Teaching, MAT

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, 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:

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

Admission Criteria

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.

MAT in Curriculum & Instruction

Applicants to this program should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 AND be a certified teacher with at least one year of teaching experience. Uncertified teachers will be considered on a case by case basis provided the teaching experience requirement is met.

MAT with Certification

Applicants to this program should have a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 2.5, minimum of 12 completed credit hours in their desired certification area (15 for Math/Science), and minimum of 2.5 GPA in the coursework from their desired certification area. There are no exceptions to the GPA or credit hour requirements.

Admissions Materials

MAT in Curriculum and Instruction:

• Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent 
• Official transcripts from all institutions attended 
• Admissions application through the ApplyTexas Application
• Personal statement of 700 words or more on how applicant believes their educational and professional background will contribute to success in the program 

• 3 professional letters of recommendation 
• For applicants to the Spanish concentration, a writing sample in Spanish is required
• Admissions interview 
• Applicants whose Bachelor’s degree was conferred by a university in a country where English is not the native language should submit TOEFL scores with following minimum scores: 24 for speaking, 22 for listening, 22 for reading, 21 for writing 
• TOEFL waivers accepted as allowed by UHD admissions office (https://www.uhd.edu/admissions/international/Pages/international-language.aspx) 

MAT with Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent 

• Official transcripts from all institutions attended 
• Admissions application through the ApplyTexas Application
• Personal statement of 700 words or more on how applicant believes their educational and professional background will contribute to success in the program 
• 3 professional letters of recommendation 

• GRE if GPA is <3.0 or if undergraduate degree is > 10 years old 

• Minimum scores of 150 each for quantitative and verbal sections and analytical writing score of 4 or higher 

• Completion of teacher candidacy application in the UHD TK20 system after preliminary approval of graduate application 
• Admissions interview 
• Applicants whose Bachelor’s degree was conferred by a university in a country where English is not the native language should submit TOEFL scores with following minimum scores: 24 for speaking, 22 for listening, 22 for reading, 21 for writing. (No exceptions/waivers to this requirement per Texas Education Agency (TEA) policy)

Admissions Process

MAT in Curriculum and Instruction:

Candidates for the MAT in Curriculum and Instruction will be evaluated by the MAT admissions committee based on the strength of application materials and the criteria established by the program. Special emphasis will be placed on the strength of writing in the personal statement as well as the candidate’s potential for academic success based on previous academic records. Candidates whose application materials are considered acceptable for potential admission will be invited to interview with two Urban Education faculty members. Final admission decisions are based on the evaluation of the candidate’s interview. Final admission decisions will be communicated via an email from the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies containing the decision letter from the program director. Conditional admission may be granted to candidates who do not meet all established criteria but whom the committee feels has the potential for success. Conditions of admission will be included in the decision letter.

MAT with Certification:

Candidates for the MAT with Certification will be evaluated by the MAT admissions committee based on the strength of application materials and the criteria established by the program. Special emphasis will be placed on the strength of writing in the personal statement as well as the candidate’s potential for academic success based on previous academic records. Candidates whose application materials are considered acceptable for potential admission and meet at least the minimum criteria for admission as a teacher candidate will be invited to complete a teacher candidacy application through the UHD TK20 system. Candidates who successfully complete the teacher candidacy application will be invited to a teacher candidacy interview with two Urban Education faculty members. Final admission decisions are based on the evaluation of the candidate’s interview and all application materials. Final admission decisions will be communicated via an email from the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies containing the decision letter from the program director. Conditional admission may be granted to candidates who do not meet all established criteria but whom the committee feels has the potential for success. Conditions of admission will be included in the decision letter.

Admissions Appeals

Admissions appeals for either MAT pathway may be filed using the appeal link located at https://www.uhd.edu/mat.

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.