Teaching with Concentration in Special Education (MAT) - Online Program
Overview
Master of Arts in Teaching with a Concentration in Special Education (MAT) provides students with a Texas teaching certificate plus a supplemental certification in special education for those who already have an earned bachelor's degree and want to join the teaching profession. The MAT provides licensure pathways targeted for the RGV four county region: Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo, and Starr. Those outside the four country region must find a different educator preparation program. The MAT provides students with an initial teaching certificate and a teaching certificate for special education for those who meet or surpass minimum subject area competency in most of the teaching areas.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the graduate program in the Teaching (MAT), prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours.
- The bachelor’s degree (mentioned above) is in the subject area in which certification is sought; OR twelve completed semester credit hours in subject area in which certification is sought, OR fifteen completed semester credit hours if Math or Science area certification is sought; OR Pass the respective TX-PACT exam in subject area as a predictor of future success in content area for which certification is sought.
- Acknowledgment of the Code of Ethics.
- Completion of FERPA acknowledgement.
- Completion of Criminal background check.
- Acknowledgement of Fitness to Teach Policy.
- Program interview.
For the complete list of certification areas offered by the UTRGV EPP, visit the TEA Educator Preparation Program dashboard and click on University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley Number of EPPs in Texas.
Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.
Progression Requirements
- Students must complete field experience hours prior to beginning the residency, internship, or clinical teaching experience.
- Students must apply and be admitted to a residency, internship, or clinical teaching experience.
- Students must pass all of the appropriate content pedagogy examinations prior to the beginning of internship.
Program Requirements
Required Courses - 12 Hours
| EDCI 6374 | Cultural and Linguistic Sustainability in Transnational Contexts | 3 |
| EDUC 6320 | Learning Theories, Contexts, and Classroom Environments | 3 |
| EDUC 6321 | Curriculum, Teaching, Differentiation, and Assessment | 3 |
| READ 6315 | Reading in the Content Areas | 3 |
| Or | |
| READ 6316 | Reading in the Early Child through 6th Classroom | 3 |
Concentration Courses - 15 Hours
Residency/Internship/Clinical Teaching - 6 Hours
Total Credit Hours: 33