Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)

About the Program

The full-time, 12-month Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program prepares students with strong liberal arts backgrounds, including recent college graduates, career-changers and others with significant life experience, to become highly qualified, licensed classroom teachers. Two degrees are offered: the Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education and the Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education (Middle and High Schools). Prospective M.A.T. students apply to one of the following “concentrations” (areas of specialization):

The M.A.T. program, which begins each June, combines two summers of study on the Brandeis campus with a nine-month internship in a public elementary or secondary (middle or high) school or a Jewish day school, in the Boston area. M.A.T. students become members of our dynamic learning community, working closely with peers, experienced classroom teachers, and dedicated faculty, in an atmosphere that is collegial and open to risk-taking. The community continues even after students earn their degrees, through an induction program for graduates whose initial teaching position is in the Boston area.

The M.A.T. program leads to the initial license to teach in Massachusetts, which has reciprocity with 44 other states and the District of Columbia. Candidates for the M.A.T. degree are expected to satisfy all of the requirements for initial teaching license in their field, including the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL).

Degree Options

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Elementary Education (full-time only)
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Secondary Education (full-time only)

Courses and Completion Requirements

For the most updated course listing, course descriptions, and degree requirements, please click here.

Faculty

We encourage you to explore one of the department’s greatest assets through our faculty pages. Learn more about the people who will help guide you along your graduate school path here.

Additional Resources

Consortium: Our membership in the Boston consortium allows you to take courses at Tufts University, Boston University, and Boston College, thus enhancing your Brandeis experience and the spirit of collaboration which Brandeis embodies.
Student Services: At Brandeis, you will become part of a community that is strengthened by life both within and outside of the classroom and laboratory walls. Please visit Student Services to see the array of University resources, events, and programming for graduate students, including our Graduate Student Services Center, Off-Campus Housing, Health Insurance, English as a Second Language (ESL) program, Disability Resources, Counseling Center, Career Services, and the Graduate Student Association.

Admission Information

Admission Semester:

Summer (begins in June)

Application Deadlines:

Early Admission (below): Dec. 1
Rolling Admission: Applications received after the Dec. 1 Early Admission deadline will be reviewed in the order received until the cohort is full. After the program fills, qualified applicants may be offered a place on our waiting list.

Early Admission :

Early admission to the M.A.T. program is an option for qualified applicants to be admitted for graduate study prior to the committee’s review of other applicants. Aside from the possibility of knowing early on whether one will be attending graduate school during the following summer, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences also waives the application fee for early applicants.

Applicants should declare their interest in early admission by composing an e-mail to both GSAS and to the M.A.T. Program. Doing so will notify the review committee of such action and will allow the application fee to be waived. In case of applicants requesting early decision, the Admission Committee will, at its discretion, do one of the following:

1. Offer the candidate early admission to the M.A.T. program and concurrently take action on any scholarship application(s) the candidate may have made;
2. Offer the candidate early admission to the MAT program, and defer action on any scholarship application(s) he/she may have made until January 30.
3. Defer action on the candidate's application until January 30.

Admission Requirements:

To apply for the program, you need to submit:

An application to the graduate school, which can be electronically submitted here;
An application fee (please click here for instructions);
Official transcripts from all universities and colleges attended; applicants must provide a final transcript indicating successful completion of an undergraduate degree program before registration;
Three letters of recommendation, which the admissions committee prefers to be submitted online (please click here for more information): One letter should address your academic/intellectual qualifications; one letter should address your experience and/or potential for work with children or youth; there are no specific requirements for the third letter, but applicants with substantial work/professional experience should consider a letter from an employer.
A curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé: List all colleges and universities attended; major extracurricular activities and employment, detailing particularly those relevant to your proposed field of study; and, if applicable, any honors or prizes awarded and publications and research projects with which you have been associated.
A statement of purpose (specific instructions follow) that states the concentration to which you are applying (i.e., Elementary: Public, Elementary:Jewish Day Schools/DeLet, or Secondary (English, biology, chemistry, physics, history, or Bible/Tanakh). Essays should be uploaded in one document upon submission of application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
- For the Public Elementary and Secondary Education concentrations: In an essay of three to five pages, discuss your reasons for undertaking graduate study in education at this time. Explain one or two of your core reasons for going into teaching. Please be sure to state the specific concentration to which you are applying and discuss your reasons for the selection. Describe your relevant experience and other qualifications.
- DeLeT (Jewish Day Schools, Elementary): Applicants to the elementary Jewish Day Schools/DeLeT program do not need to submit a Statement of Purpose. Instead, in one document of 3-5 pages, please address the following two prompts and upload as one document with your application: (1) Explain one or two of your core reasons for wanting to be an elementary day school teacher; and (2) Describe a teacher who had a profound impact on you.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test is required. Our ETS (for the GRE) institution code is 3092. Our code for the Miller Analogies Test is 1197.
International students: For additional requirements for international applicants (non-U.S. citizens or non-permanent residents), minimum TOEFL and IELTS scores, and important information regarding visas, please click here.

For a more comprehensive description of application requirements, please click here.

Please also note:
- DeLeT candidates may be contacted for an interview.
- Applicants to the elementary program are expected to show sufficient knowledge to be qualified to teach the core elementary school subjects of mathematics, English language arts, science and the social sciences, including American history. DeLeT candidates should also show basic knowledge of Hebrew.
- Applicants to the secondary program are expected to possess a major or equivalent in the subject they wish to teach.
- Applicants who would like professional experience to be taken into account for purposes of review of academic qualifications should submit an additional statement of explanation along with the statement of purpose. Suitable documentation may be required.

Financial Aid

Generous financial aid is available; for more information please click here. To learn about scholarship support based on promise of excellence in teaching and intended career path, please e-mail the MAT program. In your e-mail, please state your intended teaching specialty. Additional scholarships for DeLeT and Tanakh students include full-tuition scholarships and a stipend for their work in Jewish day schools.

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