Fifth-Year Master's Degree Program: BA/BS and MAT in Middle and High School Education

Fifth-Year Program Benefits

Be ready to start teaching in five years

The undergraduate degree provides subject area knowledge and MAT degree provides the pedagogical knowledge along with hands-on experience during student teaching with a mentor teacher. Students completing a MAT degree are endorsed for initial licensure in the state of Massachusetts and the rest of the 49 states and District of Columbia, as well as some U.S. territories and Canadian provinces, as detailed in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) interstate agreement. https://www.nasdtec.net/page/Interstate.

Get a head start on your master's while still an undergraduate 

A benefit of the fifth-year program is you can take advantage of reserving up to 2 100-level or above courses taken during your undergraduate program to use for your masters degree program. This means they will not count towards your bachelors degree but will allow you to take these required courses at the undergraduate tuition rate and allow more flexibility when going through the MAT program. We encourage you to consider ED 130: Human Development and Learning and/or a course that fulfills the foundations requirement, such as ED 161: Anthropology and Sociology of School or ED 162: Critical Histories of U.S. Education. Course reservation forms should be completed according the rules and deadlines designated by Student Services.”

Additionally, up to 2 100-level courses can be double-counted earning you both credit for your bachelors degree and your masters degree. We recommend you do this with your subject area courses required for the MAT program. These shared graduate-level course credit-hours must be part of the master's degree requirements and must adhere to the policies in the graduate student handbook and program handbook.

Reduce the overall cost of the MAT degree 

Because you have already taken courses as an undergraduate using the reserve or double-counting listed above, the overall cost for the MAT degree will be reduced. Once admitted and after receiving your bachelor's degree, you will be charged graduate tuition on a per-credit basis only for the courses that are left to complete.  

Fifth-Year Master's students may seek financial aid assistance for their graduate degree. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences provides a graduate tuition scholarship proportional to the undergraduate tuition award at the time of application.

Fifth-Year Pathway

You've decided that a career in teaching may be the right fit for you. Follow our step by step path in consultation with the director of the Middle and High School Education MAT program, Ryan Redmond, and you'll be well on your way!

Step 1 - Major or minor in a subject area that aligns with the licensure areas we endorse in!

Endorsement areas: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, General Science, History/Social Science, Latin & Classical Humanities, Mathematics, Physics and Spanish. 

Building a strong foundation for teaching in these subject areas starts with a broad range of coursework that aligns with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Curricular Frameworks. Your exact course pathway is flexible, work with your major advisor and an Education faculty member to choose courses that meet your goals and interests. 

Subject area advising worksheets coming soon! 

Biology WorksheetEarth Science WorksheetEnglish WorksheetGeneral Science WorksheetHistory Worksheet

Step 2 - Consider applying for the fifth-year Master's degree program: BS/MAT in Middle and High School Education

Have a conversation with Education faculty member, Ryan Redmond, about your interest in a career in teaching. Take a sneak peak and consider enrolling in some introductory courses in Education, such as ED 001: School and Society,   ED 010: Teaching and Learning in K-12 History and Social Studies, ED 020: Seminar for Learning Assistants in STEM, or ED 189: The Role of "Story" in Education to see if it's right for you. 

Step 3 - Apply for admission

Admission to the graduate portion of the program is separate from your undergraduate admission. You can apply during the spring of your junior year or by the fall of your senior year. Check the GSAS Fifth-Year Master's Degree Program information for specific deadlines. Before applying, you'll need to complete at least one course in the Department of Education.

What you'll need to apply:

• Two letters of recommendation, including one from a faculty member close to the subject area you plan to teach
• No GRE required
• No graduate application fee

As you prepare your application, consult with your undergraduate major advisor and with Ryan Redmond, Director of the MAT in Middle and High School Education.

Step 4: Start and complete the MAT in Middle and High School Education 

Congratulations! You were accepted into the MAT program! Make sure you've worked with student services to have the courses you designated to either double count or be reserved for the MAT program listed on your transcript!

You will work closely with the director of the program, Ryan Redmond, to work on your schedule, obtain your field placement site and supervising practitioner (mentor teacher), and complete all requirements needed to successfully be endorsed for initial license. Here's an idea of what an example schedule could look like, including the possibilities for double counting or reserving courses from your undergraduate program.

10 courses are required to complete the MAT program

If you have questions regarding the Fifth-Year Master's Program in Middle and High School Education, please contact the program director, Ryan Redmond.

Admission Process and Criteria

Admission to the graduate degree portion of the program is separate from the undergraduate degree portion. Students may apply during the spring of their junior year or by the fall of their senior year. For application deadlines, please see the GSAS Fifth-Year Master's Degree Program information.  Students must take at least one course within the Department of Education prior to applying.

Applicants are required to submit two letters of recommendation, with one letter from a faculty in a discipline related to the area you intend to teach. Applicants are exempted from the GRE requirement, and are not required to pay the graduate application fee.

Prospective Fifth-Year Master's Degree students should consult with their undergraduate major advisor and Ryan Redmond, Director of the MAT in Middle and High School Education.

Student and Alumni Perspectives

Abraham Alvarado, MAT Middle and High School, Class of 2022, speaking about 'From Undergraduate to Graduate to Teacher'