Teaching, M.A.

Saint Louis University's Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)  with alternative certification is designed to enable students who have undergraduate degrees in subject areas and were not education majors to seek Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education certification via an alternative route.   This degree is designed to offer students expanded knowledge in subject-matter areas and pedagogy, current educational developments, and the processes of teaching and learning. 

In the spirit of the Jesuit tradition of education, this program is committed to providing students with:

• Individualized academic experiences that focus on their specific content area of intellectual interest.
• In-depth preparation in both pedagogical and research skills to apply theory to practice.
• Opportunities to address social and moral issues related to education, especially in urban settings.
• Coaching from the School of Education's outstanding faculty allows for real-time feedback on student teaching methods and classroom management. 

We offer four unique tracks:

• Billiken Teacher Corps (BTC)
• MAT Catholic
• MAT Public
• Teach for America (TFA)

Curriculum Overview

Each of the four tracks of the Master of Arts in Teaching degree require successfully completing the required Missouri Educator Assessments, teaching for two years in an accredited Missouri public or non-public school having obtained Missouri provisional certification and participating in the school or district’s professional development programs and performance-based teacher evaluation program. The end of program requirements includes an oral examination and a content-focused theme paper.

Courses are concentrated during the summer, with only one evening course during fall and spring semesters, allowing students to focus on teaching during the academic year.  Summer courses begin in early summer, preparing students to enter the classroom in August. 

Alternative Certification

Each of the tracks of SLU's Master of Arts in Teaching with alternative certification  are designed to enable students who have undergraduate degrees in subject areas and were not education majors to seek Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education certification via an alternative route.

Billiken Teacher Corps (BTC) - 37-38 credits

The Billiken Teacher Corps, a program of the Institute for Catholic Education, is a unique service-learning opportunity for faith-driven college graduates to have a transformative impact in under-resourced Catholic schools in the St. Louis area.   Billiken Teach Corps Fellows live the Jesuit Mission of being men and women for and with others.  For two years, the fellows live in an intentional faith community while teaching full time and earning their Master of Arts in Teaching degree with full tuition-remission.  This scholarship is premised upon successful adherence to the standards of the Billiken Teacher Corps community residence and the standards for teachers in Catholic schools.  For more information, contact Angela Moret: angela.moret@slu.edu.

MAT Catholic - 37-38 credits

Join a cohort of passionate and faithful educators dedicated to the Jesuit mission of being men and women for others. Sharpen your skills with specialized coursework designed for Catholic school teachers.  Automatic scholarships covering up to 2/3 of the MAT degree are awarded to those working in Catholic schools.   For more information, contact Angela Moret: angela.moret@slu.edu.

MAT Public - 32 credits

Offers a unique opportunity for students to teach in one of SLU’s partner school districts while pursuing a master’s degree, all while earning a full-time teaching salary of $38,000 or more.  Once admitted into the MAT program, our faculty advisors assist students with arranging job interviews at partner schools.   We offer a competitive tuition rate of $585 per credit hour for the MAT Public master’s program so you can earn a high-quality degree for less than $10,000 per year.  For more information, contact us at slued@slu.edu or 314-977-3292.

Teach for America (TFA) - 32 credits

Designed for individuals who have already applied to and been accepted into the national Teach for America program.  For more information about the TFA program, visit their website:  https://www.teachforamerica.org/

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

Master of Arts in Teaching with alternative certification students teach full-time for two years on a DESE provisional teaching certificate. The principal of the school assigns a mentor who teaches in the same subject area and the same or similar grade level. A University supervisor makes classroom observations and holds follow-up conferences on a monthly basis.

SLU faculty assist students with job placement in partner schools prior to the beginning of the program.​

Careers

Upon completion of the program, earn Missouri teaching certification and see an average $3500 teaching salary increase.

Possible careers for graduates with an M.A.T. include teaching in an elementary self-contained classroom; teaching middle school language arts, mathematics, science or social studies; and teaching secondary English, mathematics, general science, biology, chemistry, social studies, art, music or world languages.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have completed 18 credits of upper-division undergraduate coursework in education or related areas approved by SLU's School of Education.

Master of Arts in Teaching with alternative certification applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree or higher in the area of emphasis or a related field of the desired certificate from a regionally accredited institution.

Application Requirements

• Application form and fee
• Transcript(s)
• Letters of recommendation:
  • MAT Catholic, MAT Public and TFA: Two letters
  • Billiken Teacher Corps: Four letters
• Résumé
• Professional goal statement

Requirements for International Students

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Proof of financial support must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Please note that application deadlines for this program differ for international students.

Application Deadlines

Master of Arts in Teaching with alternative certification students must start their program in the summer semester since the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires certain courses be taken before beginning to teach in the elementary, middle, or secondary school classroom.

• MAT Catholic, MAT Public and TFA: March 1 for priority consideration.
• Billiken Teacher Corps: January 25 for priority consideration.

Review Process

A committee reviews each application wholly.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For priority consideration for departmental graduate scholarships, students should complete their applications by the program admission deadlines listed.  

For more information, visit the student financial services office online at http://www.slu.edu/financial-aid.

Each of the MAT tracks offer unique scholarship opportunities: 

Billiken Teacher Corps

For two years, the fellows live in an intentional faith community while teaching full time and earning their Master of Arts in Teaching degree with full tuition-remission.  This scholarship is premised upon successful adherence to the standards of the Billiken Teacher Corps community residence and the standards for teachers in Catholic schools.
For more information, contact Angela Moret: angela.moret@slu.edu.

MAT Catholic

Automatic scholarships covering up to 2/3 of the MAT degree are awarded to those working in Catholic schools.   For more information, contact Angela Moret: angela.moret@slu.edu.

MAT Public

We offer a competitive tuition rate of $585 per credit hour for the MAT Public master’s program so you can earn a high-quality degree for less than $10,000 per year.  Other scholarship opportunities may be available. For more information, contact us at slued@slu.edu or 314-977-3292.

Teach for America

For more information about the TFA program, visit their website:  https://www.teachforamerica.org/

Master of Arts in Teaching with alternative certification students must complete the Missouri requirements for a Provisional Certificate, the appropriate Missouri content assessment, and all other certification requirements established by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Additionally, students must participate in the assigned school district’s professional development programs and Performance-Based Teacher Evaluation (PBTE) program.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester.  Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Alternative Certification Track

Master of Arts in Teaching with Alternative Certification (Billiken Teacher Corps members and Catholic school educators)

Apply for Admission

For additional admission questions, please contact:
Saint Louis University School of Education
314-977-3292
slued@slu.edu