Teaching with Early Childhood PreK-3 Certification, M.A.T

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The MAT allows those holding a bachelor’s degree to pursue Early Childhood: PreKindergarten-Grade 3 teacher certification and a master’s degree in just 37 semester credit hours. After completing the required coursework, aspiring teachers will have a firm grasp of early childhood pedagogy and content as well as effective classroom management, general instruction, and approaches to cultural differences and exceptionalities among students in today’s classrooms. Graduates will be prepared to enter the education field as leaders who can play an instrumental role in students’ lives.

Students have three options for completing the field experiences and clinical teaching requirements.

Option 1: Placement in a classroom with a trained mentor teacher at one of UHCL’s partner school districts. In this option, students may choose to complete a paid teacher residency with select partner school districts.
Option 2: Students who work as an Educational Aide in a Preschool through 3rd-grade classroom in a Texas public school will be able to complete all of their field experiences and clinical teaching in that position.
Option 3: Students may complete an Internship as the Teacher of Record in a Texas public school. This option requires students to be hired by the school district, complete the required Pre-Internship coursework and field experiences, and pass the Science of Teaching Reading and Early Childhood: Preschool-Grade 3 Generalist TExES exams BEFORE applying for the Internship Certificate from the Texas Education Agency.

Master of Arts in Teaching with Early Childhood: PreKindergarten - Grade 3 Certification (37 hours)

(Must earn a “C” or better in all coursework.)

State Assessment Preparation (1 Hour)

ECED 5010 - Teacher Seminar Credit Hours: 1

Required MAT Courses (30 Hours)

ECED 5431 - The Science of Teaching Reading for PK-3 Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5432 - Social Studies Through Fine Arts Methods for PK-3 Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5433 - Science Methods for PK-3 Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5434 - Mathematics Methods for PK-3 Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5132 - Literacy Development in Early Childhood Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5133 - Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5031 - Teaching Young Children Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5033 - Guidance and Management for PK-3 Credit Hours: 3
SILC 6030 - Foundations of Multicultural Education Credit Hours: 3
SPED 5030 - Survey of Individual Differences Credit Hours: 3

Capstone Experience (6 Hours)

Option 1 - Graduate Clinical Teaching

ECED 5530 - Graduate Clinical Teaching I Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5531 - Graduate Clinical Teaching II Credit Hours: 3

Option 2 - Graduate Clinical Teaching - Paraprofessional

ECED 5530 - Graduate Clinical Teaching I Credit Hours: 3
ECED 5531 - Graduate Clinical Teaching II Credit Hours: 3

Additional Information

Must be employed as an Educational Aide in a Preschool through 3rd-grade classroom in a Texas Public, Charter, or Approved Private School.

Option 3 - Graduate Internship

TCED 5738 - Post-Degree Clinical Teaching I Credit Hours: 3
TCED 5739 - Post-Degree Clinical Teaching II Credit Hours: 3

Additional Information

Requires Application to the UHCL Alternative Certification Program.

Must be employed as the Teacher of Record in a Preschool through 3rd-grade classroom in a Texas Public, Charter, or Approved Private School.

Teacher Education Program (TEP) Admissions Requirements

Completion/Enrollment in ECED 5010.
Public speaking requirement met.
Basic skills in reading, mathematics, & writing requirements met.
2.750 GPA overall or in the last 60 semester credit hours.
$57 TEA admission fee.
Application for admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP).

Teacher Certification Requirements

Passing scores on the appropriate state assessments (Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) are required for recommendation for teacher certification.
Early Childhood - Grade 3 Content (292)
Science of Teaching Reading (293)
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 (160)

Admissions Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (or higher) and a 3.000 GPA in the last 60 hours.

If GPA in last 60 hours is 3.000 or higher, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) is NOT required.

If GPA is below 3.000, scores from the GRE/MAT must be submitted.

If GPA is below 2.500 - 3.000, minimum required test scores:

GRE - 294 combined on the Quantitative & Verbal, 3.5 Analytical Writing