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Master of Arts in Teaching

Program Overview

The Willamette University School of Education is a professional school which offers full-time, 10-month and part-time, two-year Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree programs for the preparation of early childhood, elementary, middle and secondary school teachers. In most cases, students will qualify for two teaching authorization levels upon completion of either program.

  • The early childhood authorization is valid for teaching children age 3 through grade 4.
  • The elementary program authorizes the graduate to teach children in grades 3-8 in an elementary school or a sixth grade self-contained classroom in a middle school.
  • The middle level authorization is valid for teaching grades 5-9 in a middle or elementary school.
  • The secondary program is valid for teaching grades 7-12. Within the secondary program, Willamette is able to recommend for endorsement in many subject areas. (See the full list on our MAT endorsements page.) All students are encouraged to work toward endorsements in multiple subject areas.

Schedule/Requirements

Both MAT programs parallel the traditional public school year. MAT students spend more than 1,000 hours working with students and mentor teachers in public school classrooms.

Full-time Program

The full-time, 10-month program begins in mid-August (two weeks prior to the beginning of public school) and ends with the last day most area public schools are in session (mid-June).

The first week of classes is intended to prepare MAT students for their introduction to the public school setting. The second week coincides with the public school's teacher in-service week, and at this time all MAT students begin year-long placements in public schools. Throughout the fall, students spend approximately half their time in the public schools and half their time at Willamette attending graduate-level classes.

The full-time student teaching experience begins the second week in January and is completed in mid-June, the last day the area public schools are in session. Student teaching seminars, professional seminars and methods courses are scheduled after the public school day.

Aspire Part-time Program

The part-time, two-year Aspire program is designed with Instructional Assistants, current unlicensed teachers, and other working professionals/people in mind. Classes take place Monday evenings and one Saturday a month during the first year of the program, beginning in September. Field experiences in the schools during the first year and a half of the program are extremely flexible, adapting to students' work schedules. A waiver of some field experience is possible for those people with significant prior experience in schools.

In the second year, students add methods classes and seminars one additional night per week. During the final spring semester, beginning in late January, students work in full-time placements for their student teaching until mid-June, the last day the area public schools are in session.

Leadership Opportunities

These programs not only prepare MAT students to become effective classroom teachers, but also allow them to assume leadership roles in the education profession. Small grant programs are available to support students' innovation with technology integration in their student teaching. In the spring semester, students complete an Action Research project in which they examine an aspect of their teaching through inquiry and collection of data. The Action Research projects culminate in a day long symposium in which students share the results of their research with peers and the community.

English Speakers of Other Languages

The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) has approved the Willamette University School of Education for an endorsement in teaching English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) while participating in the MAT Program. ESOL classes will be offered at the end of June and into July before the MAT Program begins, and in the summer following the program. For further information, contact Cheryl K. Brown at 503-370-6954 or email the Center for Excellence in Teaching (CET) at cet@willamette.edu. (You can also visit the CET's ESOL program web site for more information.)