M.A.T Elementary Education (P-5)

If you do not currently hold teacher certification or if you hold a nonrenewable (NR) teacher certification, the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) was designed for you.

The MAT degree leads to initial teaching certification and a master’s degree for aspiring teachers who hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Do you currently hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and are interested in a career as a teacher of young children? The M.A.T. provides an option for people entering the world of teaching from other vocations or fields of study and is also an option for those who are already in the classroom yet have not obtained initial certification. Through a sequence of courses and related field experiences, candidates will be prepared to teach young children in preschool through grade five. The program of study is designed to meet all content and methods requirements for initial teacher certification.

During the program, you will be required to complete field experiences, including student teaching/internship. All field experience requirements for any M.A.T. program must be completed in the state of Georgia. Some concentrations require practicum placements before student teaching or internship semester. Field experiences, including student teaching, for students in the online M.A.T. Concentrations in Elementary Education, Health and Physical Education, and Special Education, will be considered in the Georgia region in which you are located.

M.A.T. graduates are eligible for a Georgia T-5 Elementary Education Certification (grades P-5) upon successful completion of all program requirements, the GACE content assessment, and successful completion of the state-required Educator Ethics Assessment (if not completed for program admission). The program of study is designed to meet all content and methods requirements for initial certification in 45 credit hours.

NOTE: All new MAT Elementary Education candidates must participate in orientation. There is a set of online modules that must be completed, and a mandatory virtual meeting will be held in May. Orientation participation is the first grade of both summer classes.

• Admissions Information

• Complete requirements for a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Present a cumulative 2.50 (4.0 scale) grade point average or higher on all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
• Submit a passing score on the state-required Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment.
• Qualify for a Georgia Pre-Service certificate or Provisional certificate (see Certification section in the Graduate Catalog).
• Acknowledge ”Disclosure and Affirmation” statements that address the Code of Ethics for Educators and the need for tort liability insurance.
• International applicants and U.S. citizens whose native language is not English must demonstrate competence in English. Applicants must take and pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and post a score of at least 80 (internet-based test, IBT), 213 (computer-based test) or 550 (paper-based test) on the TOEFL. The official TOEFL score may not be more than two years old. Those who do not meet the minimum proficiency standard may be recommended for enrollment in University English courses or for English courses offered by the English Language Program (ELP) on campus prior to admission to the program.
• *International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES-accredited evaluation service and must be a course-by-course evaluation and include a GPA. www.naces.org
• MyPSC Account Requirements: As part of program requirements, once admitted, all applicants must claim Georgia Southern University as their Educator Preparation Program Provider before starting classes. Guidance will be given on how to claim Georgia Southern after admission. To obtain a MyPSC account, please go to the GaPSC website to register: www.gapsc.com.

Georgia Pre-Service certificate: Prior to participating in a field experience in the MAT program (which occurs within the first fall semester), all candidates must have a Georgia Pre-Service Certificate or Provisional/Waiver Teaching Certificate in a field that matches the Program. 

The M.A.T Elementary Education (P-5) program leads to Professional Licensure.

Not all programs are available to residents in all states. Please check the institution's State Authorization and Professional Licensure website(s) to ensure you reside in an authorized state. Georgia Southern University's Professional License Disclosure

Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation

Georgia Professional Standards Commission