Master of Arts in Teaching

39 hours

The University of North Georgia (UNG) offers a 39-semester-hour Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree for an individual who holds a degree in a field other than education, does not have a teaching certificate, and wishes to become a certified teacher. Individuals seeking admission to the MAT program must submit transcripts for review to ensure the content requirements for the intended content field have been met. The MAT program is structured so that individuals will focus on pedagogy (education) and curriculum courses and complete a full-time two-semester field/clinical placement during the first year. Advanced content necessary for a master’s degree is the focus of the second year.

MAT degrees are available in the following content area concentrations:

• Middle Grades Education (English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies)
• English (6-12)
• History (6-12)
• Mathematics (6-12)
• Kinesiology (Health and Physical Education, P-12)

For additional program information, visit the College of Education website.

Graduate Admissions Procedures

Application materials may be obtained from the Graduate Admissions website. Applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee. Admission requirements are listed below. When all application materials have been received by Graduate Admissions, notification will be sent to the applicant and a copy of all materials will be forwarded to the program. Notification will be mailed from the College of Education to the applicant verifying acceptance or denial.

Students who are admitted but do not enroll within three semesters of acceptance must reapply to the program by submitting a new application to Graduate Admissions for readmission. Students who were previously enrolled but have not been in attendance within the last three semesters must also reapply to the program by submitting a new application to Graduate Admissions for readmission. All documents and materials submitted to fulfill the application requirements for entry to a program at UNG become the property of the university and will not be returned.

MAT Admission Requirements

The following documents must be received prior to admission.

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended. Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) and state a calculated cumulative grade point average.
4. Evidence of a graduate degree or an undergraduate overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures.
5. Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Content Assessment scores with at least a 220 score for each assessment. If an applicant is pursuing middle grades initial certification, they must obtain a score of 220 on two of the four middle grades program assessments (middle grades language arts, middle grades mathematics, middle grades science, or middle grades social science).
6. Proof of successful completion of the Georgia Educator Ethics assessment offered through GACE.
7. Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) Pre-Service Application, which must be notarized along with a clear copy of driver’s license or current passport.
8. Proof of lawful presence in the United States.

All acceptances are contingent upon a clear criminal background check.

Regular Admission

To qualify for regular admission, an individual must have:

1. Baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) with a grade point average of at least 2.50 calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures.
2. Evidence of a graduate degree or an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.50 calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures.
3. Completion of Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment offered through GACE.
4. Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) Pre-Service Application, which must be notarized along with a clear copy of driver’s license or current passport.
5. Proof of lawful presence in the United States.

All acceptances are contingent upon a clear criminal background check.

Students enrolled in field-based courses who have not submitted all the above documentation will not be allowed to attend until all documentation has been received.

Criteria for Evaluation of Transcripts

The Master of Arts in Teaching degree requires that candidates have completed teaching content requirements prior to being admitted into the program. Methods to determine whether a candidate meets the content requirement include the following:

• No additional content is required if the applicant has a degree in, or directly related to, the area in which the applicant is seeking initial certification (i.e., an applicant with a history degree who seeking initial certification to teach history and who has completed history GACE Content Assessments).

• In consultation with an advisor in the College of Education, an applicant with a degree in a content field not related to the area in which certification is being sought may be required to take additional content courses prior to admission to the MAT program (i.e., an applicant who has a psychology degree and is seeking initial certification to teach high school English).

Irregular Admission

Applicants may be granted irregular status for two different admission deficiencies:

1. Applicants who have not completed any determined content courses as outlined above may be granted irregular status for their first semester in order to complete additional content courses. Students admitted irregularly will be reviewed at the end of their first semester to determine eligibility for continuation in the program and eligibility for regular admission status. Irregularly admitted students who earn a grade of “C” or lower in any graduate course taken during the irregular period will not be allowed to continue in the MAT program. A student who has been removed because of a deficient grade may reapply to the program after a period of three semesters from the date the student was removed by submitting to Graduate Admissions a letter to the College of Education Dean’s Office and a new application for readmission.
2. Applicants who have not completed GACE Content assessments with a score of 220, may be accepted with irregular admission status pending the receipt of GACE Content assessments scores by May 15. Upon receipt of satisfactory GACE Content assessments (score of 220), the status will be changed to regular admission status. If any required test score is not received by Graduate Admissions by May 15, the student will not be allowed to begin the program for the semester accepted with irregular admission status and will be encouraged to reapply for the next available cohort.

Irregularly admitted students are not eligible for financial aid.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who do not meet the regular admission criteria stated above may be granted provisional admission pending a successful admission appeal (see Appeal of Graduate Admission). Students admitted provisionally may register for no more than six hours total of graduate credit. Student status will be reviewed to determine eligibility for regular admission following the completion of six hours. Provisionally admitted students who earn a grade of “C” or lower in any graduate courses taken during the provisional period will not be allowed to continue in the MAT program. A student removed because of a deficient grade may reapply to the program after a period of three semesters from the date the student was removed by submitting to Graduate Admissions a letter of appeal addressed to the College of Education Dean’s Office and a new application for readmission.

Provisionally admitted students are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Non-Degree Admission

Individuals interested in taking graduate education program courses, but who do not want to pursue a graduate degree, may apply for admission as non-degree graduate students. Individuals must receive pre-approval from the College of Education Dean’s Office before enrolling in courses and may register for no more than a total of 12 semester hours of graduate credit. Requests will be considered on a space-available basis.

The following documents must be received prior to admission:

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended documenting completion of a baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) with a minimum grade point average of 2.50 calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures. Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) with a minimum grade point average of 2.50.
4. Proof of lawful presence in the United States, if applying for in-state tuition.

A non-degree student who earns a grade of “C” or lower will subject to a program review to determine the student’s eligibility to enroll in coursework for the subsequent semester. A student who has been removed because of a deficient grade may reapply to the program after a period of three semesters from the date the student was removed by submitting to Graduate Admissions a letter addressed to the College of Education Dean’s Office and a new application for readmission. 

A non-degree student wishing to apply for admission to the MAT degree program must notify the College of Education Dean’s Office, submit a new application to Graduate Admissions, and meet all program admission requirements for the program. All credit to be applied toward a degree must be approved by the College of Education Dean’s Office.

Transient Student Admission

An individual currently enrolled at an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) as a graduate student in good standing may apply to UNG as a transient student. Individuals must receive pre-approval from the College of Education Dean’s Office before enrolling in courses. Requests will be considered on a space-available basis.

The following documents must be received prior to admission:

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Letter of good standing or transient permission form documenting that the student is not on academic probation or suspension or on disciplinary suspension at the student’s home institution. The letter or form should state that the student is in good standing and should indicate the course(s) the student is being allowed to take at UNG.
4. Proof of lawful presence in the United States, if applying for in-state tuition.

Students may not enroll in 5000-level MAT courses in a transient status.

Transient admission is for one semester only. An individual who wishes to return to UNG as a transient student for a subsequent semester must apply to Graduate Admissions for readmission.

Appeal of Graduate Admission

A candidate whose application is denied because the graduate admission cumulative grade point average is below the minimum requirement for the program 2.50 on a 4.0 scale has the right to appeal the decision. An appeal must be submitted to Graduate Admissions, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 30597-1001, grads@ung.edu. The letter should clearly state the grounds for appeal. A student whose appeal is accepted will be admitted provisionally and is not eligible for federal financial aid while under provisional admission status. Students may not appeal for regular admission.

MAT Transfer Residency Requirement

To be awarded a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, students must earn a minimum of 27 semester hours of graduate degree requirements in residence. The College of Education Graduate Office must approve all transfer education credit. In addition, no more than 12 semester hours of transfer credit may be applied toward meeting the MAT requirements. The appropriate academic department must approve content area courses. Transfer credit will not be given for any course in which a grade of “C” or lower was earned. To apply for transfer credit, a student must complete the transfer of graduate credit form and submit the form to The College of Education Dean’s Office for approval.

MAT Academic Policies

Incomplete Grades

The MAT program adheres to the uniform grading system in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog. Non-academic incompletes indicate that a student was doing satisfactory work but, for non-academic reasons beyond the student’s control, was unable to meet the full requirements of the course. If an “I” is not satisfactorily removed within two semesters, the symbol I will be changed to the grade “F” by the appropriate official. Under special circumstances, this period of time can be increased with the approval of the program coordinator/director and the dean of the appropriate school. No degree will be conferred on a student who has an unresolved incomplete grade remaining on his/her transcript.

Program of Study

A program of study must be completed with an advisor before the beginning of the MAT program’s second year and submitted to the UNG Registrar’s Office prior to earning 20 semester hours.

Academic Standing Policy

MAT students whose academic performance is unsatisfactory will be subject to the following:

1. Probation – The student will be placed on probation for any of the following reasons:
   1. The student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0.
   2. The student earns a grade of “C” or lower.

No student may be a candidate for the degree while on probation due to a grade point average below 3.0. Probation will be removed when the student’s grade point average reaches 3.0 or higher. Only grades of “D” or “F” must be repeated in order to receive degree credit. Students who are on probation may not register until advised.

2. Suspension – A student will be placed on suspension for any of the following reasons:

   1. The student earns two grades of “C” or lower.

   2. The student has already served three consecutive semesters on academic probation.

No student may enroll in graduate courses at UNG while on suspension. Courses taken at another institution during the period of suspension will not be recognized for transfer credit. After a suspension period of three semesters, a student seeking to reapply to the program must submit to Graduate Admissions a letter addressed to the Dean of the College of Education presenting a rationale for readmission and a new application for readmission. If readmitted, the student will have the same grade requirements for progress and will be readmitted only upon approval of the Dean of the College of Education. Readmission will not be considered for students who have received four grades of “C” or lower.

Academic and Professional Integrity Policy

At the end of each semester, the program faculty or the MAT program coordinator may intervene to establish a Professional Development Plan (PDP) for any student in the program whose competency is in question for reasons including unprofessional, disruptive, or unethical behavior in the classroom or applied setting. The PDP should be signed by the student and the Department Head with copies forwarded to the Dean of the College of Education.

Academic Integrity

The University of North Georgia recognizes honesty and integrity as being necessary to the academic functioning of the university. UNG graduate students are expected to uphold the university regulations addressed in the Student Code of Conduct, Article 3, Rule 2.

Professional Integrity

The Master of Arts in Teaching program adheres to the university’s definition of professional integrity as described in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog.

MAT Degree Requirements

Graduation requirements for the Master of Arts in Teaching degree include:

1. Completion of 39 designated semester hours of study.
2. Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with no more than three grades of “C.”
3. Completion of at least 27 semester hours of graduate degree requirements in residence with no more than 12 semester hours of transfer credit.
4. Completion of all degree-related course requirements, including any transfer credit, within a six-year period.