Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary Education

Eligibility and Requirements

Application Requirements

In order to apply to the Master of Arts in Teaching program Elementary Education Licensure track, candidates must have:

• An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale

Content Exams

Prior to starting student teaching, candidates pursuing elementary education licensure are required to take an Elementary Education Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) Content Area Exam and receive a passing score. Students may choose to take this exam before beginning the Master of Arts in Teaching program at North Central, or after the program has begun. 

In this program, students can obtain both a master’s degree and earn their Illinois teacher licensure. The Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary Education program can entitle graduates to state-accredited initial teaching licensure in the following content areas.

Content areas for teaching elementary grades:

Elementary Education (1-6)

Content area for teaching all grades:

• Visual Arts (PK-12)*

*Students follow the same curriculum as the MAT in Secondary Education students, though this licensure allows educators to teach Visual Arts in a PK-12 setting. Please visit the MAT Secondary Education page if interested in this option.

 MAT Elementary Education students can also add an endorsement to teach middle grades (5-8) in the following areas:

• Math (5-8)
• Science (5-8)
• Social Science (5-8)
• Language Arts (5-8)

**Students interested in this option must pass the content test and have at least 18 credit hours in the content area.

International Graduate Student Requirements

If you are not a United States citizen and/or graduate from a college or university in a country other than the United States, you must also submit:

• Official course-by-course evaluation of foreign transcripts
• Official results of the TOEFL or IELTS

More Information

*please note, the Master of Arts in Teaching program does not meet the in-person course requirement for I-20 issuance

The online Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education track can be completed six consecutive semesters.  

• Begins in Spring semester (January)
• 12 courses, 40 credit hours
  • 15 courses, 49 credit hours for degree + Learning Behavior Specialist* licensure eligibility 

*Optional Summer LBS1 Endorsement Series: These courses are not required for the Master of Arts in Teaching degree and thus are ineligible for financial aid.

Program Outcomes

Through this program, candidates will be able to:

• Use multiple perspectives to authentically connect content to learners in relevant ways to foster critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving
• Cultivate inclusive learning environments, ensuring each student is safe, recognized, respected and encouraged
• Create lesson plans that support each student in meeting rigorous learning goals and acknowledges students’ assets, diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences
• Implement instruction that includes each learner's voice and choice to develop deep understanding of content through inquiry, collaboration, technology tools and strategies
• Develop and administer appropriate assessments in order to analyze data and communicate results that monitor learner progress and guide decision making
• Perceive and respond to inequity and injustice in instructional practices and policies, educational environments, and life circumstances to support the well- being of all learners