MAT-FAQ

Yes, students may pursue the MAT degree (38 credit hours) OR enroll in classes for enrichment or other personal or professional reasons.  Students might want to enroll in one or two MAT classes for the purpose of exploring whether or not they really want to pursue a career in teaching.

MAT classes are offered fully on-line to maximize flexibility for working adults. In addition to the online format, the program includes numerous opportunities for face-to-face interactions with peers, colleagues, and professors. The program also includes a strong fieldwork component, through which students gain hands-on experience teaching and interacting with learners who are in diverse, inclusive, secondary or select K-12 classrooms.

• The primary benefit of an on-line program is the ability to complete coursework and requirements anywhere in the world, on a more flexible schedule than with face-to-face classes.
• In lieu of sitting in a class, a student’s time is spent engaging with learners with diverse backgrounds and directly applying the skills and knowledge learned from graduate studies.
• Students do engage in discussions and debates with one another and the instructor, seeking and providing feedback.  Students retain the benefit of meeting their classmates and professors in real-time, through live video-conferencing and other innovative technologies. All content and requirements in the program are as rigorous as those of most campus-based programs.
• Students who are self-motivated and prefer hands-on application of knowledge should especially benefit from Missouri Western’s graduate Master of Arts in Teaching program.

• Admission to the M.A.T. requires:
  • Successful completion of a baccalaureate degree in one of the following 13 content areas, or a closely related field:

• • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (from undergraduate work)
  • Passing score on the Missouri Content Assessment (MOCA) prior to admission, or early in the program (conditional admission is allowed, prior to the applicant earning a passing score on the MOCA).  Additional details will be provided upon acceptance to the program.
  • No GRE is required

An application may be submitted on-line:  https://www.missouriwestern.edu/admissions/apply-for-admission/

Students may begin the Master of Arts in Teaching program at the beginning of any academic semester: Fall, Spring, or Summer. However, students who have immediate job prospects in the field are encouraged to apply as soon as possible in order to start working toward their personal and professional goals.

Applications to the program are accepted at any time, but ideally should be received 1 month prior to the start of the semester of desired enrollment to ensure ease of admission, advising, and long-term planning for degree completion. 

Updated tuition costs, both in-state and out-of-state, for the current school year can be found here: https://www.missouriwestern.edu/graduate/costs-and-financing/ 

Many scholarships are available for degree-seeking graduate students!  Please visit the MWSU Financial Aid website for details.

• No.  It is through the Master of Arts in Teaching program that an individual may earn an initial teaching license, simultaneously with the master’s degree.
• To fulfill all State of Missouri requirements for certification, students must earn a passing score on the Missouri Content Area assessment in their field of expertise.
• Please contact the MWSU graduate office for further information.

The Master of Arts in Teaching is designed to be completed in approximately two-years, provided the student remains continuously enrolled.  The specific number of credit hours in which each individual student enrolls will, obviously, affect the duration of the program.

No.  The Master of Arts in Teaching program consists of 38 total credit hours—28 class credits plus 10 hours of field experience, 9 of which are student teaching (which a student may complete while “on the job” in an approved classroom setting [i.e., under contract as a teacher of record]).