Accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching (AMAT)

Completion of the program fulfills requirements for a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and Washington state Residency Teacher Certification. After completing certification requirements, the Certification Office in the School of Education at SPU recommends candidates for teacher licensure to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Completion of five additional graduate-level classes throughout the program or the summer after internship fulfills requirements for the MAT degree.

Program schedule and cohort info

A new cohort begins each summer at the end of June. Courses begin online, and also have campus meetings in late June and at the beginning of August. Coursework is entirely online for the month of July. During the academic year (i.e., Autumn–Spring quarters), candidates typically attend class one night a week. 

Program components

Certification

The certification component of the AMAT program is 45 credits. Approximately one-third of these credits are allocated for student teaching, which is full-time and supervised, for 180 days in a classroom. Completion of certification courses, internship requirements, and passing program assessments qualifies candidates for a Washington Residency Certificate. This certificate enables candidates to teach in public and private schools in Washington state. The master’s degree is earned by completing an additional 15 graduate-level credits or five classes.

Candidates in the Accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching Online program are recommended for certification by doing the following:

• Demonstrating effective teaching practices
• Centering instruction on high expectations for student achievement
• Recognizing and responding to individual student learning needs
• Providing clear and intentional focus on subject matter content and curriculum
• Fostering and managing a safe, positive learning environment
• Using multiple student-data elements to modify instruction and improve student learning
• Communicating and collaborating with parents and the school community
• Exhibiting collaborative and collegial practices focused on improving instruction and learning

NOTE: Tuition rates for the certification portion of the program and the master's component of the program are differentiated. While certification courses are offered at a reduced rate, students across all master's programs take the master's component classes at the regular graduate tuition rate. 

Coursework and Internship

Coursework begins in the summer with online and on-campus classes in learning theory, general teaching methods, curriculum design, and literacy strategies. Coursework varies depending on endorsement area to provide discipline-specific emphasis. Candidates typically enroll in classes with peers who are earning the same primary endorsement to promote collegial interdependence. The number of on-campus meetings for coursework varies by endorsement area.

Internship begins in late August as K–12 teachers return to school for in-service training. Candidates intern across the school year, while completing online and on-campus coursework. On-campus and online coursework integrates internship experiences to assist candidates in applying educational theory and research to planning, instruction, and assessment.

Candidates are paired with a mentor teacher and university field supervisor in a school setting. Internship is five days a week during an entire K–12 school year, including in-service and end-of-the-year activities. Candidates may have to two release days a month to attend program requirements and wellness goals.

Candidates and mentor teachers follow a co-teaching model, where responsibility for planning, instruction, management, and assessment is shared. Candidates begin internship with focused observations and progress to independent teaching. Across internship, candidates complete assignments designed to maximize field experiences, such as internship reflections, lesson plans, and program assessments. Internship concludes with candidates returning control of classroom responsibilities to their mentor teachers.

Completion of the MAT Degree

Candidates earn the MAT degree by completing five additional graduate-level courses, totaling 15 credits. These classes are taken at the regular graduate tuition rate. Classes required for the MAT degree are not needed for certification. However, most candidates complete degree requirements immediately following certification to increase their base salary. Candidates may delay completion of degree requirements for five years following the quarter of admission, as long as active enrollment status is maintained by completing one class every four quarters. Students admitted to the AMAT program with an advanced degree may transfer 12 of the 15 credits from their previous institution. All students are required to complete EDU 6085 Moral Issues in Education to receive the MAT degree.

Course sequence

Candidates enrolled in the AMAT program follow a course sequence designed to exceed the demands of today's classrooms. Graduates complete the program with knowledge and skills required for effective teaching, developed through integration of internship experiences, positive peer interdependence, and focused pedagogy for teaching primary and secondary students in a variety of endorsement areas. 

Candidates receive a specific course sequence, depending on endorsement, as they begin the program. The following shows an example sequence for Elementary Certification.

Courses for Certification

*Indicates a master’s component course. Many students choose to complete these courses the summer following certification.

Routes to Certification

Applicants to the AMAT program fit one of these profiles, though all routes require a bachelor's degree and endorsement in a high needs area at the district or local level:

Route 2: For district staff with a bachelor’s degree.
Currently employed school-district or private-school staff members (such as paraeducators, instructional assistants, or education aides) with a minimum of one year of student interaction and leadership.

Route 3: For “Career changers” with a bachelor’s degree
Individuals not currently employed by a school district or private school (such as those considering career change)

Route 4: For district staff with a bachelor’s degree and limited certificate.
Teachers employed in a public school on a limited certificate such as a Conditional or Emergency Substitute Certificate.