Master of Arts in Teaching
Secondary Option Licensure Program
The EIU Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Option Program is recruiting applicants and will begin classes starting in May. All coursework for the cohort will be conducted online; a one-time summer seminar at EIU in Charleston will be required (please see below for details).
Candidates who have completed an undergraduate or graduate degree program in a designated content area are eligible for admission to the program. Candidates must have at least 32 semester hours of coursework in the specific subject matter. Content areas that are offered in the program are:
- Mathematics (grades 9-12)
- English (grades 9-12)
- History-Social Science (grades 9-12)
- Career and Technical Education (Business, Family and Consumer Sciences, or Technology Education) (grades 5-12)
- Foreign Language (French, German, or Spanish) (grades PK-12)
Note: This program is not available for: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle Level Education, Special Education, Physical Education, Art Education, or Music Education.
Also Note: Candidates must have a degree in one of the areas offered in the program (mathematics, English, history, business, family and consumer science, technology, French, German, Spanish). Unfortunately, degrees in such areas as General Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, or content areas not listed above (sociology, political science, geography, economics, psychology, etc.) cannot be used for admission. Additionally, candidates must have had a 2.65 GPA or higher as an undergraduate. Candidates who do not meet the 2.65 GPA requirement must earn a 3.0 GPA on the first 12 hours of MAT graduate coursework or have earned a 3.0 GPA on 12 semester hours of course work related to their content area.
Candidates will take four online courses in the Summer semester (See program sequence below). During the following Fall and Spring semesters, candidates will complete a full-year, full-time residency in a secondary school. Along with residency in the Fall, candidates are enrolled in one online course (content methods). Similary, in the Spring term, along with residency, candidates are enrolled in two online courses. During the Spring semester, candidates will complete, if required, the edTPA Portfolio Assessment required for licensure by the State of Illinois.
Note that this program requires one face-to-face meeting on EIU's campus, typically scheduled on the second Friday in June. Please note that at least one additional seminar will be on-campus at EIU if the edTPA performance assessment is required by the state that semester.
Course Sequence (33 semester hours)
- Summer semester (13 semester hours):
- May - June candidates will be enrolled in SED 5330 - Secondary School Instructional Tasks and EDP 5330 - Educational Psychology in Teaching
- June - July candidates will be enrolled in EDF 5510 -Social Foundations for Educational Practice and SPE 5501 Education of Individuals with Exceptionalities: Access to the General Education Curriculum.
- Fall semester (9 semester hours): First semester of residency (STG 5001); departmental methods course (CTE 5403, CTE 5404, CTE 5405, ENG 4800, HIS 4925,MAT 5700, or WLE 4800)
- Spring semester (12 semester hours): Second semester of residency (STG 5002), SED 5400, and SED 5430
Admission Requirements and Course Enrollment
- Acceptance by the EIU Graduate School as a degree seeking student; official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate study must be submitted to the EIU Graduate School;
- Bachelor’s degree in the designated content area with a minimum 2.65 GPA as documented in official transcripts;
- Criminal History Check through EIU-designated vendor (www.eiu.edu/edprep/resources/BackgroundCheck.php).
- Submission of completed and signed Acceptance Letter .
First Semester Residency Placement Requirements (documented after the Summer semester)
Second Semester Residency Placement Requirements (documented after the Fall semester)
- Complete first semester residency and specific content area teaching methods course;
- Pass content area test (see https://www.il.nesinc.com/), Exceptions can be made with approval from the Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator of Teaching, Learning, and Foundations;
- Foreign language candidates must pass the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI).
Program Completion
- Complete second semester residency and secondary education literacy course;
- Pass edTPA.
Program Cost and Financial Aid
- Current EIU cost and attendance information may be found here
- Students seeking a first teaching license are eligible for some forms of financial aid; information is available through the EIU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
- The Golden Apple Foundation provides funds for recent college graduates and career changers committed to teaching in downstate, rural schools and districts through its Accelerators program
- Other possible sources of funding for teacher candidates may be found here; note that not all sources are available for Master's degree seeking candidates
Contact Information
Dr. Dan Carter, Graduate Coordinator for Teaching, Learning and Foundations (djcarter@eiu.edu)
College of Education
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920
(217) 581-5728 / www.eiu.edu/coe
This information was updated in April 2024
