Overview / Program Description
Master of Arts in Teaching
The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree is a pathway to alternative certification for individuals from non-education backgrounds who hold an undergraduate or a graduate degree and who wish to transition into teaching. The degree offers concentrations in Elementary Education (Grades 1-5) and Early Intervention.
The Department of Teaching and Learning offers teacher preparation programs that
are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
and by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
A person desiring to become a teacher must maintain academic standards and demonstrate
qualifications for successful teaching including satisfactory performance in field
experiences. Therefore, the College of Education and Human Development at Southeastern
Louisiana University reserves the right to recruit, admit and retain in the professional
program in Teacher Education only those students who show evidence of being capable
of performing in an acceptable professional manner. Enrollment in the professional
program does not guarantee that a student will receive the degree or certification
sought simply because he/she completes a number of courses or is in the field the
required number of hours.
Candidates participating in the MAT program are admitted as a cohort each summer
and must commit to attending full time for one academic year (Summer I 12 hours; Fall
I 9 hours; Spring I 9 hours); Summer II will be the completion of the research project
and Fall II will be student teaching or the first semester of the internship. The
courses are delivered on campus with field experiences during the day. Candidates
who are unable to remain with their cohort may be eligible to re-enter with a new
cohort group.
Student teaching is an all day (approximately eight hours), all semester activity.
The student teacher will be required to spend the full public school day, plus any
additional conference or seminar time in this experience. The Director of Student
Teaching will make the assignments for each student teacher. All possible considerations
will be given, but it is the responsibility of the student teacher to make arrangements
to meet the conditions of the assignment that is made. Student teaching must be completed
in teacher education service region of Southeastern Louisiana University. Those districts
include the following: Ascension Parish, City of Bogalusa, East Baton Rouge Parish,
Jefferson Parish (Kenner and Metairie area), Livingston Parish, St. Charles Parish,
St. John Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, and Washington Parish.
An internship may be approved in lieu of student teaching. An internship consists
of two consecutive semesters of teaching at an approved school site at the appropriate
grade level and in the area of certification. Students may qualify for a year-long
internship in teacher education service region of Southeastern Louisiana University.