Nov 22, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Teaching Middle Grades 5-9/Initial Certificate, M.A.T.


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Degree offered at: Available Online

Campbellsville University’s MAT program (5-9) is both a traditional (36 hours) and Option 6 alternative certification (30 hours) program uniquely designed to reflect a professional learning community. It will be delivered by education and Arts and Science faculty in collaboration and partnership with area school district personnel. Candidates will acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be effective teachers. The outcome will be documented in several critical assessments - the electronic portfolio and during field and clinical experiences. Mentoring for alternative certification candidates is consistently and intentionally planned for the duration of the candidate’s employment on the temporary provisional certificate. Courses will be taught in an online format, designed in eight-week graduate terms.

The middle grades certification MAT program consists of education and special teaching methods coursework, as well as an action research project proposal and a semester long student-teaching experience for traditional candidates. Content literacy program requirements for reading and writing (16 KAR 5:060) are addressed specifically in the ED 659  course and are required to be included in all instruction. The professor for ED 659  has a terminal degree in reading. Option 6 alternative route candidates will have a mentor while functioning in their own classroom setting.

Candidates may earn middle grades certification in one of the following areas:

  • English (5-9)
  • Mathematics (5-9)
  • Science (5-9)
  • Social Studies (5-9)

Content Area Methods Courses: (3-6 hours)


  • ENG 565 Teaching English in Middle and High Schools (20 field hours)
  • BIO 550 Methods of Science Teaching (biology and chemistry) (20-40 field hours)
  • SSE 544 Teaching Social Studies in Middle and Secondary Schools (20-40 field hours)
  • MTH 550 Methods and Materials of Teaching Mathematics (20-40 field hours)

Total Required Courses:


(Option 6): 30 hours

(Traditional route): 36 hours

Program Admission


Candidates for the MAT program matriculate through the educator preparation assessment requirements in the same manner as all other candidates in initial certification programs. CAP 5 is admission to the program where all MAT candidates must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 as documented on official transcript for a Bachelor’s degree in a content area from an accredited institution (or 3.0 on last 30 hours). Candidates must also have passing scores on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exams and content exams. The transcripts will be reviewed by education and content faculty to determine that the content for the SPA standards have been fulfilled. Further, candidates must provide three dispositional assessment, a clear, state criminal background check, and sign the unit’s disposition assessment policy. They must also sign and commit to the KY Code of Ethics/Character and Fitness, complete a diversity survey, self-assessment, and interview by School of Education faculty.

CAP Document


CAP 6 is a mid-point check in the educator preparation program for graduate candidates and involves evaluation of cumulative GPA (3.0), disposition assessments, completion of at least 100 field experience hours and an application for student teaching for candidates in the traditional route, which includes a commitment to the Code of Ethics, and other EPSB and university based requirements (MAT Student Teaching Application).

CAP 7 is program exit. Candidates must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA, passed the PLT, passed student teaching and submitted the exit portfolio based on student teaching for traditional candidates, meeting all Kentucky Teacher Performance Standards. For students who are in the traditional MAT program, CAP 7 would be completed at the end of their student teaching placement with a grade of C or higher. For Option 6 candidates, full exit occurs.

CAP 5 Admission


_____ Application to Graduate Studies and MAT Program

Official Transcript _____Y _____N (Reviewed by education and content faculty)

Cumulative GPA 2.75 (or 3.0 on last 30 hours) ___Y ___N GPA_____ Review date: __/__/__

_____ Interview by Education and Content Faculty

Three (3) Disposition recommendations (recommended: immediate supervisor, colleague, self)

(1)_____ (2) _____ (3)_____

_____KY Code of Ethics (signed)

_____TB Risk Assessment

_____Character & Fitness(signed)

_____Diversity Survey Signed

_____State Criminal Background Check

_____Statement of Acknowledgement/Commitment (signed)

_____Curriculum Contract/Guide sheet (signed)

_____Disposition Policy

_____Self-Disposition

Content Area:

_____English

_____Mathematics

_____Social Studies

_____Science

CAP 6 Continuation


_____Transcript Review (min. 3.0 GPA)

_____GPA (minimum 3.0)

_____ Credit Hours Completed (15 earned hours)

_____Updated Curriculum Guidesheet

_____Student Teaching Application (Traditional Candidates); 100 Field Hours Documented for Final Approval

_____Signed Code of Ethics

_____Documentation of at least 100 field hours

_____Dispositions (program professor and self)

CAP 7 Completion/Exit


Transcript Review
_____GPA (minimum 3.0)
_____ 30-36hours completed
_____Transcript Attached

_____Updated Curriculum Guidesheet

_____Praxis Content Exam

_____Praxis PLT Taken and Passed

_____Exit Portfolio

_____Graduation Application

Other Exit Requirements (Traditional)

_____Video/Interview

_____Two Disposition Recommendations

(1)_____ (self) (2) _____ (faculty)

_____CA-1 Form Completed and Attached

_____Transcript Request

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