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DE Track: Science Education

Degree: Master of Arts in Teaching
Program: Teaching

Delivery Method: Online

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The MAT program is an accelerated teacher licensure program that is 100% online and leads to both an initial teaching license and a master’s degree in as little as a year-and-a-half (full-time).

You will be prepared to teach in any type of learning environment, including in-person, remotely or a mix.

In the MAT program, we expand our knowledge and impact, and continue to support teachers’ needs to integrate practice with theory as well as to experience today’s culturally diverse and technology-enhanced classrooms. The MAT provides an outstanding teacher preparation program at a reasonable cost.

Please note that the MAT’s focus is on preparation to teach in K-12 schools rather than an advanced credential for practicing teachers or a precursor to research-oriented doctoral studies in education.

Program Description

Our MAT in Science program prepares science teachers for grades 6-12 by building off a candidate’s strong background in the laboratory sciences. Coursework and field experiences focus on developing strong pedagogical content knowledge as it relates specifically to teaching middle or high school science.

Our program is strong in the use of technology as candidates develop expertise with hand-held and computer-based technologies used for learning and teaching science. Candidates are expected to engage as scholars to synthesize research literature on learning and teaching science and use scientific inquiry methods in their planning, instruction and assessment of students.

In North Carolina, science teachers are licensed comprehensively, meaning that any licensed science teacher can teach any science course a school offers. In practice, teachers generally specialize in the life sciences or chemistry, or the physical sciences or earth/environmental sciences, but preparation for a license includes significant experiences in multiple fields of science. Having a broad-based knowledge of the sciences also give the teacher the opportunity to see and share with students the natural interdependency of the sciences.

The semester after you have completed a minimum of 15 hours you must complete the following to continue in the program:

  • Keep a minimum average of 3.0 in all course work.
  • Criminal Background Check

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from a college or university that holds regional accreditation from a recognized accrediting agency such as SACS
  • 3.00 GPA or higher in prior work, as required by the Graduate School
  • Minimum passing score of 100 on the TOEFL AND an official course-by-course evaluation from an accredited foreign credential evaluation service required for applicants with non-U.S. degrees*
  • Meet the specific requirements of content area or grade level. See specialty coursework under curriculum for content standards.

In the absence of a content degree, 24 semester hours/credits in content relevant to the area in which you wish to teach are needed. Candidates who are missing content area courses can take them at a local college or university or as a PBS (post-baccalaureate student) at NC State prior to admission.

If an applicant does not have the 24 content area credits needed to be accepted into the program, he or she can still enroll in the first graduate classes as a Non-Degree student (NDS) while completing the full 24 content-specific hours and transfer those credits into the degree program. Up to 12 credit hours with a grade of “B” or better can be transferred into a master’s degree program (either from NDS studies or from partner institutions). See the NCSU Graduate School minimum requirements at https://catalog.ncsu.edu/graduate/graduate-handbook/minimum-requirements/ .

* Please note that the Master of Arts in Teaching is a Distance Education program, so students on university-sponsored visas are not eligible for this program. Please contact the Office of International Services with any questions.

Course of Study

MAT participants can undertake this program full-time or part-time. The program includes 10 courses (30 hours).

Curriculum

MAT: Licensure Area Science Education

MAT Core Courses (Required for all MAT students):

ECI 579 Behavioral Management of Inclusive Classrooms (3 hrs.) 

ED 508 Diversity in Classroom & Community (3 hrs.) 

ED 507 Developing and Interpreting Assessments (2 hrs.)

*ED 569 Full-semester Student Teaching Experience (4 hrs. )

MAT Specialty Courses                                                                            18 semester hours

Science Education                                                                                     12 Hours

CourseHours
EMS 505 Methods of Teaching Science I (Spring only)-Evening class held -offered synchronously online3
EMS 506* Methods of Teaching Science II (Fall only) -Evening class held –offered synchronously online3
EMS 531 Introduction to Research in Science Education (Spring only)-synchronously Online3
EMS 573 Technology Tools for Teaching Science (Fall and Spring)-synchronously Online3

    *Field Experience Required, Register in Sage

Science Content/Electives (6+ Hours) – Courses might be held either online or in-person

Choose two or more electives in either Science Methods (EMS) or Science Content at the 500 level to fulfill Breadth of Knowledge requirements for Licensure

Program Total 30 hours

Additional Info

Approximate total program cost (North Carolina residents) for the MAT in elementary education program: $1,599.21 per 3 hour course, or $15,992 total

Visit the NC State’s Graduate Distance Education Tuition rates page for detailed information about tuition and fees.

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