30 hours
The University of North Georgia (UNG) offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree in multiple areas of concentration.
MAT degrees are available in all P-12 and 6-12 certification fields.
For additional program information, visit the College of Education website.
Pedagogy Only Concentration
30 credit hours
The Pedagogy Only concentration is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education, do not currently hold a teaching certificate, and wish to become certified teachers.
Applicants must submit transcripts for review to verify that content requirements for the intended certification field have been met. The program focuses on pedagogy (education) and curriculum coursework and includes a full-time, one-semester clinical placement during the first year.
All teaching fields under this concentration can be reviewed on the GAPSC website: GaPSC - Approved Programs Leading to Certification
Elementary Education Concentration
30 credit hours
The Elementary Education concentration includes both content and pedagogy coursework. It is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education, do not currently hold a teaching certificate, and wish to become certified elementary education teachers. All courses are delivered online, and no campus visits are required.
Graduate Admissions Procedures
Application materials are available on the Graduate Admissions website. A non-refundable application fee is required. 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. Students admitted who do not enroll within three semesters of acceptance must reapply by submitting a new application to Graduate Admissions.
Students who were previously enrolled but have not attended within the last three semesters must also submit a new application for readmission. All documents submitted in support of an application become the property of UNG and will not be returned.
Regular Admission
The following documents must be received prior to admission:
- Graduate Admissions application.
- Non-refundable application fee.
- Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education are required and must document completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog). Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 from undergraduate or graduate study, calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures. Official international transcripts must include a course-by-course credential evaluation from an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). The evaluation must certify that the applicant has earned the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate or graduate degree from an accredited institution, as defined in the Graduate Catalog.
- Completion of Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment offered through GACE.
- Proof of lawful presence in the United States for in-state residents.
In addition to meeting all program admission requirements specified in GAPSC Rule 505-3-.01, candidates must provide evidence of expertise in the content area of the field of certification sought. This requirement may be satisfied through one of the following three options:
- A major in the field of certification sought, earned as part of a bachelor’s or higher degree from a GaPSC-accepted, accredited institution of higher education.
- A passing score on the Georgia state-approved content assessment in the field of certification sought.
- Successful completion of a specified number of semester hours in the content area, earned as part of a bachelor’s or higher degree or through additional coursework from a GaPSC-accepted, accredited institution of higher education. Required semester hours are as follows:
- Twenty-one (21) semester hours for Secondary (6–12) and P–12 fields
- Fifteen (15) semester hours for Middle Grades (4–8) fields in one of the following content areas: language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies
Additional Provisions
- For Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) teaching focus areas within the Pedagogy Only concentration, content expertise may be demonstrated through a combination of occupational experience, industry licensure, assessments, and/or formal study.
- A major in the certification field, a passing GACE score, or specified content-area credit hours are not required for admission to the Elementary Education, General Special Education or Deaf Education concentrations.
Admitted students who fail to submit a background check and GaPSC Pre-Service Application will have their admission rescinded.
Provisional Admission
Applicants who submit all required Regular Admission documents but do not meet minimum admission criteria may be granted provisional admission following a successful admission appeal (see Appeal of Graduate Admission).
Applicants who have not completed all required content coursework to prove expertise in the content area of the field of certification sought may be granted provisional status for their first semester of enrollment to complete the additional coursework needed to satisfy content expertise requirements.
Students admitted provisionally may register for no more than six hours of total graduate credit, unless otherwise advised. Student status will be reviewed to determine eligibility for regular admission following the completion of their first semester of enrollment. Provisionally admitted students who earn a grade of “C” or lower during the provisional period will not be permitted 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.
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:
- Graduate Admissions application.
- Non-refundable application fee.
- Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education are required and must document completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog). Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 from undergraduate or graduate study, calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures. Official international transcripts must include a course-by-course credential evaluation from an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). The evaluation must certify that the applicant has earned the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, as defined in the Graduate Catalog.
- Proof of lawful presence in the United States for in-state residents.
A non-degree student who earns a grade of “C” or lower will be subject to program review to determine eligibility for enrollment in 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.
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 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:
- Graduate Admissions application.
- Non-refundable application fee.
- Letter of good standing or transient permission form that documents 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 allowed to take at UNG.
- Proof of lawful presence in the United States for in-state residents.
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
An applicant whose admission is denied may appeal the decision, regardless of the basis for denial. To submit an appeal, email a signed letter of appeal as a PDF attachment to the Office of Graduate Admissions at grads@ung.edu.
Your letter must present substantial evidence supporting the basis of your appeal. The information provided should go beyond what was previously submitted in your application and clearly demonstrate your potential for success in graduate-level study.
Graduate programs at the University of North Georgia grant appeals for provisional admission status only. If admitted under provisional status, your academic record will be reviewed post enrollment to determine eligibility for regular status. Timelines and requirements vary by program. While enrolled provisionally, you may register only for the maximum number of credit hours permitted for provisional students in your program and must maintain the GPA required by your program each term to continue enrollment. Students admitted under provisional status are not eligible for federal financial aid. Additional program-specific restrictions can be applied.
If your appeal is approved, the Graduate Admissions Office will notify you of your admission status.
MAT Transfer Residency Requirement
To be awarded a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, students must earn a minimum of 24 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 6 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.
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:
a. The student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0.
b. 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:
a. The student earns two grades of “C” or lower.
b. 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.
Return to: