Master of Teaching Arts


The Master of Teaching Arts (M.T.A.) program reflects the School of Education’s long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching. As such, the M.T.A. program is designed to encourage and develop the passion and potential of teachers. Specifically, the M.T.A. was developed to provide practicing K-12 and secondary school teachers the opportunity to jointly study professional education and a specific academic discipline in the liberal arts and sciences. Although not a degree program leading to initial teacher certification, the program’s purpose is to develop teachers who are leaders in their school communities, who demonstrate advanced knowledge and expertise in their academic subject area, and who prepare their own students to be socially active and morally conscious citizens in this new century. Although M.T.A. students are not required to complete a final research project or thesis, the core educational component of the program emphasizes the teacher as researcher—one who is able to locate, interpret, and incorporate the most recent social science and educational research into their own teaching.

M.T.A. students master the central concepts of their chosen academic discipline, as well as develop the ability to think critically and speak and write clearly in the appropriate genres for their field of study. In addition, they have a foundation in the liberal arts and sciences that allows them to locate their subject area in the appropriate historical, social, and philosophical context. Students in this program are driven by a reasoned, justified, and articulated philosophy of education. They take seriously their role as citizens, servants, and leaders in our society, and realize that they do not know everything they will need to know to be influential teachers and public intellectuals. As a result, the coursework and faculty in the School of Education help students develop the skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. Most of all, as public intellectuals, they recognize and embrace this calling to create an impact beyond the classroom, one that filters into the broader community over the years.

The M.T.A. is a thirty-six (36) credit hour degree program that provides for graduate study in eighteen (18) credit hours of professional education plus eighteen (18) credit hours in a liberal arts and sciences subject area. The approved subject areas are art, English, history, biology, and mathematics. The eighteen (18) credit hours in professional education include twelve (12) credit hours from the M.T.A. core and six (6) credit hours of education electives. Because the M.T.A. is a cooperative program between the School of Education and graduate programs in other university departments defined by the student’s academic discipline, students in this program are jointly advised by the Graduate Program Advisors in both the School of Education and in the designated subject area. As such, the eighteen (18) credit hours in the approved academic discipline are determined based on the recommendations of the Graduate Program Advisor in the student’s subject area.

Required Courses Credit Hours
Core Courses  12 
Education Electives* 6 
Subject Area Electives** 18 
   
Total Hours Required 36

*Consists of electives in professional education
**Consists of electives in either art, English, history, biology, or mathematics.