least 3+ years of teaching experience
5. Ability to complete initial coursework prior to the first day of teaching
6. Successful fingerprinting and background check to earn a L.E.A.P. license from KSDE (for candidates teaching in Kansas)
Secondary
Applicants to the MAT secondary program must meet the following requirements:
1. Undergraduate degree or graduate degree in the content area for which the license is sought
2. Minimum 2.75 grade point average in their most recent 60 credit hours of undergraduate work.
3. Passing score on the Praxis content test
4. Verification of employment in an accredited school
5. Agreement with a school-based mentor with at least 3+ years of teaching experience
6. Ability to complete initial coursework prior to the first day of teaching
7. Successful fingerprinting and background check to earn a Restricted license from KSDE (for candidates teaching in Kansas)
Probational Admission
Applicants with less than the required GPA or secondary candidates who have not passed the Praxis content test may be admitted on a probationary status. Students admitted probationally due to GPA will have their status re-evaluated after the completion of the first six hours of graduate work at Benedictine College in the prescribed curriculum of the program as follows:
1. Those students who achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the first six hours of the prescribed curricula will be granted regular admission status.
2. Those students who do not achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the first six hours of the prescribed curricula will be dismissed from the program.
Secondary students admitted provisionally who have not passed the Praxis content exam may have until the end of the 2nd semester of coursework to do so. Failure to pass this exam by this point will lead to dismissal from the program.
Degree Requirements
- All course work must be completed within six (6) years from the date of the initial enrollment.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.25 must be maintained each semester.
- A maximum of six (6) semester hours of ‘C’ credit will be accepted. If a student receives a grade of ‘C’ in more than six (6) semester hours he or she will be dismissed from the program.
- Any grade below ‘C’ will not be accepted and will result in exclusion from further study.
- Degree candidates must pass a written comprehensive examination.
- Degree candidates must complete the online graduation application by the appropriate date.
Required Courses for Elementary Teachers
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC-5570 | Classroom Management for Practicing Tchr | 3 |
| EDUC-5571 | Meet Needs of Learners - Practicing Tchr | 3 |
| EDUC-5572 | Intgr Health, Move, & Phys Act in K-6 | 3 |
| EDUC-5573 | Ingtr Arts in Elementary Classroom | 3 |
| EDUC-5574 | Math Method - Practicing Teacher | 3 |
| EDUC-5575 | Science Method - Practicing Teachers | 3 |
| EDUC-5576 | Language Arts Methods - Prac Tchr | 3 |
| EDUC-5577 | Social Studies Methods - Practicing Tchr | 3 |
| EDUC-5578 | Technology - Practicing Teacher | 3 |
| EDUC-5579 | Content Seminar - Practicing Teacher | 3 |
| EDUC-6580 | Supervised Teaching Practicum | 3 |
| EDUC-6688 | Master's Comprehensive Exams | NULL |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
Required Courses for Secondary Teachers
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC-5570 | Classroom Management for Practicing Tchr | 3 |
| EDUC-5571 | Meet Needs of Learners - Practicing Tchr | 3 |
| EDUC-5578 | Technology - Practicing Teacher | 3 |
| EDUC-5579 | Content Seminar - Practicing Teacher | 3 |
| EDUC-5581 | 6-12 Pedagogy & Instruction - Prac Tchrs | 3 |
| EDUC-5582 | Secondary Content Methods I | 3 |
| EDUC-5583 | Secondary Pedagogy & Assessment - Prac T | 3 |
| EDUC-5584 | Secondary Content Methods 2 | 3 |
| EDUC-5586 | Supporting Literacy in Content Area | 3 |
| EDUC-5585 | School As Community - Practicing Teacher | 3 |
| EDUC-6580 | Supervised Teaching Practicum | 3 |
| EDUC-6688 | Master's Comprehensive Exams | NULL |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
Comprehensive Examination
All graduate students must successfully complete a comprehensive exam over the course of study for the degree. The comprehensive exam for the elementary program is the K–6 Principles of Learning and Teaching exam (test 5622). The comprehensive exam for the secondary program is the 7–12 Principles of Learning and Teaching Exam (test 5624).
Graduation Application
During the semester preceding the final semester before anticipated graduation, students must make application for graduation by completing the online graduation application.
Dispositions
To complete the MAT program at Benedictine College, all candidates must demonstrate appropriate “dispositions” for teachers. This term means the values and professional ethics the graduate student brings to becoming a teacher. We are required by the State of Kansas to evaluate candidates on their dispositions. The dispositions we expect candidates to demonstrate may be summarized in the phrase, “Professionally Responsible Builders of Community.” These are divided into two areas: 1) “Professional Responsibilities” and 2) “Building Community.” Dispositions are reviewed each semester and are scored at each of the three (3) benchmark points in the program. If a supervising mentor, teacher, principal, or faculty member has serious concerns about a candidate’s professional dispositions, a meeting will be held with the candidate, Program Director, and Chair. A plan for improvement will be made and a timeline for re-evaluation will be set. Failure to meet the tenets of the plan in a timely and professional manner may lead to the dismissal from the program.