LaGrange College Bulletin

Master of Arts in Teaching Program

Mission of Department of Education

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is designed for those with a four-year degree who want to become high school or middle school teachers. The MAT program prepares high school and middle grades teachers for certification in many areas through real-world study. Each student is guided by mentors from among the LaGrange College faculty and faculty from their assigned school.

Admission Requirements

Candidates apply for admission to LaGrange College graduate programs through the Admission Office. At the time of admission, all candidates are assigned an academic advisor. Candidates for the M.A.T. program begin courses in June of one year and conclude the program in June of the following year. The LaGrange College Department of Education will maintain records of admission and supporting documents, a checklist of entry requirements, and candidacy status. Transcripts and coursework will be examined to determine appropriateness for the Master of Arts in Teaching induction program. Candidates are required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average.

For unconditional acceptance to the Master of Arts in Teaching program, an applicant must:

submit and application and letters of reference through the LaGrange College application system
hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university
submit satisfactory transcripts, from each institution attended, for analysis
have the appropriate number of semester hour credits in a content area (above general education credits) or pass the GACE content exam in the identified content area
pass the Georgia Educations Ethics Assessment
provide a criminal background check and verify that no criminal record or dishonorable discharge from the armed services will prevent teacher certification
meet verification of lawful presence requirements
earn a minimum score on the TOEFL exam of at least 550 if English is not the applicant's primary language
receive approval from the department of Education chair

Admission decisions may be appealed to the VPAA.

After admission to the program, a review occurs each semester for each candidate to determine retention in the teacher education program.

Field Experience and Clinical Practice

Clinical Experience is an essential factor in the professional development of a teacher. The requirements for successful field experiences and clinical practice are provided in the Field Experience and Clinical Practice Handbook [FECPH]. For MAT candidates who are provisional teachers, the candidate’s teaching position must be in a school setting that is approved by the Field Coordinator. The teaching position must meet all state requirements for field experiences for teacher candidates, including grade level and content area.

Progress in the Program

MAT candidates must meet requirements to receive a preservice certificate issued by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission prior to starting Clinical Practice I and have a GPA of 2.75 or above. To enroll in Clinical Practice II, candidates must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or above and an approved application for Clinical Practice II. Please consult the MAT advisement sheet for program progress benchmarks.

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for graduation from LaGrange College, candidates must complete an approved program and satisfy other criteria as indicated in this Bulletin. All candidates shall successfully complete 39 hours of coursework with a 3.0 (B) average or better, successfully complete Clinical Practice II, and pass the GACE content exam in intended certification teaching field.

If applicable, all required additional content coursework must be satisfactorily completed before graduation.

Certification

LaGrange College is approved to offer initial certification at level 5, T-5, Master of Education level for middle and secondary content areas. Candidates desiring to be certified upon completion of their programs should plan to work closely with their advisors since certification requirements are subject to change.

Upon successful completion of an approved initial preparation program (M.A.T.), candidates who meet all current Georgia requirements for certification may apply for initial Teacher Certification. Program completers must be recommended for certification within five years of completing an approved program. Completers seeking a recommendation for certification more than five years after completing a program may be required to complete additional coursework.

If applicable, all required additional content coursework must be satisfactorily completed before recommendation for certification.