MAT in Middle School Education
Webster’s MAT in Middle middle School school education degree program provides a strong foundation in content know-ledge, early adolescent development, and contemporary research supporting best practices. This degree emphasizes the principles and practices of inquiry based learning, differentiated instruction, and culturally responsive teaching.
This graduate degree program is designed to lead to initial Missouri Teacher Certification in Middle School Education.
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
The goals of the MAT in middle school education are to cultivate graduates who are:
1. Knowledgeable Learners
Candidates in the middle school MAT will:
a. understand, demonstrate, and apply in-depth knowledge of their chosen discipline(s).
b. embrace the synergy of collaborative learning.
c. understand how to guide students through a period of significant developmental change.
2. Informed Instructors
Candidates in the middle school MAT will:
a. develop curriculum and assessments based on the best educational theory, practice, research, national, state, and content standards.
b. motivate students to learn by implementing instruction based on the developmental needs of young adolescents.
c. Apply the best academic, social, and technological tools to address the needs of the 21st century learner.
3. Reflective Collaborators
Candidates in the middle school MAT will:
a. demonstrate collaborative skills in working with colleagues, students, and families in schools and communities to support student learning.
4. Responsive Educators
Candidates in the middle school MAT will:
a. recognize, appreciate, and respond to the needs of diverse learners based on theory and research of developmental sciences.
b. create a positive, productive learning community that responds to the needs of individual learners.
c. celebrate and integrate the talents and cultures of each student.
Policies & Procedures
The candidate should consult the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the catalog for Webster University policies regarding course attendance; conduct; grades; academic warning, probation, and dismissal; transcripts; and diploma. Proce-dures for registration and drop, add, and withdrawal from a course are outlined in the Enrollment section of this catalog.
Requirements for Missouri Initial Teacher Certification in Middle School Education (Grades 5-9)
Students must contact the Teacher Certification Officer in the School of Education for a transcript evaluation and information regarding teacher certification. Successful completion of a teacher work sample (TWS) is required prior to a recommendation for an initial teacher certification from the university to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
To achieve Missouri state certification in middle school education, students are required to take more than 33 credit hours and should consult with the Teacher Certification Officer in the School of Education to complete a transcript evaluation. This is necessary to identify the exact number of credit hours that an MAT candidate will require to complete certification with the degree.
Students must pass the Praxis Exam before Apprentice Teaching.
Note: students are advised that the full initial certification in middle school (grades 5-9) may require more than the listed hours required for the MAT degree program, alone.
The following courses are required for the MAT degree in Middle School Education.
The following courses must be taken while in-residence at Webster University.
Foundations and Methods
- CMAT 5000 Teaching in a Diverse Society 3 hours
- SOCS 5700 Middle School History and Philosophy 3 hours
- SOCS 5760 Middle School Curriculum & Instruction 3 hours
(prereq SOCS 5700) - CMAT 5015 Differentiated Instruction & Assessment 3 hours
(prereq SOCS 5760) - EPSY 5170 Behavior Management 3 hours
- COMM 5920 Teaching Reading in the Content Field 3 hours
- COMM 5199 Teaching Writing 3 hours
- EPSY 5370 Counseling OR EPSY 5290 Family Counseling 3 hours
Clinical Experience
- CMAT 5092 Middle School Practicum 3 hours
- CMAT 5093 Apprentice Teaching Middle School 9 hours
- CMAT 5096 Apprentice Teaching Seminar 1 hour
In each of the two curricular areas below, one course must be taken in residence and will count toward the degree.
Developmental Psychology
- SPED 5860 Psychology of the Exceptional Student 3 hours
- EPSY 5540 Psychology of Early Adolescence 3 hours
- EPSY 5130 Educational Psychology 3 hours
Content Methods – (Appropriate for chosen discipline) (3 hours)
- EDUC 4575 Methods for Teaching Elementary Social Studies
- COMM 5440 Integrated Language Arts Methods
- MTHT 4450 Middle School Math Methods
- SCIC 5010 Contemporary Strategies for Elementary
- & Middles School Science or EDUC 4580 Methods for
- Teaching Elementary Science
All of the above courses are required to complete the requirements for initial Missouri teacher certification in the Middle School Education program.
The following additional certification requirements are required to complete the certification program.
- COMM 5820 Foundations of Reading 3 hours
- EDTC 5010 Classroom Technology 3 hours
Students will choose one of the following content areas (minimum GPA in content area=3.0).
Language Arts: minimum 21 hours
- 3 hours of Composition (COMM 5280, COMM 5347)
- 6 hours of American Literature (COMM 5391, COMM 5392, COMM 5393)
- 6 hours of World/European Literature (COMM 5399, COMM 5398, COMM 5395)
- 3 hours Contemporary Linguistics (COMM 5344) or Historical Linguistics (COMM 5030)
- 3 hours Young Adult Literature (COMM 5020)
Mathematics: minimum 21 hours
- 4-5 hours Calculus I (MATH 1610)
- 4-5 hours Calculus II (MATH 1620)
- 11 - 13 hours from the following:
- MTHC 5100 Functions & Structures
- MTHC 5110 Perspective in Elem Geometry
- MTHC 5040 Number Theory
- MTHC 5150 Number Systems
- MTHC 5080 Puzzles & Proofs
- MTHC 5130 Probability & Graphs
- MTHC 5120 Topics for Middle School Teacher
Science: minimum 21 hours
- Biology with lab
- Chemistry with lab
- Physics with lab or Physical Science with lab
- Astronomy
- Environmental Science
- Physical Geology
- Meteorology
Social Studies: minimum 24 hours
- 3 hours of Economics (SOCS 5250)
- 3 hours of Geography (SOCS 5260)
- 3 hours American Government (SOCS 5690)
- 6 hours American History (to include 18th, 19th, 20th Century) (SOCS 5270, SOCS 5750)
- 6 hours World/European History (SOCS 5030, SOCS 5040, SOCS 5280, SOCS 5430)
- 3 hours Young Adult Literature (COMM 5020)
Application and Eligibility to CMAT 5092, Middle School Practicum
Registration in CMAT 5092 Middle School Practicum must be approved by the student’s advisor by designated date one semester prior to when practicum is taken. Please see postings outside the School of Education Office or website, for specific deadlines. No late applications will be accepted. B or better is required for the practicum. [http://www.webster.edu/education/students/resources.shtml].
Application to CMAT 5093, Apprentice Teaching: Middle School
Successful completion of CMAT 5092 Apprentice Teaching: Middle School is required to meet the graduation requirements of the MAT in elementary education.
Application and registration in CMAT 5092 must be approved in writing by the student’s advisor early in the semester prior to practicum taking place. Please see postings outside the School of Education Office or on the website for specific deadlines. Students who are full-time paraprofessionals or teachers in an approved educational setting may be eligible to earn credit for Apprentice Teaching through an assessment process.
[http://www.webster.edu/education/students/resources.shtml].
Eligibility requirements for acceptance to CMAT 5093, Apprentice Teaching: Middle School
1) Students must have successfully completed all required courses for initial teacher certification in middle school.
2) Students must have successfully completed CMAT 5092 Middle School Practicum with a B or better
3) Students must have passed the Praxis Exam. Praxis #0049 Middle School-Language Arts, #0069, Middle School-Math, #0439 Middle School-Science, #0089 Middle School-Social Studies with a score equal to or greater than the Missouri qualifying score prior to registration in CMAT 5092, Apprentice Teaching: Middle School. Students are limited to no more than two opportunities to pass the Praxis. Please also see www.ets.org for any Praxis Exam updates.
Students who are interested in applying to this degree program should also see the Admission Section of this catalog for general requirements.
Admission Requirements for the University
- Receipt of official transcript from the baccalaureate granting institution.
- Undergraduate CUM GPA of 2.5.
Send all required documents to the following address:
Webster University
Office of Admission
470 East Lockwood Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63119-3141
Completed application files will be reviewed by the School of Education Graduate Initial Teacher Certification Committee
Degree Admission
Full acceptance into the School of Education MAT requires
- An official transcript from an accredited baccalaureate degree granting institution.
- A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 or higher representing all higher education coursework completed.
- B- or better in College Level Mathematics
- B- or better in College Level Composition
Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) represents a significant milestone in a candidate’s academic career. Candidates may continue enrolling in the program and demonstrating their knowledge, skills, and dispositions and mastery of program standards.
Advancement to Candidate occurs upon completion of:
- Complete 12 hours of graduate credit with grades of B or better (including CMAT 5000).
- Acceptance into the Teacher Certification program (contact the School of Education Teacher Certification Office for more information).
- Candidates must remain in good academic standing.
- Candidates must maintain a CUM GPA of 3.0 with no incomplete grades.
Students will be restricted from registering in further coursework, until advanced to candidacy. Please refer to the Advancement to Candidacy section in this catalog for specific guidelines and/or see your advisor.
CMAT 5000 Teaching in a Diverse Society (3)
Students explore issues in teaching in a multicultural setting, examining the implications of diverse student populations and emphasizing values and beliefs about learning and teaching. The course explores the historical and philosophical foundations of education, focusing on the implications for current diverse classrooms. Students will examine traditional and contemporary philosophies in their historical context and discuss the impact of these on student and teacher roles, curriculum, assessment and instruction, and classroom organization and management.
CMAT 5010 Curriculum Theory, Development and Assessment (3)
This foundation course is an overview of important educational theories. It is designed to examine global curriculum theories and practices and to analyze current educational issues through reading, writing, discussing and presenting ideas. Individuals explore historical perspectives, philosophical theories, and sociologic influences related to contemporary educational concerns. This course will also focus on how to develop curriculum plans that effectively teach all levels of students. Participants will learn how to write lesson plans and unit plans following School of Education guidelines that focus on rationale, description of learners and setting, accommodations for diversity, selection of appropriate goals and objectives, and pre-, during-, and post- assessment of learner's knowledge throughout the unit, as well as unit assessment of learner outcomes. Participants will learn to describe what P-12 students need to know and be able to perform by the end of the unit and will develop a daily general schedule for the lessons included. Participants will learn how to apply research from a variety of resources including print and media and will explore the multifaceted ways for using technology in the classroom. By the end of the course participants will understand how curriculum theory and practice affect the classroom and be able to reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses as a teacher of P-12 students. Prerequisite: CMAT 5000.
CMAT 5015 Differentiated Instruction and Assessment (3)
Based on curriculum theories of assessment, models will be developed for quality assessment using reliability and validity. Summative and formative assessments will be developed, based on student learning and meeting national, state, and organization standards; performance assessment, including teacher-work samples and portfolio assessment will be studied. Qualitative and quantitative measures of evaluation will also be described. Various methods of documenting assessments will be applied. Methods for creating and measuring student dispositions will be developed. In addition, strategies to promote the social and academic integration of all students in the general education classroom will be provided. Topics include the following: inclusive education philosophy and research, tiered academic intervention (RTI), collaborative practices, roles and responsibilities, parent collaboration and communication, curriculum adaptations, differentiated instruction and positive behavior supports. Prerequisite: CMAT 5010 or SOCS 5760.
CMAT 5092 Practicum: Middle School (3)
The focus of this practicum is observation and participation in classrooms in an middle school setting. Practicum occurs near the end of the candidate’s program of study and may only be taken when the candidate has completed the majority of their program. Filing of appropriate forms must be completed one semester prior to placement, by the posted deadline. Private, public and parochial district placements will be made in the St. Louis County and/or St. Louis City areas.
CMAT 5093 Apprentice Teaching: Middle School (9)
Teacher certification students only. This course is meant for students seeking certification in middle school education. The apprentice teaching experience is an intensive, full semester field experience in which students are provided the opportunity to instruct under the expert supervision of university supervisors and cooperating teachers. Prerequisites: CMAT 5092 with B or better and all required courses must be completed. The praxis exam must also have been passed by the student in order to register for CMAT 5093. Private, public and parochial district placements will be made in the St. Louis County and/or St. Louis City areas. Concurrent registration in the Apprentice Teaching seminar in required.
CMAT 5096 Apprentice Teaching Seminar (1)
This seminar will help students in their apprentice teaching focus on multiple factors affecting their class-room experiences, student interactions and curriculum (including planning, classroom organization and structure, unit and lesson planning, and student assessment) through the creation of a Teacher Work Sample. The course is designed to better prepare each student to meet the MoSTEP Standards. The seminar is a concurrent registration with the appropriate apprentice teaching course. Prerequisites: CMAT 5090 or CMAT 5092 or CMAT 5094 with B or better, and all required courses must be completed.
470 East Lockwood Avenue