Earn your Master’s degree and teaching certification via our flexible online program.
Locations
- Online
Why Get an MAT Degree in Middle Grades Education?
- Pursue your degree online while working as a salaried teacher.
- Upon completion of the degree and a successful GACE exam obtain your Georgia T-5 Middle Grades Certification.
- Earn both a Master’s degree and a fully accredited teaching certification.
- Take advantage of the best of both worlds—fully online coursework combined with live classroom teaching experience.
Our MAT in Middle Grades Education is designed for applicants who already have an accredited bachelor’s degree and want to obtain both a master’s degree and an accredited teaching certification. The program focuses exclusively on the art, science and practice of teaching (pedagogy only) for students in grades 4 through 8. The convenient, online format allows students to pursue their degree while holding down a job, and the required student teaching or internship means candidates will be fully equipped with real-world experience.
Graduates will be prepared to excel in middle grade classroom teaching—on both a conceptual and applied level—and will receive their teaching certification, a key component in securing competitive positions with higher salaries.
Note: During the program students are required to complete field experiences including student teaching or an internship. All field experiences must be complete in the state of Georgia.
Ready to Apply?
What Can You Do With an MAT Degree in Middle Grades Education?
An MAT in Middle Grades Education prepares you for a crucial role in middle school education at a particularly formative time in children’s lives.
Where our graduates work:
- Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
- Gwinnett County Public Schools
- Cobb County School District
- Fulton County Schools
- Atlanta Public Schools
- Effingham County School District
- DeKalb County School District
- Houston County Board of Education
- Forsyth County Schools (Georgia)
- Cherokee County School District
- Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School
- Glynn County Schools
- Fayette County Public Schools, Fayetteville GA
- Bulloch County Schools
- Liberty County Schools
What our graduates do:
- Principal
- Special Education Teacher
- Middle School Teacher
- Media Specialist
- Instructional Coach
- Consultant
What You’ll Learn
Our MAT program leads to both a Master’s degree and initial teaching certification. Although this is a fully online program, candidates are required to complete supervised field experiences in Georgia schools to meet certification requirements. Courses include:
- Introduction to the Middle and Secondary School
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Middle and Secondary School Practicum
- Instructional Assessment for Diverse Learners
- Literacy in the Content Areas
- Introduction to Special Education
- Student Teaching Internship in Middle Grades and Secondary Education
- MAT Seminar in Middle Grades and Secondary Education
- Middle and Secondary School Colloquium
Find an Advisor
The Graduate Academic Services Center exists to represent and comprehensively support College of Education graduate programs and their students.
Learn About Assistive Technology
Georgia Southern offers resources on assistive technology (AT)—equipment or product systems used to help children with disabilities.
Admission and Retention Requirements
Find out more about our graduate student requirements.
Plan Ahead for Clinical Practice
Georgia Southern offers resources and helpful guides on clinical practice—an essential part of education training.
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Application Deadline
The deadlines to submit an application and all application materials are April 15th for the summer term and August 1st for the fall term.
Your application and all required documents must be received by the deadline.
Admission Requirements
- Complete requirements for a bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by an appropriate institutional accreditor.
- Present a cumulative 2.50 (4.0 scale) grade point average or higher on all undergraduate and graduate work combined.
- Present a total adjusted GPA of 2.75 or higher on content courses in the selected area of certification.
- Submit a passing score on the GACE Content Assessment in the area(s) for which one is seeking certification.
- Submit a passing score on the state-required Ethics Assessment.
- Qualify for a Georgia Pre-Service certificate OR Provisional certificate.
- Acknowledge “Disclosure and Affirmation” statements that address the Code of Ethics for Educators and the need for tort liability insurance.
- If an applicant was previously enrolled in an initial teacher preparation program, an interview must be completed with the Program Coordinator prior to admission to the program.
Please see our Program Admission Checklist for complete instructions.
Apply as a First-Year Student Transfer to Georgia SouthernThe Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program is a professional degree approved and accredited by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
What background do I need?
The online Middle Grades program is for candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and meet content requirements (located here) for one concentration: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies or Mathematics. Learn more about the program outcomes to see if you are READY to become an Eagle Educator!
What certification will I be eligible for upon completion of this concentration?
Upon successful completion of all program requirements and passing the appropriate GACE exam, you will be eligible for Georgia T-5 Middle Grades Certification (grades 4-8). The program is a CAEP accredited, Georgia Professional Standards Commission approved program that is recognized through reciprocity in many other states in the U.S.
Take the Next Step
Make a lasting impact on the next generation with a Master’s in teaching.
Contact Us
Stacy Davis
Graduate Academic Services Center
stacydavis@georgiasouthern.edu
912-478-1447