4+1 Master of Arts in Transformational Curriculum and Instruction
Already a Florida Southern education student pursuing initial certification? Begin your master's early and graduate ready to teach, with advanced classroom strategies and a clinical internship in a Polk County school.
New to the 4+1 model? See how accelerated programs work, including eligibility and tuition savings, on the Accelerated Program Options page.
The Same MAT, Started Early
A Master of Arts in Transformational Curriculum and Instruction (MAT) prepares you to become a teacher while earning a master's degree, building advanced classroom skills through research-based strategies and transformational teaching methods: active, student-centered, collaborative, experiential, and problem-based learning.
The 4+1 path leads to the same 42-hour MAT as our traditional path, built for those pursuing initial teacher certification. Courses are 100% online except the student-teaching internship and seminar, completed in a Polk County public school. As a qualified FSC undergraduate, you begin graduate coursework early and count it toward both degrees.
The Early Credits
As a 4+1 student you may complete up to 6 credit hours of graduate work during your senior year, counting toward both degrees and billed at the undergraduate rate.
Clinical Experience
The MAT includes a 70-day internship in a Polk County school classroom for hands-on teaching experience. Students who already hold a full Professional Teaching Certificate are exempt from this requirement.
4+1 Admission Requirements
The 4+1 MAT path is for current Florida Southern undergraduates. To be eligible, you should apply during your junior year and meet the following:
- 93+ undergraduate credit hours completed at the start of the program
- Apply during your junior year; 3.0 GPA or higher
- Photocopy of ID, passport, or driver's license
- Completion of a Polk County School Board (PCSB) background check clearance
- Approval from the MAT Program Director
How 4+1 Billing Works
Because you begin graduate courses before your bachelor's is awarded, those credits are billed at your undergraduate tuition rate — which is how the 4+1 saves you money. Once your bachelor's is awarded, remaining MAT coursework is billed at the current MAT per-credit-hour rate.
Get in Touch
Ready to start early? Talk with the Adult and Graduate Admission about the 4+1 path.
Brooke Veal, MATL
Director of Field Study and Evening Education Programs
- 863.680.5004
- bveal@flsouthern.edu
- Carol J. Barnett / Curry Education Office - 106
Lori Rakes, Ph.D.
Dean of Education, Nina B. Hollis Endowed Chair of Education, Associate Professor of Education
- 863.680.4172
- lrakes@flsouthern.edu
- Carol J. Barnett / Curry Education Office - 113