Accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)
91¸£Àû
Fast-track your career by earning your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years, while becoming certified to teach. Our accelerated 4+1 Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is a special offering for undergraduate students across the University of Maine System, leading to a master’s degree and initial teacher licensure with the opportunity to earn endorsements in designated content areas. Beyond the accelerated timeline, a major advantage of this program is that students can complete MAT coursework while they’re still working toward their bachelor’s, reducing the cost of earning their master’s degree because they pay undergraduate tuition for those credits. A total of 9 credits toward the MAT may be completed during a student’s senior year.
Students can choose from several specialized content areas based on their teaching interests and professional goals:
- English/Language Arts
- Early Childhood Education
- French
- Spanish
- Life Science
- Physical Science
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
NOTE: The accelerated 4+1 MAT program is only open to current undergraduate students from one of the seven campuses. If you are not a current UMS undergraduate student or if you already have a bachelor’s degree from any institution, check out our traditional two-year MAT program.
Program Delivery
During your senior year as an undergraduate student, you can enroll in up to nine credits of graduate-level coursework at the 500-level or above. These courses will count toward the MAT and toward your undergraduate degree. Students must earn a B grade or better in these classes for them to be counted toward the MAT. Over the course of earning the master’s degree, students are permitted a maximum of two 400-level courses in their specialized content area. Most MAT courses are offered online, though student teaching placements and other in-person field experiences are required to complete the program.
Advisors will work with students to design an optimal program that meets their teaching interests and career goals.
Advising and Support
The College of Education and Human Development provides students with academic guidance and personal support before they set foot on campus through graduation and beyond. Our professional advising team and student support staff build genuine relationships and provide timely information to help you navigate your program, college life, internships, work and whatever else is on your plate.
Program Highlights
Requirements
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Program Learning Outcomes
The MAT program is designed to help our graduates meet certain professional standards. Our student learning outcomes (SLOs) are adapted from the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), a group of state education agencies and national educational organizations dedicated to the preparation, licensing and ongoing professional development of teachers.
Careers
Schools and districts around the United States are in need of highly qualified teachers to address shortages and replace educators who retire or leave the profession for other reasons. Graduates of the MAT program are automatically recommended for initial teacher certification in the State of Maine, and are able to easily obtain certification in other states as well as internationally. Other opportunities include careers in schools outside the traditional classroom role, such as a technology integrator, as well as work in non-school settings, such as research centers, museums and nonprofit agencies. Our students acquire skills they can use in a variety of careers, including the ability to collaborate, work effectively in team environments, and communicate clearly.
For students wishing to continue on to graduate school, an MAT degree is preparation for a variety of programs, including further work in general education, or specialties such as instructional technology, special education, educational leadership or STEM education.
Designated Teacher Shortage Areas
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education designates teacher shortage areas with input from state and local officials. This year, the Maine Department of Education requested input regarding designated teacher shortage areas for federal reporting, and released the following list of K-12 teacher shortage areas for the 2025-2026 school year:
Individuals providing classroom instruction in one of these designated areas may qualify for programs that offer deferment of loan repayments or reductions of teaching obligation. The full article is available from the .
91¸£Àû College of Education and Human Development offers several undergraduate and graduate programs that lead to certification in many of these areas.
At a Glance
College of Education & Human Development
Degree Level
Master
Degree Earned
Master of Arts in Teaching
Mode of Study
In-Person
Featured Courses
XXX 101
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XXX 101
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XXX 101
Research Learning Experience
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Scholarships
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Accreditation
The MAT degree is a Maine Department of Education (MDOE) Pathway 1 approved program. Contact for more information about certification and credentialing (external link).
In addition, the College of Education and Human Development’s teacher preparation programs are nationally accredited by , the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. CAEP accreditation is a seal of approval that assures quality in educator preparation and that our programs prepare new teachers to know their subjects, their students and have the training that allows them to enter the classroom ready to teach effectively.
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) statement
This program will prepare students to be eligible for licensure within the State of Maine. Visit the page to learn more about the licensure requirements in other states and territories, in addition to the contact information needed to inquire further into the licensure requirements associated with this program.
