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Do you want to become a teacher?
CWU offers a teacher preparation program for individuals with a bachelor's degree or higher in a non-education field who seek teacher certification.
Master of Arts in Teaching at Central Washington University
This program would be a good fit for you if:
- You hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and are interested in obtaining a teaching certificate.
- You are interested in teaching high need subject areas and/or in a rural district in the State of Washington.
- You are passionate about educating young people and sharing your knowledge and expertise.
If any of these resonate with you, then the Master of Arts in Teaching program at Central Washington University could be the right choice for you.
How the MAT Program at CWU Works
Program Length:
The Master of Arts in Teaching program is a 4-quarter teacher certification program with an optional 5th quarter for the master's degree. After successfully completing the first 4 quarters of combined coursework and internship, candidates will be recommended to OSPI for teacher certification.
For those not interested in pursuing the master's degree, your journey ends at the end of the 4th quarter. CWU offers an optional 5th quarter of study leading to the Master of Arts in Teaching degree.
Program Success:
The majority of candidates who complete the Master of Arts in Teaching program secure employment in Washington schools. The job placement rate for those who have completed the program at Central Washington University over the past three years is 94%.
Course Delivery:
The Master of Arts in Teaching Program is a primarily online program. Candidates will complete coursework using the Canvas learning management system at CWU. Most of the courses are delivered asynchronously and include optional synchronous office hours. Other courses have mandatory synchronous meeting times and will require the use of headphones and a solid internet connection.
Internship:
All candidates complete a 650-hour mentored internship in a school near them. The CWU placement team takes each candidate's preferences into account when arranging your placements. All hours are documented and are a combination of observation and teaching in the chosen endorsement area.
This internship progresses with candidates assuming more responsibility each quarter. In the fourth quarter of the program, the internship culminates in a quarter of student teaching, with the candidate accepting responsibility for lead instruction.
Prior teaching experience will not count towards the total required internship hours. Prior teaching experience from an emergency credential cannot be applied towards internship hours.
Some interns can continue to work while enrolled in the MAT program, especially those already employed in a school. If not employed in a school, please be aware that there are days of the school year in which you will need to be at your placement school the entire contracted day. Typically, you will need to coordinate with your employer to accommodate your internship and student teaching schedule.
Week-long Intensive:
The program begins with an intensive experience taught by CWU faculty. This intensive experience is coordinated with the quarterly courses and orients candidates to the internship experience, contemporary education, and schooling in Washington State.
Seminar:
From September to June candidates are required to attend one synchronous online seminar each quarter.
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Questions? Contact Us.
Curriculum, Supervision, and Educational Leadership Department
Black Hall 214-25