Master of Arts in Teaching

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program in early childhood education is designed for individuals holding a bachelor's degree in a closely related field who wish to obtain a teaching certificate and master's degree in early childhood education. Certification in this field is for grades Pre-K through 5. The M.A.T. provides professional and pedagogical studies that develop proficiency in the knowledge, skills, and habits of beginning teachers.

Educator Preparation at Columbus State University is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

All educator preparation programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Career Opportunities

Successful completion of the M.A.T. program and passing scores on the appropriate Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) basic skills and content tests allow the candidate to be recommended to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for teacher certification at the T-5 level (i.e., the letter “T” indicates that the certificate is in a teaching field and the number “5” indicates that the candidate’s highest degree is a master’s degree recognized by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission).

Admission Requirements

• Degree in related field or a minimum of 25 semester hours of approved coursework
• Transcript evaluation to determine content courses needed for certification.
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 (regular admission) or 2.50 (provisional admission) on all undergraduate work at an accredited United States institution in fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree
• Satisfactory scores on the general portion (quantitative and verbal) of the Revised Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with "writing assessment" component; OR passing scores on the GACE content examinations required in the intended teacher certification field
• Admission to Teacher Education – Go to https://www.columbusstate.edu/tlc/ for additional information.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates will:

• maintain high levels of professionalism and ethical standards that demonstrate commitment to the teaching profession
• establish effective written and oral communication with students, teachers, administrators, and parents/families
• organize and implement differentiated instruction to support students’ performances commensurate with their levels of readiness and diverse backgrounds
• evaluate, select, and implement appropriate instructional practices related to curriculum (e.g., reading and writing) with attention to the inclusion of technology
• develop assessments and analyze assessment data for future instructional decisions
• use current research in early childhood education that are grounded in the historical context of curriculum theory to refine classroom practices

Additional Program Requirements

• Students must earn a 3.0 GPA calculated on all graduate work attempted. "Academic Forgiveness" policy does not apply to graduate studies
• Students cannot graduate with a grade of "C" or below in more than two (2) graduate courses
• A minimum of 27 hours of the hours required for the degree must be earned in residence (75%). Asynchronous (online) and distance learning courses administered through Columbus State University constitute courses taken in residence
• A maximum of nine (9) semester hours of transfer credit or courses taken at CSU prior to full admission to a masters degree program may be applied toward the degree. Courses with earned grades of "C" or below cannot be transferred. The student’s advisor and the coordinator of the program in which the student is enrolled must approve any courses transferred
• All degree requirements must be completed within seven (7) years of first enrollment.

Program of Study

Area 1 Professional Core Required Hours: 8
EDCI 6227 Foundations of Education: Human Development, Motivation & Learning
EDCI 6228 Foundations of Education: Special Education
EDUF 6116 Educational Research Methods

Area 2 Teaching Field Studies Required Hours: 29
EDEC 3256 Curriculum in Early Childhood
EDEC 4105 Technology for the Twenty-First Century Classroom
EDEC 4217 Teaching Language Arts in ECE
EDEC 4247 Diagnostic & Prescriptive Math Instruction
EDEC 6135 Methods & Materials for Teaching Science in ECE
EDEC 6156 Theories, Concepts, and Applications of Child Development
EDEC 6166 Assessment Methodologies, Instruments, and Procedures in ECE
EDRG 3115 SBRR: Preparation for Teaching Reading
EDRG 4218 Reading in the Content Areas: Concentration in Social Studies
 

Area 3 Professional Practice Required Hours: 8-12
EDCI 6698 Teaching Internship (2 semesters - 6 hrs.)
OR
EDCI 6485 Student Teaching (one semester - 10 hrs.)

EDUF 6125 Classroom Management

Area 4 Elective Required Hours: 6
Choose one of the following 2 courses:
EDEC 6115 Literacy Education Across the Language Arts
EDEC 6116 Writing and the Young Child

Choose one of the following 2 courses:
EDEC 6125 Methods and Materials for Teaching Math in ECE
EDEC 6159 Creative Teaching in ECE

Area 5 Certification Requirements Required Hours: 0-12
(Required if not met in previous degree program)
MAED 5131G Algebra and Proportionality
MAED 5132G Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability
MAED 5133G Geometry and Measurement
MATH 2008 Nature and Use of Numbers

Note: For admission to the M.A.T. program, candidates must have a degree in an approved field (subject to transcript evaluation) and 25 semester hours of approved coursework with a grade of "C" or better.

Total Required Hours: 51-67

Note: Contact advisor for information about endorsements.