Our Dual-Degree Master of Arts in Teaching program provides you with the knowledge and experience you need to profoundly impact the lives of students in grades 7–12. As a 4+1 MAT student, your internship experience in a school during your graduate year will offer significant savings on tuition via the tuition remission program.
The Dual-Degree MAT program enables you to complete your bachelor’s and master’s degrees and obtain your secondary teaching certificate (grades 7 through 12) within five years. In your first year, you’ll select one of the following majors: biology, English, history or mathematics. Majoring in one of these content areas will prepare you to teach that subject at the secondary school level. We’ll provide several graduate content courses in your field and the pedagogy necessary to help you plan lessons, manage a classroom and prepare you for teaching and learning in a contemporary school setting.
As a first-year student, you will begin the program with ED 140, Introduction to Public Education. This 1-credit course welcomes you to the teaching profession and helps you navigate the education pathways you will encounter along the way such as course sequence, licensure, inter-state certification, cross-endorsements and the State Department of Education. You will explore current and past issues as well as trends in education.
In your sophomore year, you will take two foundational courses in diversity and the philosophy of education. These early courses provide opportunities to build relationships with faculty and you will become further involved in our School of Education events and clubs. In the spring of your sophomore year, you will have a formal review of your overall academic work and meet with education faculty to update your status. If you maintain a 3.0 grade average and your desire to teach is still strong, you will be encouraged to continue in the 4+1, dual-degree program.
During your junior and senior years, you will spend 20 hours each semester in public schools observing, working with small groups and assisting the classroom teacher with lessons. In addition, you will continue your coursework in education. After you receive your bachelor‘s degree, you will transition to graduate school. Your final year will be spent interning at an area school as a permanent substitute teacher. In the spring, you will spend 50 days completing your student teaching under the supervision of an on-site mentor and a School of Education faculty member.
Teaching certification and licensure is regulated by each state. Connecticut participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Compact (NASDTEC). States that participate in this compact agree to accept the planned program of study of graduates in any of the states that are part of that compact. NY, NJ, MA, RI, PA, ME, VT & NH are just a few of the states included in this compact.
Earn your master’s degree without breaking the bank.
In the Dual-Degree MAT (4+1) programs in Elementary and Secondary Education, you will experience significant cost savings while pursuing your graduate degree. Your first graduate course begins immediately after you complete your undergraduate degree during a 7-week summer semester; this is the only semester you will be responsible for paying the full tuition and fees. You will then begin interning in a school while attending evening courses throughout the fall and spring semesters. The work you complete during this internship will cover a significant portion of your tuition, so you will only pay for three credits during the spring semester in addition to the fees for both semesters.
Percentage of graduating students in 2021 who have jobs in their chosen fields or are continuing their educations within 6 months of graduation.
We have placed student-teachers in 49 schools across 20 local school districts, allowing students to earn classroom experiences in a variety of school settings prior to graduation.
Our small class sizes ensure a student-centered approach and individual attention.
In today’s competitive market, a graduate degree is often expected and can be the key to your success. Our innovative dual-degree programs give you a clear path to achieving your goals.
As a dual-degree student, you’ll enjoy:
Seamless plan of study: Our dual-degree programs enable you to streamline the completion of both your undergraduate and graduate studies — building relationships with classmates and professors in the supportive and enriching environment that you have come to know.
Save time and money: Certain courses count toward both undergraduate and graduate requirements — allowing you to graduate earlier and spend less money.
Simplified application process: When you maintain good academic standing in the program, you are seamlessly enrolled into the graduate program of study — eliminating the need to find another graduate program, take additional tests for admission or complete a separate admission process.
Career development: Dual-degree students gain access to special career-focused programming — including global networking and internship opportunities, recruitment events, career fairs and other experiential opportunities.
Personalized advising: Students are assigned a dedicated adviser who will help with course selection, assist with internship placements and prepare you for interviews — strengthening your resume before graduation.
Career readiness: Dual-degree students enter the workforce with an advance degree in hand — increasing your potential starting salary and setting you apart from other recent graduates who did not earn a master’s.
The dual-degree program emphasizes the skills employers value — leadership, critical thinking and creative problem-solving. They also reflect our commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning and career development.
There are a number of programs within the College of Arts and Sciences that pair well with our Dual-Degree BA or BS/MAT programs in Elementary, Secondary and Special Education. These programs allow you to gain the hands-on skills needed to thrive in a classroom and enable you to seamlessly complete both your undergraduate and graduate studies in just five years.
All programs in the School of Education are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and by the Connecticut State Department of Education.
School of Education graduates earn exceptionally high scores on licensure examinations required for certification both within and outside the state of Connecticut, including the Praxis II tests for special educators and elementary and secondary teacher candidates; the Foundations of Reading Test; Spanish ACTFL Test; and the Connecticut Administrator Test (CAT), taken by the candidates in the Sixth-Year Diploma in Educational Leadership program.
Our undergraduate admissions counselors are here to answer any questions you may have and help you navigate the application process.