Program Overview
William Carey University offers a unique program designed to provide an opportunity for non-education graduates to enter the teaching profession and to earn a Master of Education degree in the Art of Teaching. The program is designed to lead to standard licensure with the option of earning a master’s degree.
Goals and Objectives
In response to the increasing need for more teachers in the state of Mississippi, the alternate route program provides an opportunity for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in a non-teaching field of study to become a certified teacher knowledgeable in the following areas:
- designing effective teaching strategies;
- implementing successful classroom management techniques;
- utilizing appropriate assessment practices;
- collaborating with school and community stakeholders, and
- meeting individual needs of diverse learners.
Program Admission Requirements
- Complete and submit an online application to Graduate Admissions and pay application fee
- Submit official transcripts of an undergraduate degree in a non-teaching field of study
- Have a GPA > 2.5 on the undergraduate degree
- Submit passing PRAXIS CORE scores, or 21+ ACT, or cumulative undergraduate degree GPA > 3.0
- Submit two professional references
- Passing PRAXIS II score in an approved subject area
Transfer Credit
A maximum of six hours can be transferred from another institution’s program.
Areas Available for Licensure Through the Alternate Route MAT Program
- Art
- Biology
- Business
- Chemistry
- Elementary Education (grades 4-6)*
- Economics
- English
- French
- German
- Health
- Home Economics/Family & Consumer Science
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- Library Media Specialist
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Music Education
- Physical Education
- Physics
- Spanish
- Special Education (Mild/Moderate Disabilities)
- Speech Communication
- Social Studies
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* Students who choose the MAT elementary education track must submit Foundations of Reading test scores prior to licensure.
Steps to Licensure
1) Admission to the Alternate Route Program
Submit application, transcript, and test scores as indicated above.
2) Complete Initial Course Requirements (9 hours)
Complete EDU 5360 , EDU 5720 , EDU 6500 and apply for a 3-yr Mississippi Educator License.
3) Admission to the Internship (6 hours)
After successful completion of steps 1-2, and proof of employment in an accredited school as a full-time teacher in the area of initial certification, within the approved radius of William Carey University, the candidate may enroll in EDU 6340 - Internship I followed by EDU 6350 - Internship II . Internship I and II are to be completed in consecutive terms.
4) Standard 5-yr License and Degree Completion
After completing steps 1-3, a candidate is eligible to apply for a standard 5-yr Mississippi Educator License. If the candidate wishes to enter the M.Ed. program, the 15 hours earned in steps two and three will count toward the Master of Education in the Art of Teaching degree. A candidate wishing to transfer to another M.Ed. program must complete all requirements for standard licensure prior to applying for admission to the second program.
A candidate who is officially admitted to the MAT program may continue to take program courses prior to internship; however, the student cannot graduate without successfully completing the two-term internship.
Program Requirements and Professional Licensure Disclosure
Teacher education programs at William Carey University are designed to meet the professional competency standards for licensure in Mississippi. William Carey University cannot determine whether any program leads to licensure in any state other than Mississippi. It is recommended that students who intend to seek licensure in another state verify that their program of study meets the desired state’s licensure requirements.
Further, the Mississippi Department of Education establishes and maintains state licensure requirements, policies, and procedures, which supersede requirements listed in this catalog. Mandatory changes to this program of study will be communicated to the student through the School of Education.
Refer to the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Educator Licensure (http://mdek12.org/OEL) for the most current licensure requirements, application procedures, and deadlines.
