Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Secondary Education
Program Objectives
The Master of Arts in Teaching: Secondary Education is designed to deliver outstanding teacher preparation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, candidates are eligible for a Professional Educator License (PEL) with a secondary education endorsement and a content area endorsement from the state of Illinois for grades 9 through 12. (Physical Education grade range is PK through grade 12).
Concordia-Chicago’s program emphasizes the following:
- Development of core competencies in instructional planning, delivery and assessment
- Respect and support for diversity in educational settings
- How to ethically lead learning
- The role of standards within the profession
- The commitment to continuous improvement
- The importance of reflective practice
- The development of collaborative relationships to serve the learning of every student
- The establishment of positive, social-emotional learning cultures
- The development of collaborative relationships to serve the learning of every student
- The importance of reflective practice and culturally responsive teaching
**Program begins in Spring and Fall Only**
Areas of Study
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
| Prerequisites to Professional Courses | ||
| EDUC-6045 | Introduction to Theories of Learning and Cognition | 3 |
| EDUC-6435 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| 6 | ||
| Professional Courses | ||
| EDSC-6230 | Literacy Instruction for Content Area Classrooms: Middle and Secondary | |
| EDSC-6570 | Teaching Diverse Learners at the Secondary Level | |
| EDUC-6040 | Introduction to Classroom Teaching and Technology for Learning | |
| EDUC-6060 | Classroom Management and Assessment | |
| EDUC-6290 | Characteristics and Instruction of Exceptional Learners | |
| EDUC-6415 | Professional Responsibility and Ethics for Teachers | |
| EDUC-6445 | Introduction to Research: Pre-Service Teachers | |
| Select one of the following courses per chosen concentration: | ||
| EDSC-6602 | Content and Methods for Teaching English at the Middle and Secondary Levels | |
| EDSC-6605 | Content and Methods for Teaching Physical Education at the Middle and Secondary Levels | |
| EDSC-6606 | Content and Methods for Teaching Mathematics at the Middle and Secondary Levels | |
| EDSC-6618 | Content and Methods for Teaching Science at the Middle and Secondary Levels | |
| EDSC-6619 | Content and Methods for Teaching Social Science at the Middle and Secondary Levels | |
| 24 | ||
| Student Teaching Internship | ||
EDUC-6985 | edTPA Seminar and Colloquium | 0 |
| Choose one: | ||
EDUC-6922 | Student Teaching: Secondary Education | 6 |
EDUC-6925 | MAT Capstone* | 3 |
| 3-6 | ||
| Total Credit Hours: | 33-36 |
* An accelerated pathway for eligible teaching candidates that will waiver the traditional, supervised student teaching experience in favor of a MAT Capstone Course where the approved teacher candidate will teach in their own classroom under the guidance of an authorized school official in lieu of the 16-week student teaching internship course. This course for students in the accelerated pathway will be a 3-credit hour course including completion of the Educational Teaching Portfolio Assessment (EdTPA) and a Positive Impact Presentation (PIP) and all other requirements as outlined by ISBE. This course may only be taken with special approval of the Director of Field Experience and the Division Chair.
Subject Area Endorsements for Secondary Education
English Language Arts
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours, including 12 upper-division semester hours at the undergraduate level. The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass the state content test for English Language Arts. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
Mathematics
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours, including 12 upper-division semester hours at the undergraduate level. The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass the state content test for mathematics. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
Physical Education
The Master of Arts in Teaching: Physical Education program is an initial licensure program designed to prepare qualified professional for teaching in PK through Grade 12 school settings. Applicants can be expected to learn to teach Physical Education at all grade levels.
Science – Biology Designation
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours in Science, including 6 semester hours which must be taken in at least one other science (e.g. biology). Applicants for a science endorsement must complete coursework in both the biological sciences (biology, ecology/environmental science) and physical sciences (chemistry, earth and space science, physics). The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass the state content test for Science-Biology. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
Social Science – History Designation
This initial endorsement requires 32 semester hours in Social Science, at least 12 semester hours must be in the specific social science area sought (e.g. Social Studies), and 6 semester hours must be taken in at least one other social science area (as applicable to the endorsement sought, ex. political science). The required distribution is below. Candidates are required to pass state content test for Social Science-History. Undergraduate courses can be taken at CUC or transferred in from another institution. (Undergraduate courses at CUC are generally offered during the day).
Clinical Experience (Pre-Professional Hours)
100 hours (all pre-professional hours are embedded in the MAT coursework and must be completed prior to student teaching).
Each course will describe the number of hours required to be completed in classrooms and the nature of the experience that a candidate must complete.
Capstone Experience
Positive Impact Presentation (PIP) on student learning
Teacher Performance Assessment [edTPA]: State-required portfolio, taken during the student teaching semester, is to be passed and submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education prior to licensing (PEL).
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