M.A.T. FAQ – Master of Arts in Teaching

The M.A.T. is a Master of Arts in Teaching designed for individuals who wish to teach in the elementary or secondary school system.

Students may begin the M.A.T. program in either summer or fall.

The typical program length is approximately two years. However, it may be completed between 12 and 18 months depending on the program:

• K6 and content-specific programs: accelerated 12 – month track option available
• K6/ESL and content-specific/ESL: accelerated 18 – month track option available
• K6/TSD and contentspecific/TSD: accelerated 18 – month track option available

• Elementary endorsement (K6)
• Subject-specific endorsement 7-12 (i.e., English, math, science, social studies)
• Subject-specific endorsement K-12 (i.e., art, health and physical education, or music)
• Elementary endorsement (K6) with Teacher of Students with Disabilities Endorsement
• Subject specific endorsement with Teacher of Students with Disabilities
• Elementary endorsement (K6) with English as a Second Language Endorsement
• Subject specific endorsement with English as a Second Language Endorsement

“Endorsement” means the specific area in which a certificate holder is authorized to serve. Endorsement can also be referred to “certification”, “license”, or “credential”, but the New Jersey Department of Education refers to it as endorsement.

Successful candidates will need to make a full-time commitment to the program. Significant coursework and fieldwork is required each semester.

The requirements are a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better, appropriate content coursework for the area of endorsement, a passing score on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, SAT or ACT.  

Please visit https://www.ets.org/praxis/nj for guidance on the NJ Praxis tests and passing scores. Any other state requirements must be completed prior to application. Prior to student teaching, the appropriate Praxis II test must be successfully completed.

For a complete list of the current New Jersey Department of Education’s test requirements, go to www.ets.org/praxis.

Not necessarily. The School of Education requires that each student have the appropriate content coursework in the endorsement area and CGPA.

It is strongly recommended.

For potential students interested in teaching only preschool, please contact Dr. Kerry Rizzuto (krizzuto@monmouth.edu) about the P-3 M.Ed. program.

The elementary (generalist) school teacher is authorized to teach in grades kindergarten through six in all public schools.

A liberal arts, science, dual content, or interdisciplinary academic major or a minimum of 60 semester hour credits in liberal arts and/or science within the B.A./B.S. degree.

You must have a B.A. /B.S. degree from an accredited institution, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, a passing score on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, SAT or ACT and appropriate content courses completed for the elementary endorsement prior to application. Please visit https://www.ets.org/praxis/nj for guidance on the NJ Praxis tests and passing scores. Prior to student teaching, the appropriate Praxis II test must be successfully completed.

How will I know if I have the content coursework for endorsement?

A transcript review can be conducted to determine appropriate coursework by contacting the Graduate Admissions Office.

A minimum of 6 credits in college level mathematics, 7-8 credits of science to include 4 credits in lab science, 9 credits in literature and composition, and 9 credits in history, 3 credits in American National Government, and 3 credits in human/cultural geography are recommended for elementary school content coursework.

At least 30 credits in a comprehensive cohesive sequence or a major in the subject area.

If you wish to pursue content-specific endorsement you must possess a minimum of 30 credits in the content area you wish to be certified in. For example, if you are interested in math endorsement, you will need 30 credits in mathematics with at least 12 credits completed at the 300-400 level.

A transcript review will be conducted to determine appropriate coursework.

Content endorsement in social studies requires the following: at least 15 credits in history, 3 credits in economics, 3 credits in geography, and 12 credits in the social sciences or history.

Anthropology, geography, sociology, psychology, political science, or philosophy.

Content endorsement in physical science requires 30 credits in chemistry, 15 credits in physics, and 8 credits in mathematics.

The M.A.T. content-specific Health Studies and Physical Education program requires 30 credits in a coherent sequence in health and 15 credits in physical education or 30 credits in physical education and 15 credits in health studies, and 6 credits of study in individual, dual, and team sports.

Content-specific endorsements authorize the holder to teacher in grades 5-8 in a departmentalized setting and/or grades 7-12.

The teacher of these subject areas is considered the content “specialist” and is trained to teach all grade levels in the specific content area.

Special Education endorsement, known as the Teacher of Students with Disabilities Endorsement (TSD), requires the completion of an instructional endorsement along with the coursework of the TSD endorsement.

The ESL endorsement requires the completion of an instructional endorsement along with the ESL endorsement. There is no Praxis II requirement, however, you must provide proficiency certificates for the English Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and the English Writing Proficiency Test (WPT).

Student teaching is an unpaid, full-time, full-semester field experience, which occurs during a fall or spring semester.

The Office of Student Teaching, Field Placements, and School Partnerships will find your placement, based on your endorsement area.

Every effort will be made to find you an appropriate placement.