Teacher Education (EDUC)

Ed Bengtson
Chair, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
206 Peabody Hall
479-575-5111
Email: egbengts@uark.edu

Chris Goering
Program Coodinator
479-575-4270
Email: cgoering@uark.edu

Department of Curriculum and Instruction Website

Degrees Conferred:
M.A.T. in Teacher Education (EDUC)

See Curriculum and Instruction for full departmental faculty listing.

The Master of Arts in Teaching program in Teacher Education prepares students for teaching English, mathematics, science, and social studies at the secondary licensure level, and world languages, and speech/drama at the multi-level licensure areas. The program offers two concentrations:

• Multiple Level Education
• Secondary Education

Students in the program learn and practice pedagogy appropriate to the concentration.

Requirements for M.A.T. in Teacher Education

Students seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching in Teacher Education  Program at the University of Arkansas must be aware of the deadlines and admissions policies. Once all admission requirements are met by each candidate, a committee will review all applications and notify accepted and denied candidates by April 1. Each of the five content areas (English and Speech/Drama, foreign languages, mathematics, science and social studies) has a maximum number of 12 students admitted each year and up to 60 students in the overall program. If spaces remain in a particular content area and the overall program capacity has not yet been met by April 1, admissions for that area will be considered on a rolling basis until the beginning of the first summer session. These deadlines and limitations are designed to ensure that all students have a high quality experience and reflect current need for teachers in any particular content area.

Admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching in Teacher Education requires the following steps:

Step One: Pre-MAT Requirements

• Undergraduate Courses: CIED 40203 or CIED 40203, and any other content specific courses required for licensure by the Arkansas Department of Education
• Completion of appropriate undergraduate degree program
• Transcript Evaluation by content area professor

Step Two: Application to Graduate School

• File an application for admission to the Graduate School by December 30.
• Hold a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of the completed undergraduate degree.
• Provide three letters of recommendation before the admission interview to the Graduate School.
• Provide scores on the Praxis II Content Area test for admission to the program; foreign language students must also provide scores for the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI).

Step Three: Application to Education MAT

• Schedule and complete an admission screening interview in February.
• Submit a portfolio at the interview.

At the time of the interview, candidates must have a GPA of 3.0 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework, submitted three letters of reference,  taken the Praxis II Content Area test and the OPI  for foreign language students, and submitted a portfolio.

Once the program has received all application materials from the Graduate School, an admission decision will be made based on the criteria described in the admissions policy statement. The probationary status will include the content specific courses of the spring semester term as well as clearance for field experiences through the Office of Teacher Education. The number admitted into specific teaching fields will be determined by both availability of internship spaces in the public schools with Cohort Partnership agreements and job market potential. However, meeting or exceeding minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the M.A.T.

At the completion of the first 9 hours of MAT courses (which are taken in the summer semester), the education faculty will review the status of all the students in the program. Students with unsatisfactory performance (grade C or lower) in the summer courses will not be allowed to continue with the remainder of the program.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.

Requirements for the Master of Arts in Teaching Degree in Teacher Education: (Minimum 33 hours.)

1. Computer competencies will be demonstrated by the candidate in the admission interview portfolio or by taking an approved course.
2. Students will take CIED 30203 Survey of Exceptionalities or CIED 40203 Teaching in Inclusive Secondary Settings. CIED 40203 is the preferred course.
3. Students in French, German, and Spanish will take CIED 40103 Capstone Course for Foreign Language Licensure. Students will compile a portfolio in the target language with several pieces of evidence from their content classes. In addition, students must obtain a minimum passing score of Intermediate High on the Oral Proficiency Interview prior to admission into the fall field experience. 

 Requirements for the Master of Arts in Teaching, Teacher Education

Summer Courses
CIED 52203	Learning Theory	3
CIED 53303	Curriculum Theory and Development for Educators	3
CIED 55503	Social Justice and Multicultural Issues in Education	3
CIED 52603	Assessment, Evaluation, and Practitioner Research	3
Intersession
CIED 50202		2
Fall Courses
Pedagogy
CIED 50603	Disciplinary Literacies in Education	3
Discipline Related Elective (as approved by coordinator)		3
Field Experience
CIED 5280V	Teaching Experience	3
Spring Courses
Research
CIED 54601	Capstone Research Seminar	1
Concentration
Students select from Multiple Level or Secondary Education Concentrations		9
Total Hours		33

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.

Dismissal based on Unethical or Unprofessional Behaviors from M.A.T. (secondary teacher education) program

The University of Arkansas’ teacher preparation programs adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession as established by the National Education Association as described in NEA Code of Ethics, Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Code of Ethics, as well as discipline specific codes of ethics and standards found in program handbooks. Violation of these principles may result in probation, suspension, or dismissal of the internship as described:

1. Any incident of ethical misconduct or concern will be documented by the faculty member(s), discussed directly with the student and their mentor, and referred to the program’s coordinator or supervising faculty.  It may also be reported to the Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee.  
2. The Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee evaluates the concerns and recommends a course of action, which may range from a zero score on the academic and/or internship work, a failing grade for the course, probation, up to dismissal from a teacher education program.  
3. Any candidate may be suspended by a Teacher Education Program Coordinator for extreme, unforeseen circumstances such as endangerment of students or others, disruption of schools or classes, felonious behaviors, or ethical violations (i.e. Arkansas Code of Ethics, Code of Student Life). Such suspensions will be referred to the Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee for review and may become permanent.

The Program Coordinator, in consultation with the Teacher Education Professional Review Committee and the Graduate School, has the authority and responsibility to dismiss a student from the teacher education program for unethical or unprofessional behavior and/or not recommend the student for licensure.

More detailed guidelines about the policies, supports, and other requirements are provided in the program’s handbook, as well as on the Office of Teacher Education website.

Students who have been dismissed by the program on the basis of unethical or unprofessional conduct may appeal the decision following the procedures outlined under the Unethical and Unprofessional Conduct policy contained in the Graduate Catalog of Studies.