Purpose
The purpose of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is to offer a Master’s Degree-level alternative teacher certification pathway for people seeking employment in positions requiring Louisiana teacher licensure.
After successful completion of all requirements, students may be recommended for certification through the Louisiana Department of Education.
Requirements for Admission to the MAT Program
To be considered for the Master of Arts in Teaching an applicant must:
- Meet all University admissions requirements for graduate school.
- Possess a Bachelor’s degree with a 2.75 cumulative GPA from a regionally accredited university. In the case of a cumulative GPA that is 2.5-2.749, when the candidate interviews for admission to the program, the GPA will be addressed in the interview. A decision about the potential for success in the program will be determined. For GPAs of less than 2.5, please consult program advisors.
- Achieve a passing score on Praxis II in the content area in which the candidate is seeking certification.
- Vocal or Instrumental Music: those seeking admission to the MAT program in these areas must have at least a bachelor’s degree in the content area. Those who do not have a degree in the content area must meet with the head of the Department of Music and Performing Arts for additional course work.
- Complete an interview with the Graduate Coordinator or Dean’s Office leading to a positive endorsement for suitability as a teacher.
Due to the coursework requirements typical of education courses, which frequently include clinical practice hours, the Department of Teaching & Learning considers fulltime enrollment to be 6 credit hours per semester for graduate students enrolled in programs through Teaching & Learning.
Please consult your advisor for the sequence of coursework
If you are interested in post-baccalaureate certification without a full master’s degree, please see the Certification-Only Alternative Teacher Certification Program section of the catalog.
Teacher Candidacy
A person seeking to become a teacher must maintain academic standards and demonstrate qualifications for successful teaching including satisfactory performance in clinical practice. Therefore, the College of Education 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 certification sought simply because he/she completes a number of courses or is in the clinical practice for the required number of hours.
Certification requirements are specified by the State Legislature and/or the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and coordinated by the State Department of Education. While programs at Southeastern are designed to meet the requirements of the State Department of Education, it is the State Department that grants certification. These requirements are subject to periodic modification, which may not occur at times appropriate for inclusion in the annual publication of the University catalog. It is the responsibility of the students to make periodic checks for such changes with their academic advisors and/or department head.
Teacher Candidacy
To be admitted to Teacher Candidacy, an applicant must:
- Meet all requirements for admission to Graduate Studies.
- Upon being admitted to the certification program, complete the Admission to Teacher Candidacy form. Please contact the Department of Teaching & Learning for the current online form.
- Communicate with the Dean’s Office to establish a certification file.
- Maintain a cumulative 3.0 graduate GPA with no grade below “C” and not more than two “C” grades.
Ongoing screening of each student utilizing the standards of the Professional Program in Teacher Education will occur each semester of a student’s enrollment.
Students demonstrating inappropriate behaviors for being successful in the teaching profession will be referred for a Professional Performance Review. A review may result in:
- No actions being taken but further observations.
- Recommendation of a Professional Improvement Plan (PIP) monitored by the Coordinator of the Teacher Development program.
- Referral to the Professionalism Committee which may recommend:
- Probation with specified conditions.
- Temporary suspension from Teacher Candidacy with specified conditions.
- Expulsion from Teacher Candidacy.
Practitioner License
Students wishing to become employed as a teacher while working on certification may apply for a Practitioner License. Practitioner Licenses are issued for one school year, renewed annually and held a maximum of three years while the holder completes an approved alternate program.
For a Practitioner License 3 (PL3) applicants must be admitted to and remain enrolled in a State-approved Practitioner Teacher Program, and fulfill all coursework, teaching assignments, and prescribed activities as identified by the University. Please contact the Office of Teacher Clinical Practice and Residency. To be eligible for renewal, students must remain enrolled in the program and complete nine hours each year unless fewer hours are needed to complete the program. Please consult the State Department of Education website, the school district certification office, and/ or the Dean’s Office for current policies regarding the PL.
All coursework, including teaching/internship coursework, and exam requirements must be met satisfactorily for students to be recommended by Southeastern to the State Department of Education for full teacher certification.
Requirements beyond the Master’s Degree may be necessary if the student is deficient in certification requisites. Other certification areas may be added the MAT certification area with further coursework. Students wishing to pursue add-on certifications should consult with their faculty advisor or Department Head for requirements.
Electronic Assessment System
As part of the College of Education focus on performance-based outcomes, students enrolled in the Teacher Preparation Program will submit products to the current electronic assessment system.
The products will allow the students to demonstrate, their understanding of how they meet the program outcomes; provide a process by which students can become reflective practitioners to foster continuous improvement; and document growth in the program and demonstrate how the students meet the requirements for knowledge, skills, and professional and ethical behavior required by the state for initial certification.
Requirements for Teaching Residency/Internship
The Louisiana State Department of Education regulations for certification of teachers require that students do their clinical practice teaching under the control and supervision of the institution from which they expect to be graduated. The Teaching Residency/ Internship semesters must be taken in the last Fall and Spring semesters of the program. To be eligible for teaching residency/ internship, students must:
- Be enrolled as a major in a program plan that leads to Louisiana teaching certification.
- Make application for teaching one semester prior to the semester during which they plan to do their teaching residency/ internship. The Director of Clinical Practice and Residency will assign the grade or subject, and the supervising teachers under whom the student will work.
- Pass all required Praxis examinations prior to enrollment in the second semester of teaching residency/ internship.
- Complete all required MAT course work with a cumulative 3.0 GPA average with no grade below “C” and not more than one “C” grade on graduate work.
- Have verification from the Graduate Coordinator that they are advised to take the residency/ internship the next semester.
- Have approval of the Director of Clinical Practice and Residency.
In order to remain in a teaching internship, students are expected to meet and maintain desirable professional, physical and moral standards consistent with their positions in the public schools. A student who fails or is directed to withdraw from a teaching residency or internship must complete a one semester Professional Improvement Plan prior to a second residency/ internship experience. A student may not attempt a teaching residency/ internship class a third time.
Once a student has entered either the residency or internship course sequence, the student may not switch from one to the other. Additionally, to be able to enroll in the second semester of the internship, students must
- Pass all required Praxis exams for the certification being earned.
- Earn a B or higher grade in the first semester of residency/ internship.
Teaching Residency Semesters
The teacher resident will follow the school district’s calendar and will report to the school in the summer when teachers arrive for the school year (or December for the spring teacher resident). This will be prior to the first day of class on the University academic calendar. The teacher resident reports at the designated time for school district teachers each day, and will remain at the school for 60% of the instructional time for the first semester. Teaching residency for the second semester is 100% of the instructional time, and the teacher resident will remain at the school until regular dismissal of teaching personnel. The hours involved in second semester teaching residency will be approximately 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (i.e., whatever are the school hours for the residency school), Monday through Friday.
The teacher resident will be assigned to complete their teaching residency away from the campus community; therefore, teacher residents must expect that they may be asked to make arrangements to be at the assigned teaching site for part of the time during their first semester and full time during their second semester of their residency. The Director of Clinical Practice and Residency will make the assignments for each teacher resident. The assignment is made with the cooperation of the hosting school district and school. While placements for teaching residents will be made as close to their official address as possible, some may have to travel to be able to reach a site with the appropriate placement requirements for the certification and hosting mentor teacher.
It is recommended that MAT students take no more than two additional courses during their teaching residency. It is more important to ensure success in the courses taken than a speedy completion of the program.
In order to remain in the teaching residency, the teacher resident is expected to meet and maintain desirable professional, physical, and moral standards consistent with their positions in the public schools. The teacher resident must also demonstrate proficiency in instruction, management, and planning.
A teacher resident who fails or is directed to withdraw from teaching residency must complete a Professional Improvement Plan (Monitored by the Coordinator of the Teacher Development Program) prior to a second teaching residency experience. A student may not attempt a teaching residency a third time.
Internship Year
Students who hold a PL and are employed in a position meeting all requirements listed below, may complete an internship in lieu of the Teaching Residency. The internship should be completed as close to the end of the program as possible. Internships must be completed in a school approved by Southeastern. Principals at participating schools must sign an Internship Agreement with Southeastern.
It is highly recommended that students wishing to complete the internship have worked at least one semester at the school prior to beginning the official internship semesters. This will ensure that there is time to locate and train an appropriate mentor teacher and supports at the employing school for a successful teaching internship experience.
To qualify for an internship, a student must meet all of the requirements for the Teaching Residency, and have:
- Successfully completed at least one semester of coursework at Southeastern.
- By the deadline, complete application for the internship the semester prior to the planned internship semester. Application for starting the internship in the Fall semester is made during the previous Spring semester, unless the intern is beginning the program during the Summer semester. Students beginning the program during the Summer semester who wish to intern in the consecutive Fall semester will apply by the deadline of their first semester of enrollment and must already be teaching at the school where he/she/they wish to intern. Application for starting the internship in the Spring semester must be made during the prior Fall semester. Please consult the Office of Clinical practice and Residency for current deadlines.
- Written recommendation from all of the candidates’ methods instructors verifying readiness for the teaching internship.
Additionally, the internship school and teaching intern will provide the Office of Clinical Practice and Residency;
- Verification that the school has a state approved classification.
- Verification that the school is accredited by the regional accrediting agency.
- Verification that the principal/assistant principal has certification in Principalship and training in supervision.
- Verification that the principal/assistant principal has served in this role for a minimum of three years.
- Signed Principal/Assistant Principal Internship Agreement form.
- Verification that at least 51% of the intern’s teaching assignment is in the certification area in which the intern is seeking certification.
- Verification that a mentor teacher, who has taught a minimum of three years in the area of the intern’s certification, will be assigned by the principal/assistant principal to assist the intern.
- Verification of minimum class size in the area of certification.
- Verification that at least 51% of the intern’s teaching assignment is in the certification area in which the intern is seeking certification.
- Evidence of cultural diversity within the school population.
- A copy of the signed Internship Agreement form.
- A copy of the contract or employee agreement after the internship has been approved.
- A copy of the teaching schedule (Grades 1-5) signed by the principal/assistant principal.
The teaching intern will not be allowed to enroll in the teaching intern course if the teaching position does not meet all of the requirements.
Note: The candidate is responsible for submitting the above documents the semester prior to beginning the internship. A complete packet should be submitted rather than item by item. Authorization to register for an internship will not be granted until all documents have been submitted.
Requirements to Receive the MAT Degree
To receive the Master of Arts in Teaching degree, a student must:
- Be recommended for the degree by the department’s graduate coordinator upon completion of all requirements stated in the degree plan.
- Satisfactorily complete 39 hours of graduate work for the MAT program in which the candidate is enrolled.
- Satisfactorily complete the capstone Teaching Residency/Internship performance assessments, passing both internship/residency courses with a B or higher.
- Meet all Louisiana State Department requirements for the certification area and be recommended for certification.
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