General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School

Please refer to admission information in the Graduate School section.

Admission Requirements for all M.A.T. programs

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

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 and Graduation supplied by the Graduate School must be submitted early in the semester in which completion of all program requirements is expected.

Clinical Field Experiences

All courses require students to develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions in public school/agency settings. During Phase I of the program, all students are expected to complete clinical experiences in at least three significantly different settings.

Clinical field experiences provide opportunities for helping all students learn, including children with exceptionalities and students from diverse ethnic/racial, linguistic, gender, and socioeconomic groups. During clinical experiences, students apply theories and understandings gained in coursework, analyze K-6 student learning, and develop the ability to positively impact all learners. Each course in Phase I of the program requires 20 clinical hours. These structured experiences can take place in multiple settings such as neighboring schools or districts, after-school programs, or in the schools and classrooms in which the candidates work. All elementary education courses in Phase II of the program require employment as an elementary teacher as extensive action research is done in the classroom setting.

Candidates who are lateral entry teachers and teacher assistants must move beyond their own classrooms and schools for at least two clinical experiences. Alternative settings must be approved by the instructor. A limited number of clinical experiences may be approved in significantly different classrooms within their school of employment. Employed candidates are encouraged to seek assistance and support from their administrators.

Internship/Student Teaching

The graduate-level student teaching/internship is the culminating experience in Phase I of the M.A.T, offering students the opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for the initial Standard Professional I teaching license. Students are assigned to an appropriate classroom for a full-time, semester-long experience under the supervision of the classroom teacher and University faculty. Lateral entry teachers and teacher assistants must contact the Office of Field Experiences to determine the appropriateness of their classroom for the student teaching/internship experience and licensure requirements. This contact should take place at least one semester before student teaching.

Elementary education courses taken in Phase II of the M.A.T. require employment as an elementary teacher.

Capstone Requirements

The capstone experience for the M.A.T. will be fulfilled by successfully completing the Teacher Inquiry Project in the ELED 6303  course.

Advising

All students are assigned an advisor upon formal admission to the program. Students should consult with their advisors at least once each semester.

Assistantships

The Program typically has a limited number of graduate assistantships with salaries starting at $8,000/academic year. Applications are available from the Department of Reading and Elementary Education.

Licensure

Upon successful completion of the Phase I/Graduate Certificate, students will be recommended for the North Carolina initial Standard Professional I teaching license. For this initial license, students are required to complete an electronic licensure portfolio that is created during coursework and student teaching. Upon successful completion of Phase II, students will be recommended for the North Carolina advanced Standard Professional II teaching license. For the advanced license, students are required to complete an advanced electronic licensure portfolio during coursework.

Research Opportunities/Experiences

Faculty members in the Department of Reading and Elementary Education are deeply committed to research in urban schools. As a result, candidates will have opportunities to become involved in practical and meaningful classroom-based research.

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 Approval

All teacher education programs at UNC Charlotte are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The M.A.T. in Elementary Education has been approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education.