41 Credit Hours
PLEASE NOTE: Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the summer.
MAT in Art Education or Elementary Education
Columbia College Chicago offers a Master of Arts in Teaching degree within two graduate programs. Art Education (K-12) prepares candidates to teach the visual arts at the elementary, middle-school, and secondary levels; Elementary Education (K-9) prepares candidates to teach in self-contained elementary classrooms and includes the option of one or more middle-school endorsement areas. Each of the programs train teachers to be both artists and scientists, able to skillfully blend content and creative pedagogy in the dynamic art of teaching.
students are prepared to skillfully blend content and creative pedagogy in the dynamic art of teaching
With courses offered in the early evenings, these two-year programs are ideal for both aspiring educators who wish to make a meaningful career change and those already committed to the field who wish to obtain new tools and formalized credentials.
Educators of Excellence Serving Urban Communities
The primary goal of both of the education programs is to create leaders who foster collaboration, critical thinking and reflection, consciousness of self and of cultural diversity in the classroom. In particular, Columbia has a commitment to support the ongoing development of teachers who are entrusted with the education of urban communities. Through both theoretical and practical learning experiences, the programs address the needs of the modern urban classroom and prepare teachers who act as agents of change in schools-knowing not only what to teach and how to teach, but also how to make a difference in the lives of students.
the arts are integrated into all teaching methods classes
Innovative Curriculum and Hands-On Approach
Columbia has a unique approach to education studies in that the arts are integrated into all teaching methods classes, including those in a Professional Education Core and those in a Specialty Core. All students participate in Professional courses which engage them in topics such as educational psychology, multicultural and global awareness, education of the exceptional child, and technology in the classroom, while Specialty courses focus on issues central to the student's area of specialization: Elementary Education or Art Education.
The carefully designed core curriculum is balanced with diverse and substantial practical experience. Drawing on the resources of a major urban city, Columbia works collaboratively with local public schools to ensure that all degree candidates complete 120 hours for Art Education MAT and 115 hours for Elementary Education MAT of pre-clinical field experience in up to ten different classrooms throughout Chicago. In addition, MAT students participate in 14 weeks of student teaching under the mentorship of experienced teaching professionals. This hands-on approach offers students a robust range of experiences and connects them with the educational communities of which they will become a part.
students enter the profession with a strong academic base and extensive classroom experience
Transition to the Field
Columbia students are prepared to meet State of Illinois teacher certification standards and to enter the profession with a strong academic base and extensive classroom experience. In addition, their readiness to become successful teachers is enhanced by a capstone project which integrates Illinois Professional Teaching Standards with pedagogical processes and artifacts to depict-in an artistically-designed portfolio-the knowledge, experiences, and growth of the teacher candidate. The portfolio also contains a demonstration of the student's ability to conduct systematic inquiry into the effectiveness of his or her teaching, a concept referred to as "action-research." This thoughtful compilation reinforces the student's graduate experience and serves as a continual resource throughout their teaching career.