The Master of Teaching degree (MAT) leads to initial T-5 certification for students who hold undergraduate degrees in non-teaching fields and do not hold a teaching certification. To obtain T-5 certification, candidates must pass the appropriate GACE tests and submit an application for certification to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. These students must also develop both initial and advanced skills prior to certification. All master students in special education will complete applied research as well as an internship as part of the exit criteria for their degree.
The M.A.T. degree program is non-cohort program that can be completed either part-time or full-time. New students can be admitted during any semester or term. The program of study consists of 54 credit hours, including all co-requisite courses. Courses are offered only on the Athens campus and are typically scheduled during the evening to allow students flexibility to complete practicum and internship experiences.
The program of study for MAT students will include the following co-requisite coursework and practicum experiences, which must be completed at UGA or another accredited college or university:
SPED 2000 – Survey of Special Education
LLED 4010/6010 – Teaching of Reading
SPED 3050 – Classroom and Behavior Management
SPED 4440/7440 – Practicum
These courses must be taken before completion of the program of study and in some cases before certain advanced courses that require them as prerequisites. MAT students are strongly encouraged to begin their course work the summer semester of the year they are admitted in the program so that they may begin the prerequisite course work that will allow them to enroll in advanced courses during fall and spring semesters.
Graduates with degrees in special education find such rewarding careers as
- Teaching students with mild disabilities in public P-12 school systems
- Serving as instructional and behavioral consultants
- Serving students in alternative school settings such as the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS)
- Pursuing advanced degrees in related fields