Jul 06, 2025

2021-2022 GRADUATE CATALOG

2021-2022 GRADUATE CATALOG [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Teaching, MAT

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Natasha Perez, MAT Director
C440, 713-221-57618502

The Master of Arts in Teaching, Curriculum and Instruction (with area of expertise), and the Master of Arts in Teaching with Certification (Core Subjects EC-6, Generalist Core Subjects 4-8 and Secondary Education) are designed to support existing teachers in advancing their expertise and to prepare future educators to teach in urban classrooms, respectively. The emphasis on urban teaching makes this graduate degree unique. To meet the special needs of all children in urban classrooms, students completing the MAT degree will demonstrate competency in the following areas of knowledge:

Characteristics and needs of learners in multicultural settings.
Effective teaching practices that enhance student achievement for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or language spoken.
Factors related to the development of effective teaching environments in urban classrooms.
Classroom-based research methodology to support best instructional practices.
Enriched understanding of academic content areas of language arts, social studies, mathematics, the natural sciences, English as a second language, and educational technology.

Program Outcomes

Graduates who earn a Master of Arts in Teaching will be able to:

Demonstrate competency in the area of leadership.
Demonstrate competency in the area of effective teaching practices that enhance student learning.
Demonstrate competency in critical thinking and problem solving.
Write effectively.

Admission Requirements

Admission to either MAT program is a competitive process and seeks to identify applicants who have the qualities necessary to complete the program with success and the potential to impact the field of education.

Both MAT with Certification and MAT in Curriculum & Instruction:

Complete a graduate application for admission at: www.applytexas.org

Be sure to indicate MAT and specify your area of expertise or certification seeking.

Minimum overall GPA of 2.5

Provide official transcripts that reflect an earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and any graduate credit earned. If you attended a college or university outside the U.S., your transcripts must be evaluated by a service recognized by UHD. Refer to the UHD website for a list of suggested credential evaluation services. https://www.uhd.edu/admissions/transfer/Pages/admissions-naces.aspx

Submit a personal statement of a minimum of 700 words that describes your educational and professional backgrounds and how they will contribute to your success in the MAT program.

Include three recommendation letters from professionals acquainted with your academic and professional potential, such as a school principal, department coordinator or university professor.

Admissions interview after all other documentation is submitted.

MAT with Certification only:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores if GPA < 3.0 or if undergraduate degree > 10 years old, which include minimum scores of 150 each for quantitative and verbal sections and analytical writing score of 4 or higher.

Applicants to MAT with Certification must complete the Application for Teacher Candidacy upon departmental notification following preliminary approval of MAT application materials.

APPLICATION DUE DATES.
The Application due date for MAT with Teacher Certification is July 15^th for a Fall semester start only.
The application due date for MAT in Curriculum and Instruction is July 31st for the Fall semester and December 15th for the Spring semester. Any questions regarding the admissions process should be directed to UHD graduate admissions or the College of Public Service Assistant Director for Graduate Studies.

Degree Requirements (36 hours)

The MAT degree program requires completion of a minimum of 36 semester credit hours. For degree completion, at least 30 hours must be completed at UH-Downtown with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. In addition, students must successfully complete a directed studies project (MAT 6390 ) with approval of the director of graduate programs and under the supervision of their appointed faculty advisor.

Students seeking the MAT degree should select one of the following options:

For Certified Teachers and those not seeking Texas teaching certification: Master of Arts in Teaching, Curriculum and Instruction with concentration, (36 graduate hours)

-OR-

Master of Arts in Teaching with Certification (Core Subjects EC-6 with ESL Supplementation, Core Subjects 4-8 with ESL Supplemental and Secondary Education), (36 graduate hours)

Students seeking certification in conjunction with the MAT will be recommended for certification based upon: (1) satisfactory completion of coursework, (2) performance in the classroom, (3) the passing of Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES) state certification tests, and (4) recommendation of the director of graduate programs.

MAT, C&I Core Courses Required (15 Hours)

MAT 6310 - Reading in a Multicultural Classroom
MAT 6311 - Advanced Study of Child Development and Diversity
MAT 6315 - Introduction to Educational Research
MAT 6317 - Classroom-Based Research
ETC 5301 - Advanced Educational Technology
MAT 6390 - Directed Study in Urban Teaching
Students select one area of concentration from the following:

Concentrations

Expertise in Spanish

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with Area of Expertise in Spanish is designed to prepare students to teach high school Spanish, AP Spanish, dual credit high school/college classes and university/college level classes as adjunct faculty. Students take six courses in the Spanish Program in the Department of History, Humanities, and Languages, and six courses in the Department of Urban Education. This master’s degree does not include initial Texas Teacher Certification. Proficiency in Spanish is required for admittance into the program. Proficiency in Spanish is met by the applicant holding one of the following degrees and certification as needed, from an accredited institution: B.A. in Spanish, B.A. in Hispanic Studies, or a Bachelor’s Degree plus teacher certification from the State of Texas in Spanish. Application requirements for MAT with Area of Expertise in Spanish are the same as the MAT in Curriculum & Instruction with an additional requirement of a writing sample in Spanish.

Spanish Coursework (six courses, 18 credit hours)

Students will choose 18 credit hours from the following list of courses in Spanish:

SPAN 6301 Introduction to Spanish Language Acquisition Research
SPAN 6302 Topics in Spanish Literature
SPAN 6303 Linguistic Structure of Spanish
SPAN 6304 Topics in Latin American Literature
SPAN 6305 Foundations for Contemporary Applied Spanish Language Acquisition
SPAN 6306 Canon and Teaching in U.S. Hispanic Literature
SPAN 6307 El Quijote and the Modem Novel
SPAN 6308 Topics in Hispanic Poetry

Urban Education Coursework (six courses, 18 credit hours)

ETC 5301 Technology Application for Curriculum Development and Instruction
ESL 5333 Instruction/Assessment and Acquisition of Language
MAT 6315 Introduction to Educational Research
MAT 6319 Teaching the Language Minority Child

MAT 6316 Advanced Methods for the Culturally Diverse Classroom
MAT 6317 Classroom Based Research
MAT 6390 Directed Study in Urban Education

MAT with Certification, Courses Required (27 Hours)

Important Note: Students may NOT be enrolled in any other certification program while pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching with Certification. Students may only begin this program in the Fall semester. There is not a Summer or Spring start option.

ESL 5333 - ESL Instruction/Assessment and the Acquisition of Language Concepts
ESL 5334 - Foundations of ESL Education, Cultural Awareness, and Family/Community Involvement
ETC 5301 - Advanced Educational Technology
MAT 5310 - Understanding the EC-12 Learner and Learning Environment
MAT 6316 - Advanced Methods for the Culturally Diverse Classroom
MAT 6320 - Using Data for Assessment and Evaluation
MAT 6390 - Directed Study in Urban Teaching
MAT 6601 - MAT with Certification Student Teaching (note that this course is 6 credit hours)

Certification Areas: Students Select One Certification Area from the Following: (9 Hours)

EC-6 and 4-8 Core Subjects and ESL Supplemental Certification

Secondary

Additional Requirements

Transfer of Graduate Credits

No more than six hours of equivalent graduate course work may be transferred from other accredited universities. A minimum grade of B is required in any completed courses that students wish to transfer. Petition for transfer credit is required to be submitted by the graduate student for review and approval comes from the Director of Graduate Programs and the Graduate Committee’s review of the course’s equivalency. Transfer credit is by permission only and is not a right of the student.

Minimum Academic Requirements

Successful completion of each course is required to remain in either program of the MAT. Students earning three C’s, one D or one F will be removed from the program once grades are officially posted for each semester.

Graduation

Graduation is dependent on successful completion of all course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.0, successful completion of the Capstone Project (MAT 6390 ) and an approved graduation application completed the semester prior to anticipated graduation.