Already have a bachelor’s, just not in teaching? Turn the subject you love into the career you want. The MAT prepares career-changers to lead a classroom of their own.
Designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education and want to pursue professional teaching certification, FSC’s Master of Arts in Teaching opens the door to the classroom.
Maybe you studied biology, or art, or math, and you have realized your real calling is to teach it. The MAT in Transformational Curriculum and Instruction is built for exactly that move. You will learn research-based, student-centered teaching methods through flexible online courses, then put them into practice in a real classroom alongside a mentor teacher. By the end, you will be ready to lead a classroom of your own.
FSC’s MAT gives you the flexibility to keep your life moving while you change careers, with the hands-on classroom experience that makes you a confident, certification-ready teacher.
Changing careers is a big step, and you won't take it alone. Our graduate admissions team will walk you through every part of the application, answer your questions, and help you map out your path to the classroom.
Here's what goes into a complete application:
Note: You’ll need to achieve a passing score on all sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE). You can complete this before you start or within your first 12 credit hours, and your advisor will help you plan the timing.
Not sure whether you have everything together? Reach out to Kimmy Diallo, your admission counselor and advisor. She will walk through your background with you and tell you the next step.
The MAT curriculum centers on transformational teaching: building dynamic relationships between teachers, students, and a shared body of knowledge to maximize each student’s growth. You will study active, collaborative, experiential, and problem-based learning, then carry those approaches into your internship.
All eight core courses are delivered 100 percent online, so you can complete coursework around your current job and commitments. Only your final internship and its accompanying seminar take place in person, in a Polk County school classroom.
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EDU 6910 |
Transformational Teaching and Learning Four hours. |
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EDU 6920 |
Transformational Learning Environments Two hours. |
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EDU 6930 |
Transformational Teaching and Learning through Research Four hours. |
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EDU 6945 |
Transforming Curriculum and Instruction Through Reading Four hours. |
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EDU 6950 |
Transformational Teaching and Learning with Diverse Populations and Special Education Four hours. |
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EDU 6960 |
Assessing Transformational Teaching and Learning Four hours. |
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EDU 6970 |
Transformational Instructional Leadership Four hours. |
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EDU 6980 |
Advanced Research in Transformational Teaching and Learning Four hours. Prerequisite: EDU 6930. |
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EDU 6610 |
Internship Ten hours. A 12-week / 60-day placement in a Polk County school, teaching, modeling, observing, and evaluating in your specialty area. |
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EDU 6640 |
Student Teaching Seminar Two hours. Weekly seminar for the intern, focused on classroom management, methods, and reflection. |
Program Total - 42 hours
Tuition per Credit Hour: $490
Technology Fee per Semester: $25 to $100 (based on credit hours enrolled)
Non-Refundable Enrollment Deposit: $250 (upon acceptance, applied toward your first semester tuition balance)
The heart of the MAT is your internship: a 60-day, full-time placement in a Polk County school, where you take on the responsibilities of a certified Florida classroom teacher in your subject area, supported by a mentor teacher and a faculty supervisor. It is real teaching experience, and a real resume builder, before you ever apply for your first job.
Coursework and your supervised internship prepare you to complete the steps toward your Florida Professional Teaching Certificate, the credential that opens the door to a career in education.
The MAT is built for one outcome: to prepare you to become certified and into a teaching role in your subject area. Your internship places you directly in a Polk County classroom, and our school partnerships help connect graduates with job opportunities across the district.
Coursework and your supervised internship prepare you to complete the steps toward your Florida Professional Teaching Certificate, the credential that opens the door to a teaching career.
Many MAT students earn their Professional Teaching Certificate along the way and transition into FSC’s Master of Education in Transformational Curriculum and Instruction, which shares the same eight online courses and does not require the internship. It is a flexible bridge from career-changer to credentialed, advanced educator.
Sarah came to Florida Southern for her bachelor's and decided to continue her journey here. Hear why she chose to keep her momentum going with FSC’s MEd — and what the program has meant for her as an educator.
Our education faculty are experienced classroom teachers and mentors who know what it takes to make the leap into teaching, because they guide career-changers through it every term.
Literacy Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Education
Assistant Professor of Education
Yes. The MAT is designed specifically for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in an area other than education and do not yet hold a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate.
The eight core courses are 100 percent online. The one in-person component is your capstone internship, completed in a Polk County school. Many students earn their Professional Teaching Certificate during the program and transition into the Master of Education in Transformational Curriculum and Instruction, which does not require the internship.
A graduate student is considered full time at a minimum of 8 credit hours.
Most students complete the coursework in as few as four semesters, then complete the internship in a final, fifth semester.
If you remain in the MAT program, yes. But once you complete the items on your FLDOE Letter of Eligibility and earn your Florida Professional Teaching Certificate, you can transition into the MEd in Transformational Curriculum and Instruction, which includes the same eight online courses and does not require the internship.
At Florida Southern, you are our focus. Our graduate admissions team is here to support you through the application process and help you decide whether the MAT is the right move for your career.
Director of Field Study and Evening Education Programs
Dean of Education, Nina B. Hollis Endowed Chair of Education, Associate Professor of Education
Already certified, or exploring other paths in education? Explore FSC’s other graduate and doctoral options:
Ready to turn your degree into a teaching career? Request more information about the Master of Arts in Teaching, or start your free graduate application today.
