General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School

Please refer to admission information in the “Graduate School ” section.

Admission Requirements for Graduate Certificate in Teaching (M.A.T. Phase I Initial licensure only)

1. An undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year institution
2. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0. (For alternative ways to demonstrate academic competence, applicants may contact the Office of Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR))
3. Three recommendations from persons knowledgeable of the applicant’s interaction with children and families
4. A statement of purpose
5. A clear criminal background check
6. Apply online at graduateschool.uncc.edu

Admission Requirements for M.A.T. (Phase II) Program

1. Completion of the Graduate Certificate in Teaching
2. A minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching *
3. One recommendation from a full-time faculty member who has taught the applicant in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching program
4. A statement of purpose
5. Apply online at graduateschool.uncc.edu

*Students with a GPA below 3.5 in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching may be considered for admission to the M.A.T. program with scores above the 30th percentile on either the Graduate Record Exam or Miller Analogies Test.

The admission process includes timely completion of the Admission to Candidacy form and the Application for Graduation from the Graduate Certificate program.

Degree Requirements

Admission to Candidacy

The Candidacy form supplied by the Graduate School must be received no later than the eighth instructional day of the semester in which completion of all degree requirements is expected.

Application for Degree

The Application for Degree/Graduation form supplied by the Graduate School must be received early in the last semester of the student’s program.

Assistantships

The Program sometimes has a limited number of graduate assistantships. Students may apply for a graduate assistantship by using the form available online at graduateschool.uncc.edu under “Funding Resources.” Students should return the completed form to the Department of Special Education and Child Development.

Capstone Experiences

The capstone experience for the M.A.T. will be fulfilled by completing the action research project.

Advising

Upon acceptance into the program, all students are assigned an advisor. Students are expected to meet with their advisor each semester to discuss their coursework.

Licensure

Upon successful completion of the M.A.T. Phase I/Graduate Certificate, students are recommended for the North Carolina Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License. For this initial license, students are required to complete an electronic licensure portfolio that is created during coursework and the internship. Upon successful completion of the M.A.T. Phase II, students are recommended for the North Carolina Standard Professional 2 (SP2) Professional Educator’s License. For the Professional 2 license, students are required to complete an advanced electronic licensure portfolio during coursework.

Committees

Students should consult with their academic program advisor in the selection of the committee. The committee chair should be selected for content knowledge of the subject area that is selected for the culminating experience. This person should hold a graduate faculty appointment in the CHFD program. Two additional committee members should be selected for knowledge and expertise in the student’s subject area. One of the additional members may be external to the student’s department.

Financial Aid/Financial Assistance

Information is available from the Office of Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR). See tealr.uncc.edu for details. Additional information is available from the Office of Student Financial Aid at finaid.uncc.edu.

Program Accreditation/Approval

All teacher education programs at UNC Charlotte are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The M.A.T. in Child and Family Studies: Early Childhood Education (Birth-Kindergarten) has been approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.