Why earn a Master of Arts in Teaching at MC?

Well-known for its strengths in the sciences and mathematics, and having an excellent reputation for education preparation, Maryville College has expanded its academic portfolio. There is a critical need for STEM instruction in secondary schools for professionals who have the skills, dispositions and knowledge needed to be successful first-year teachers.

Maryville College’s Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Secondary STEM program is specially designed for people who are pursuing – or have already earned– a degree in mathematics, biology, chemistry or related field without teacher licensure but would like to teach these subjects in grades 6 through 12.

This accelerated master’s degree program is designed to be completed in one year (May – April) and operates under a cohort model, giving students a supportive group of peers that enter and remain in the program together. Students are expected to enroll in courses each term, including summer sessions. The M.A.T. includes two semesters of clinical practice, when candidates are paired with a mentor teacher and work full-time in grades 6-12 classrooms.

Depending on a student’s area of expertise, degrees awarded at the successful completion of coursework and requirements include an M.A.T. in secondary Biology, an M.A.T. in secondary Chemistry, or an M.A.T. in secondary Mathematics with a STEM emphasis.

As enrolled students of Maryville College, M.A.T. students have access to similar amenities as undergraduates, including campus facilities (including the library), housing, academic support services, and disability resources.

Photo of Caleb Turner

Caleb Turner

High School Mathematics Teacher, Eagleton College and Career Academy in Maryville, Tenn.

Growing up on and around the MC campus, Caleb often saw founder Isaac Anderson’s words “Do good on the largest possible scale.” As he thought about what that meant for him, Caleb was inspired to pursue a career in education. “Where better to make a significant impact than in the schools of our local communities and nation?”

Caleb graduated from Milligan University with a degree in Mathematics and says that he enrolled in the MAT program for its job-embedded opportunity model, its strong foundation in the art and methods of teaching, and professors who care deeply about their students’ learning and preparation for their future classrooms. He said he looks forward to continuing his teaching career “and doing the most good I can.”

 

Photo of Lacy Stinnett

Lacy Stinnett Pryor

Currently: Teaching at Roane County High School in Kingston, Tenn.

A graduate of the first cohort of the MAT program, Laci said that the program was instrumental in preparing her for where she is now. Currently she teaches Biology, Ecology, and Earth and Space Science. She is also working with the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, serving on the Tennessee Rural STEM Collaborative Cohort for the 2023-2024 school year. The network gathers educators across Tennessee to problem-solve issues specific to rural schools.

“I took away so much valuable information from my time in the MAT program,” she said. “Learning all about experiential learning, problem-based learning, and how to incorporate all facets of STEM into my classroom has really been the foundation of my classroom.”

Chair, Division of Education, Associate Professor of Education
Dr. Cynthia Gardner
Chair, Division of Education, Associate Professor of Education
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Professor of Elementary Education
Dr. Alesia Orren
Professor of Elementary Education
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Faculty Chair, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Dr. Dan Ross
Faculty Chair, Associate Professor of Mathematics
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Lecturer in Education
Dr. Samantha Astor
Lecturer in Education
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Middle or High School Teacher

Middle or High School Administrator

 

Alcoa City Schools

Blount County Schools

Clayton-Bradley STEM Academy

Knox County Schools

Maryville City Schools

Graduates of the M.A.T. program will:

  1. demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the content in their specific teaching/licensure field;
  2. demonstrate an understanding of the 10 InTASC standards at the appropriate progression level(s) in the following categories: the learner and learning; content; instructional practice; and professional responsibility;
  3. demonstrate the professional dispositions that are expected of educators, including: a) collaboration with peers, parents, and other school personnel, b) professional behaviors and expectations, c) communicating respect for and development of a rapport with all students, d) adhering to the Model Code of Ethics for Educators and the Tennessee Teacher Code of Ethics;
  4. contribute to an expected level of student-learning growth; and
  5. effectively apply the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions that the preparation experiences were designed to achieve.

The Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary STEM requires completion of 36 credit hours.

Required courses include:

Graduate Courses

EDU 500: Foundations of STEM Education(3 hrs)
EDU 501: Models of Teaching Secondary Curriculum & Methods(3 hrs)
EDU 502: Technology for the Secondary Classroom(3 hrs)
EDU 512: Effective Teaching Practices for Exceptional and Diverse Secondary Students(3 hrs)
EDU 521: Disciplinary Literacy for Middle Level and Secondary Students(3 hrs)
EDU 600: Clinical Experience I(4 hrs)
EDU 601: Clinical Experience II(6 hrs)
EDU 611: Educational Assessment in the Secondary Classroom(3 hrs)
EDU 630: Research Methods in Education(3 hrs)
EDU 652: Teacher Assessment II(3 hrs)

Either:

Candidates in a student teaching clinical placement should take EDU 651. Candidates in a job-embedded clinical placement should take EDU 551.

EDU 651: Teacher Assessment I(2 hrs)
Or
EDU 551: Applied Pedagogy for Classroom Teachers(2 hrs)
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Interested in this Program of Study at Maryville College? Submit your basic information and an Admissions counselor will contact you shortly to answer any questions you might have.

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