Graduate Major
The graduate program for Teaching in Elementary Education is designed for those with a bachelor's degree in a field outside of education and who wish to become certified teachers in grades kindergarten through six. This four-semester program includes research-informed coursework focusing on elementary classroom methods, subject-area content and two semester-long field experiences.
DEGREE OPTIONS
The College of Education offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education on the St. Petersburg campus. The program includes both the state of Florida English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Endorsement and Reading Endorsement for all program graduates.
View more information about options on the USF Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee campuses.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AT USF ST. PETERSBURG
This program offers an engaging curriculum and hands-on opportunities, including:
- A part-time practicum and full-time internship
- A summer semester place-based instruction with integrated instructional planning and social science coursework, with class sessions held at local museums, libraries and other local centers
- Building relationships and connections while learning to teach in one of our partnership schools
- Working alongside an experienced elementary mentor teacher as well as a university field-supervisor
- In-depth exploration of core curricular areas, including math, science, language arts/reading and social studies with meaningful connections to clinical experiences.
Field experiences are key to this program and designed to facilitate theory-to-practice connections and include experiences within specific courses, a one-semester part-time practicum, and a one-semester full-time internship. Our program partners with schools in Pinellas County. In most cases, students will complete a field experience in a primary grade (K-2) and an intermediate grade (3-5) classroom in two different settings.
With a focus on quality clinical experience and the need to maintain compliance with
stringent state mandates governing these experiences, our students must conduct their
practicum and final internship within our designated service area.
Learn more about our integrated summer course experience.
CALL ME MiSTER
A unique aspect of this graduate degree is the Call Me MiSTER Program, which aims to increase the number of male teachers of color in elementary schools
with large populations of poor or at-risk students. The initiative, which stands for
Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models, is a partnership with Pinellas
County Public Schools.
Students enrolled in the program receive tuition assistance for approved areas of
study, an academic support system to help assure success, social and cultural support,
assistance with job placement and the opportunity to attend a national summer conference
with all the Call Me MISTER participants. In exchange, graduates agree to teach in
urban or low-income elementary school classrooms – at least one year for every year
they receive assistance from the program.
We are recruiting men of color for their undergraduate teacher certification or a
Master of Arts in Teaching. For further details or to apply to this specific MAT cohort,
please contact the program advisor, Arleyna Loss, at arleyna@usf.edu or the Project Coordinator, Dr. Sandra Vernon-Jackson, at sajackson@usf.edu.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Always refer to the Graduate Catalog for degree requirements. Students are urged to consult with the MAT advisor to create the most beneficial set of courses.
QUESTIONS?
For questions on applications and advising on the St. Petersburg campus, contact Arleyna Loss at arleyna@usf.edu.