Step Into the Classroom With Confidence
With a Master of Arts in Teaching, you鈥檒l gain the skills and certification you need to lead, inspire, and teach in middle school and high school鈥攁ll in just one year.
Overview
Calvin鈥檚 MAT is designed for aspiring educators鈥攃areer changers, those re-entering the workforce after time away, and anyone with a recent bachelor鈥檚 degree in a field they want to teach. At Calvin, you鈥檒l find a program specifically designed to speed your way to a teaching certification.
Everything about our program is focused on getting you the practical experience that will start your new career on the strongest possible foundation. That means you鈥檒l get an entire year of field experience in a local classroom alongside your classroom learning. You鈥檒l be mentored by faculty who will help you chart a course to your career goals. At the end of the year, you鈥檒l have everything you need to launch a career in teaching.
| Course number | Course name |
|---|---|
| EDUC 103 | Introduction to Education |
| EDUC 240 | The Social Context of Education |
| EDUC 241 | Inclusive Teaching: Ability, Language, and Multicultural Education |
| EDUC 243 | Teaching and Learning Lab |
| EDUC 249 | The Christian Teacher |
| EDUC 399 | Philosophy of Education |
| EDUC 507 | Curriculum, Instruction, and Content Area Literacy |
| EDUC 508 | Internship I |
| EDUC 510 | Framing Questions, Global Forces, Constraining Structures |
| EDUC 546 | Student Teaching Internship |
| EDUC 554 | Pathways to Inclusion: Re-examining Beliefs about Learners |
| EDUC 559 | Student Teaching Seminar |
| EDUC 590 | Independent Study |
Why Earn an MAT from Calvin?
Practical experience: You won鈥檛 just be learning in a classroom鈥攜ou'll be teaching in one. Calvin鈥檚 MAT emphasizes field placements and student teaching, where you鈥檒l master the essentials of lesson planning, classroom management, and assessment. You鈥檒l graduate with a full year of real-world classroom experience.
Faith and ethics: At Calvin, your teaching is grounded in a Christian worldview. You鈥檒l explore how faith shapes education. You鈥檒l learn to see your teaching as an act of profound and life-changing service, built on a vision for justice and integrity.
Mentorship and support: You won鈥檛 go it alone. Calvin鈥檚 faculty are committed to your success, offering guidance, encouragement, and career connections throughout your journey.
Duration
Cost per credit; financial aid available
Total credit hours
Available through the MI Future Educator stipend *
Program outcome
* this $9600 grant is contingent upon teaching in the public school system after graduation. Contact us for details.
What Can You Do with a Calvin MAT?
- Become a certified teacher in Michigan
- Teach in public, private, or charter schools
- Pursue advanced roles in curriculum development or educational leadership
- Serve in international or faith-based education settings
What Will Your Courses Look Like?
Courses in Calvin鈥檚 MAT program are interactive, practical, and connected to the realities of today鈥檚 classrooms.
Curriculum, Instruction, and Content Area Literacy
Explore how reading and writing shape the way students learn in middle and high school classrooms. You鈥檒l approach everything through a specifically reformed Christian lens, connecting big ideas with real classroom experience through an in-depth practicum. You鈥檒l also complete a project tailored to your specific teaching interests.
Philosopy of Education
Examine how education works in real life鈥攏ot just in classrooms, but as part of culture and society. You鈥檒l look at the ideas, history, and social influences that shape how schools operate and what they teach. Along the way, you鈥檒l reflect on your own beliefs and begin to shape a personal, faith-based view of what education means and how it should be practiced.
Framing Questions, Global Forces, Constraining Structures
What makes a good society, and how does education fit into it? You鈥檒l look at how schools are shaped by politics, money, and global issues鈥攁nd how these forces affect students and teachers. Using Christian ideas of justice, hope, and shalom, you鈥檒l explore how faith can guide your view of education.
