Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

 

Become an effective and influential educator with Christian Brothers University’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program. The program blends graduate-level education courses with hands-on, in-classroom training, allowing you to earn your MAT degree and initial Tennessee teaching license simultaneously.

Master of Arts in Teaching Program Highlights

About the Master of Arts in Teaching Program

At CBU, the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program offers a streamlined approach to teacher preparation. Designed for those without a teaching license, this program enables you to earn both a master’s degree and your initial teaching license in as little as a year and a half, saving time and accelerating your path into the classroom.

The Master of Arts in Teaching program caters to a wide range of educational interests and career goals. Whether you aspire to teach in early childhood or elementary settings, focus on middle or high school subjects, or specialize in special education, CBU provides a track that aligns with your aspirations. You’ll gain the knowledge and practical skills needed to become a confident, effective educator ready to make an impact from day one.

Every candidate is paired with a dedicated Mentor who provides ongoing guidance in the

classroom throughout the program. This hands-on support ensures that new teachers not only learn theory but also receive real-world coaching tailored to their specific teaching environment.

In addition, courses are led by accomplished professors, instructors, and respected retirees—leaders with deep experience across diverse school settings. Designed with working adults and career changers in mind, CBU’s MAT offers evening classes, summer intensives, and job-embedded licensure options for those already in the classroom. With a cohort-based model and a program that can be completed in as little as 12 months, candidates can quickly step into meaningful roles while balancing personal and professional commitments.

The MAT program at CBU provides a Diverse Licensure track to Match Your Callings that shape young learners, guide adolescents, or support exceptional students through multiple licensure concentrations:

• Early Childhood (PreK–3)
• Elementary (K–5)
• Middle School (6–8)
• Secondary (6–12)
• Special Education Interventionist (PreK–8 and 6–12)
• Visual Arts (K–12)

Not only does the master in teaching program provide a Licensure track, it is also a gateway to a Mission-Driven Education with Lasting Impact in values of integrity, leadership, humility, and service, CBU prepares educators who are leaders, advocates, and change agents who are called to make a difference, equipping them to change the lives of students, strengthen schools, and uplift communities.

MAT Degree Program Highlights

CBU’s Master of Arts in Teaching program combines flexibility and efficiency, allowing educators to balance work and academics while completing their degree quickly. The program’s accelerated format allows you to gain the hands-on experience needed to succeed in the classroom. 

• 8-month completion time
• Accelerated evening format for working professionals
• Classes that meet once per week (5:45-9:45 p.m.) for eight weeks
• Summer classes that meet twice per week (5:00-9:00 p.m.) for four weeks

Accreditation

Christian Brothers University is approved by the State Department of Education of Tennessee as a Teacher Training Institution and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CBU is a member of the National Catholic Educational Association and the Tennessee Association of Colleges.

Careers in Education

With a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree, you can teach in public, private, and charter schools at various grade levels, depending on your licensure track, from early childhood to secondary education, depending on your chosen licensure track. In addition to classroom teaching, specializations in areas like special education and visual arts can lead to school-wide opportunities and broader educational impact.

A graduate-level degree can also position you for leadership roles such as department chair, curriculum specialist, or instructional coordinator, while also enhancing your career growth and increasing your earning potential.

What You’ll Study

The MAT program prepares you to teach in public, private, and charter schools at various grade levels, depending on your licensure track, from early childhood to secondary education. In addition to classroom teaching, you’ll have the opportunity to specialize in areas like special education and visual arts, opening doors to school-wide roles.

A graduate-level degree can also position you for leadership roles such as department chair, curriculum specialist, or instructional coordinator, and often increase your earning potential.

Review MAT Degree Requirements

Licensure Requirements

To graduate from the MAT program and earn your initial teaching license, you must complete a combination of graduate coursework, field experiences, and required assessments that meet both Tennessee state standards and national certification guidelines. This ensures you are fully prepared to enter the classroom as a licensed educator.

• Complete graduate coursework with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
• Enroll in additional classes, if needed, to address any undergraduate deficiency in either general education or major-specific courses.
• Participate in field experiences.
• Take internal and external assessments, including the Praxis II tests and edTPA.

Two Program Options

CBU’s MAT program offers two pathways, allowing students to select the track that best aligns with their career goals and target grade schools.

General Licensure Track

The general licensure track provides certification to teach all core subjects within the following grade levels:

• Early Childhood Education – PreK-3
• Elementary Education – K-5
• Special Education Interventionist – K-8/6-12

Subject-Specific Track

If you want to teach a certain subject at a grade level that interests you, the subject-specific track offers that pathway. To pursue this option, you need either an undergraduate degree in the subject or to pass the Praxis II Content Knowledge exam before admission. You can also seek licensure in middle grades 6-8 and then add your preferred 6-12 content area.

Depending on your concentration, this track provides certification in:

MAT Alternative Licensure Option

Do you already have a job offer as a teacher in a school that partners with Christian Brothers University? The MAT alternative licensure option allows you to expedite getting your teaching license through a combination of courses and in-classroom teaching observations. Learn more about the transitional license.

Note: If you need a transitional license, you must pass the Praxis II Content Knowledge test before admission to the program.

Program Expectations

As a student in the MAT alternative licensure program, you will:

• Join a cohort program. You must keep pace with the cohort to maintain eligibility.
• Complete a supervised field experience throughout the entire program rather than during one culminating experience.
• Take a series of practical courses in addition to common courses and concentration requirements. These courses have zero credit, but each has a $650 fee.

Note: You may select courses for additional endorsements from the same set of classes offered in the MAT initial licensure program.

How to Apply

As you review admission requirements and application instructions, keep in mind that the Master of Arts in Teaching program only admits individuals who wish to earn an initial teaching license and a graduate degree at the same time.

Note: Candidates for initial teaching licensure face additional admission requirements due to state licensure standards. Tennessee requires that all individuals seeking initial teaching licensure must provide evidence of a strong general education and mastery of a major in the arts or sciences earned at the undergraduate level.

Admission Requirements

For eligibility to CBU’s MAT degree program, you meet the following requirements:

• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75.
• Pass content knowledge tests and Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators within the first 12 hours of coursework.

Submit Your Application

Before you apply, follow our instructions for completing a background check and fingerprinting. You should also review our two routes to licensure.

Then, apply through the MAT online application. If you are interested in the Post-Baccalaureate TEP, Licensure-Only program, please select the appropriate option on your application.

You must provide the following materials to complete your MAT application:

• Official copy of transcripts from each college or university you previously attended.
• Email addresses of individuals to contact regarding letters of recommendation. Please select two of the following:
  • Spiritual mentor
  • Professor or faculty member
  • Employer or supervisor (work or volunteer experience)
  • Peer (roommate or friend, but not a family member)

Related Programs

In addition to the MAT program, CBU offers a variety of graduate education pathways to help you advance your career in teaching and educational leadership. Explore more graduate education programs designed to fit your professional goals and licensure needs at CBU:

• Master of Science in Educational Leadership
• Licensure-Only Option
• Reading Specialist Program

Meet the Faculty

Begin Your Teaching Journey

Make a lasting impact on students’ lives by gaining the credentials and practical experience you need to lead a classroom. Start your graduate application for Christian Brothers University’s Master of Arts in Teaching program.