Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Please note: as Clarkson University focuses on its industry relevant education, innovation and research, we have partnered with Siena College to offer these programs later in 2024. Please visit Siena's website for more information. 

Hands-on Classroom Preparation

Meet the challenges of the rapidly changing education field. Districts and schools all over seek out creative and dynamic instructors ready to take charge, encourage change and deliver results. Clarkson’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program not only exposes students to current issues and practices but immerses you right from the get-go with an intensive and hands-on residency or internship format.

Results speak for themselves: since 2016, 100 percent of our graduates have received job offers.

Why Earn an MAT From Clarkson?

Clarkson centers all programs on hands-on, roll-up-our-sleeves and solutions-driven education. For the MAT, we place you in the field for a full year of teaching in a residency or internship assignment, where you instruct and plan lessons for at least two classes. Along the way, an experienced mentor-teacher observes and directs your progress.

Our approach highlights what to expect on the job, paves the way to full-time employment and lets you uplift students even before you enter a full-time role:

  • Employment: Many of our graduates receive multiple job offers and salaries above what’s typical for first-year teachers. Clarkson MAT graduates have enjoyed 100 percent job placement since 2016.
  • Recognition: Our alumni earn state and national teaching awards. The Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching has recognized three of our alumni to date. The 2021 New York State Teacher of the Year is also an MAT alumna.
  • Convenience: Attend courses at Clarkson's Capital Region Campus in Schenectady, New York, and even complete select subjects online. Candidates get through all requirements in as little as one calendar year or take courses along a two-year timeline.
  • Anticipating demand: In recent years, Clarkson added Master of Arts in Teaching certifications in business and marketing and in computer science to fill instructional needs in the region’s schools.

What You'll Learn

Get ready to develop engaging lesson plans, monitor student progress and prepare for certification. This 38-credit-hour program kicks off with nine core courses covering such topics as:

  • Curriculum and Methods of Teaching
  • Effective Teaching for All Learners (3 credits)
  • Essential Reading Literacy
  • Professionalism in Teaching
  • The Modern Teacher (3 credits)
  • The Psychology of Teaching

Complete two electives in the subject area in which you intend to obtain certification. Choose from the following options:

  • Biology
  • Business and Marketing
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese
  • Computer Science
  • Earth Science
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Greek
  • Latin
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Russian
  • Social Studies
  • Spanish
  • Technology

Every member of the Master of Arts in Teaching faculty has secondary teaching experience. Students are successful, in part, because they receive extensive mentorship and support from master teachers who bring advanced teaching skills and extensive classroom experience to the MAT program. As a result, our graduating students are among the most qualified and sought-after teachers in the field.

Prerequisites (No Credits):

  • ED 500: Field Experience - Four days of structured observations in secondary schools. The Department of Education can help organize this. 
  • The equivalent of an undergraduate major in the discipline the candidate would like to teach.
  • Undergraduate liberal arts core including courses in humanities/arts, writing/communication, social sciences, STEM and one semester of foreign language. 
  • Educational Psychology (an undergraduate course, or independent study with Clarkson's CRC Department of Education exam). 

Required Core Courses (9 Courses/29 credits):

  • ED 501 Teaching Practicum (1 credit)
  • ED 502 NY State Teacher Requirements (1 credit)
  • ED 503 Professionalism in Teaching (1 credit)
  • ED 511-16 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching (in the discipline in which the student will become certified) (3 credits)
  • ED 540 The Psychology of Teaching with lab component (3 credits)
  • ED 541 Essential Reading Literacy (3 credits)
  • ED 550 Effective Teaching for All Learners (3 credits)
  • ED 551 Teaching Residency (Fall, 4 credits)
  • ED 552 Teaching Residency (Spring, 4 credits)
  • ED 544 Literacy for the Content Classroom (3 credits)
  • ED 560 The Modern Teacher (3 credits)

Research Project (3 Credits):

  • ED 580 MAT Project (in the discipline in which the student will become certified)

Subject Area Courses (6 Credits):

  • Students complete two electives in the subject area in which they will be obtaining certification (six credits). Subject areas include:
    • biology
    • chemistry
    • earth science
    • mathematics
    • physics
    • technology
    • social studies
    • business and marketing
    • computer science
    • Chinese
    • English
    • French
    • German
    • Greek
    • Latin
    • Russian
    • Spanish. 

The Clarkson Teaching Residency

MAT graduate candidates complete a half-day, year-long residency in a secondary school, taking full responsibility for at least two classes. Students will be interviewed at the site(s) where they expect to intern. Entrance into the teaching residency portion of the program is contingent upon completion of Psychology of Teaching and the appropriate Curriculum and Methods course with minimum grades of “B” and with permission of the Chair.

For many MAT programs, students take anywhere from a semester to a full year of coursework before receiving a practicum assignment. Clarkson streamlines the path to hands-on, professionally valuable experience. You, in turn, get to immediately make a difference and drive progress in your chosen field.

Full-year residency and internship assignments take place in a secondary school. Here, see what it takes to be an educator by creating lesson plans, managing classrooms and staying on track toward learning and socio-emotional outcomes. Your mentor-teacher collaborates with you to refine your instruction and classroom skills.

Entrance into the teaching residency is contingent on completion of the "Psychology of Teaching" and the appropriate "Curriculum and Methods" course with minimum grades of “B” and with permission from the chair.

We commit to your success through scholarships and grants that help you pay for this next step. Even find grants specifically for prospective teachers.

Articulation Agreements

Students from select undergraduate institutions may be eligible for scholarships.

Students generally need a GPA of 3.2 or higher to qualify. Please inquire with the Department of Education at 518-631-9870 for a list of partner schools and details.

Black Educators Initiative

Clarkson’s Master of Arts in Teaching full-year residency program supports Black teacher candidates with Black Educator Initiative scholarships (based on eligibility), mentoring, living stipends (between $3,000-$5,000 based on eligibility), affinity groups, emergency funds (to help with certification exams, an interview suit, car repairs, etc.) and tutors. Grant recipients also earn the title of Fellow in the Black Educator Initiative program. Learn more about the Black Educators Initiative.

Clinically Rich – Intensive Teacher Institute TESOL Grant

The New York State Education Department has awarded the Department of Education at Clarkson University the Clinically Rich – Intensive Teacher Institute TESOL Grant. This grant provides a $4,500 scholarship for up to 20 candidates per year in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Clarkson’s Education department may award additional funds to applicants who are eligible for additional grants and scholarships as matching funds.

Early Decision Scholarship

Scholarships are available for applicants to the Master of Arts in Teaching program who apply and are accepted early. Applicants intending to start in the Fall or Summer semester must commit to attend by the end of the previous calendar year. Applicants intending to start in the Spring semester commit to attend by July 1. Students are eligible to receive the "Commit to MAT" Education Scholarship. This award varies in value between $2,500-$6,000 based upon the student’s application portfolio.

Education Department Scholarship

The Education Department Scholarship is the most prestigious merit award in the Department of Education at Clarkson University. Students’ applications are automatically reviewed for merit scholarship eligibility based on previous coursework and the rigor of their undergraduate portfolio.

Emma Willard Fellowship

Clarkson University’s Master of Arts in Teaching program offers this fellowship in conjunction with the Emma Willard School, an all-girls boarding high school in Troy, NY. The fellowship awards a full-tuition scholarship, as well as a stipend and room and board at Emma Willard, where the fellows live and teach a reduced course load. Fellows complete the Master of Arts in Teaching over two years, receiving the fellowship each year, and then are provided assistance with their career search.

Need-Based Scholarships

Clarkson University provides need-based tuition assistance to a limited number of students. To qualify, students must complete the FAFSA, as well as a need-based scholarship application.

Si Wai Teaching Fellowship

The International Montessori School of Beijing (MSB) is seeking candidates from Clarkson’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program to serve as teachers. The English-speaking school, which was founded in 1990, educates more than 400 students (preschool through grade seven) from 21 different countries. Teachers do not need to speak Chinese to be considered for the fellowship.

Special Scholarship Opportunities

Clarkson University is fortunate to receive unique scholarships from generous donors. There are also scholarships designed to support students who grew up in Schenectady or the Capital Region. Applicants are encouraged to inquire about other current opportunities.

STEM Up NY Noyce Scholarship

Clarkson’s STEM Up NY program provides up to 20 scholarships to aspiring teachers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects to help address the shortage of secondary teachers for those subjects in high-need schools. Scholarship recipients receive $20,000 for their undergraduate senior year, $20,000 for the year it takes to complete their Master of Arts in Teaching and extensive support in preparing for and securing their first teaching positions. Learn more about the STEM Up NY Noyce Scholarship.

Teacher Opportunity Corps (TOC) Grant

The New York State Education Department has awarded the Department of Education at Clarkson University the Teacher Opportunity Corps (TOC) grant. This grant provides a $5,400 scholarship for qualified candidates from historically underrepresented groups. This award recognizes the quality of Clarkson University’s MAT program, as only eight of the over 200 teacher education programs in New York State receive this funding. Learn more about the TOC grant.

The Dean’s Scholarship

The Dean’s Scholarships are the most prestigious merit awards in the Department of Education at Clarkson University. Students are automatically considered for merit scholarships based on previous coursework and the rigor of their undergraduate portfolios.

The Schenectady Foundation Scholarship

The Schenectady Foundation Scholarship is awarded to one student every year. The successful candidate has graduated from Schenectady High School or a high school in Schenectady County. The candidate must complete the full-year teaching residency at Schenectady High School and express intention to pursue a teaching position in the district or in a high-need setting. The scholarship awardee receives $7,500 in tuition support from the Schenectady Foundation, which is matched by Clarkson University.

Williams Scholarship

This scholarship was established in memory of Harriet and Roscoe L. Williams, whose lives of dedication and service enriched schools and communities in the Dutchess County, Adirondack and Capital District regions of New York. The Williams family provides scholarship assistance to highly qualified MAT graduate students who are preparing for careers in classroom teaching and educational administration in New York State.

Waivers

In addition to scholarships, students may be eligible to receive transfer credit or course waivers for previous study. Course waivers and transfer credits reduce the cost of earning a degree from Clarkson University.

Other Scholarships

The Bauhofer Scholarship and the Allen Scholarship celebrate the dedication of individuals preparing for careers in the classroom.

Explore all MAT Scholarships.

A complete application consists of the following:

  • Online Application Form
  • Resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation.
  • Official Transcripts.
  • Faculty Interview.
  • For international applicants, an English proficiency test is required.
    • Minimum test score requirements: TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) or Duolingo English Test (115).
    • The English language-testing requirement is not waived based on language of instruction, nor do we accept university certificates. English testing is waived if an applicant has a degree from a country where English is the Native Language. Click here to see the list of these countries.

Prerequisites:

  • Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • The equivalent of an undergraduate major in the discipline the candidate would like to teach.
  • Undergraduate liberal arts core, including courses in humanities/arts, writing/communication, social sciences and STEM.
  • Educational psychology (an undergraduate course, or independent study with Clarkson’s CRC Department of Education exam. Must be completed prior to summer intensive; can be completed in fall or spring in the first year if students select the two year program).
Desired start term of:Complete Applications by:
Fall SemesterJuly 1
Spring SemesterNovember 1
Summer Terms (TESOL - SU I / Secondary ED - SU II)April 1

The residency was one of the most impactful experiences in preparing me for my own classroom. My mentor gave me a lot of freedom and encouragement to take creative risks and provided me with tools and technology platforms that I continue to implement in my classroom today. My mentor and supervisor gave me constructive feedback that allowed me to reflect on and improve my practice. Having my supervisor observe me every other week was extremely beneficial, as I desired feedback and felt very supported in the work I was doing.

Emily Hass '20 MAT, English Teacher

Career Possibilities

What sets a Clarkson grad apart? Schools consistently cite the in-depth residency experience as the reason our MAT students rise to the top of the profession.

New York anticipates needing 180,000 new teachers by 2027, according to education thought leader and former SUNY Chancellor Emeritus Nancy Zimpher. This looming shortage is expected to impact urban and rural school districts, foreign languages and STEM subjects the most.

What’s next to meet the challenge? For MAT candidates, pursue New York State teacher certification at the secondary level (grades 7–12). Learn more about applying for grades 7-12 certification in your subject area.

Recent Employers

Equipped to purposefully lead classrooms across New York State and the country, our MAT candidates have launched or advanced their careers with:

  • Albany City School District
  • Bethlehem Central School District
  • Burnt Hills - Ballston Spa Central School District
  • Charlton School for Girls
  • City School District of Troy
  • Emma Willard School
  • Mohonasen Central School District
  • Niskayuna Central School District
  • North Colonie Central School District
  • Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District
  • Schalmont Central School District
  • Schenectady City School District
  • Scotia Glenville Central School District
  • Shenendehowa Central School District
  • South Colonie Central School District
  • Andrews School District (NC)
  • Dwight Englewood School (NJ)
  • Highland Hall Waldorf School (CA)
  • Park Slope School (NYC)
  • Putnam Valley Central School District (NY)

Contact Us

Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@clarkson.edu
Phone: 518-631-9831

Dedicate yourself to guiding and nurturing current and future students with a Master of Arts in Teaching from Clarkson. Have questions? Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions today to learn more.

Alumni Perspectives

Get firsthand perspectives from MAT alumni about their time in the program, and learn what sets Clarkson and our faculty apart.

Let Your Journey Begin

See how Clarkson's Master of Arts in Teaching gets you closer toward your goal.

Become the Teacher Future Students Need

Prepare to teach, inspire and instill a love of learning in all students you encounter. Jump-start a rewarding and meaningful teaching career with an MAT from Clarkson.