M.A.T - Concentration in Health and Physical Education

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 in Health and Physical Education and a master’s degree for aspiring teachers who hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. 

The MAT Health and Physical Education program is devoted to preparing P-12 teachers to:

• address the diverse academic needs of all students
• implement high academic standards for all students
• develop school and community partnerships as part of school instructional programs
• affect student learning among special school populations
• incorporate technological resources to enhance student learning
• apply best practices in P-12 schools

During the program, you will be required to complete field experiences, including practicums and student teaching/internship. All field experience requirements for any MAT program must be completed in the state of Georgia. 

Health and Physical Education certification (P-12) for candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The program of study is designed to meet all content and methods requirements for initial certification in 36 credit hours. There are no undergraduate prerequisite courses for the program since that content knowledge is embedded in the current courses. 

Upon successful completion of all program requirements and passing the appropriate GACE exam, you will be eligible for Georgia T-5 Health and Physical Education Certification (P-12). The program is a CAEP-accredited, Georgia Professional Standards Commission-approved program that is recognized through reciprocity in many other states in the U.S.

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 work combined.
• 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).
• Submit a personal statement of purpose, not to exceed 200 words, that identifies the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate study and how admission into the program relates to the applicant’s professional aspirations.
• 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). 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.
• If an applicant was previously enrolled in an initial teacher preparation program, an interview must be completed with the Program Coordinator 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. (naces.org)
• All new MAT candidates must attend an online orientation meeting in order to meet registration requirements.
• Candidates enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching program can only accept employment in a Georgia school that meets the GaPSC requirements.
• Candidates enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching program and are hired by a school system as a teacher of record, must be teaching in the content area of the certification they are seeking.
• Candidates enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching program and hired by a school system as a teacher of record must be teaching full-time in the content area of the of the certification they are seeking during their semester of clinical practice/internship.
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• 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 semester), all candidates must have a Georgia Pre-Service Certificate or Provisional/Waiver Teaching Certificate in a field that matches the Program. After you receive your admission acceptance, if you are NOT employed as a teacher of record in a matching content area classroom in Georgia, you will receive an email from the College of Education with the documents required to receive the Pre-Service certificate from the GaPSC. Once you provide the information requested in the documents, it will be sent to the GaPSC by the College of Education Officer.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation