TRACK DESCRIPTION
The Science Education Biology in the Master of Arts in Teaching program was created to allow individuals not certified to teach secondary science (such as noneducation majors or previously certified teachers in another field) to become effective teachers of secondary science.
The Master of Arts in Teaching is a state-approved initial teacher preparation program that is subject to any change in the Florida Administrative Code (State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066). Students enrolled in this program should remain in close contact with their adviser to keep informed of any program changes implemented to comply with new state requirements.
The Science Education Biology MAT program was created to allow individuals not certified to teach secondary science (such as noneducation majors or previously certified teachers in another field) to become effective teachers of secondary science.
The program is dedicated to providing all graduates with exceptional pedagogical and subject matter knowledge and skills by focusing on research-based, state-of-the-art best practices in secondary science education.
CURRICULUM
| Total Credit Hours Required: |
| 36
Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree |
Required Courses—21 Credit Hours
Core—16 Credit Hours
- ESE 6935 Introductory Seminar in Secondary Education* (1 credit hour)
- EDG 6415 Principles of Instruction and Classroom Management* (3 credit hours)
- EDF 6727 Critical Analysis of Social, Ethical, Legal, and Safety Issues Related to Education (3 credit hours)
- EDF 6237 Principles of Learning and Introduction to Classroom Assessment (3 credit hours)
- LAE 5337 Literacy Strategies for Middle and Secondary Teaching (3 credit hours)
- TSL 5085 Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms (3 credit hours)
*Must be taken in the first semester in the program.
Methods—3 Credit Hours
- SCE 5337 Issues and Methods in Secondary School Science (3 credit hours)
Capstone—2 Credit Hours
- ESE 6936 Capstone Seminar in Secondary Education (2 credit hours)
Co-requisites
Students are required to have 30 credit hours of co-requisite science course work to meet certification requirements to teach science in grades 6-12. These may be previously earned undergraduate or graduate science credits, or include graduate credits in science approved for electives in the program. Only six hours of independent study courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements. It is important to see an adviser if courses are difficult to schedule in content areas.
DOE Certification
- All students must complete a portfolio according to program guidelines. This portfolio requires demonstration of professional growth, reflection, and proficiency in the 12 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.
- Pass all required sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination prior to graduation.
Elective Courses—9 Credit Hours
The elective courses are chosen in accord with the student's area of specialization.
- Electives approved by adviser (9 credit hours)
Internship—6 Credit Hours
- SCE 6946 Graduate Internship (6 credit hours)
Satisfactory completion of the Graduate Internship requires the student to demonstrate proficiency in all 12 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices at the pre-professional level in accordance with State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.065. Students must apply and be approved for Graduate Internship through the College of Education's Office of Clinical Experiences. Applications and deadlines are available at http://education.ucf.edu/clinicalexp.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Master of Arts in Teacher Education program pay a $64 equipment each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $32 per semester.
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
All students must complete a portfolio according to program guidelines. This portfolio requires demonstration of professional growth, reflection, and proficiency in the 12 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
This program does not require GRE for admission, but in accordance with Florida Statute 1004.4 and State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066, admission to this graduate-level, state-approved initial teacher preparation program requires one of the following: 1) a composite verbal-quantitative GRE score of at least 1000, or 2) having previously passed all four parts of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), or 3) passing all four parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination/General Knowledge Test (FTCE/GKT). Applicants who do not meet this requirement via option 1 (GRE) or 2 (CLAST), must take and pass the FTCE/GKT for admission.
Students may not switch from an MAT program to an MEd program without going through the university's application process.
Application Deadlines
| Science Education-Biology |
Fall Priority
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Fall
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Spring
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Summer
|
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Domestic Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jul 15 | Dec 1 | Apr 15 |
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International Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | Jul 1 | Nov 1 |
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International Transfer Applicants
| Jan 15 | Mar 1 | Sep 1 | Dec 15 |
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FINANCIALS
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see
Funding for Graduate School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The
Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see Fellowships, which includes descriptions of UCF fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.