Ready to lead your own classroom? UNC Pembroke’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program makes it possible. With 14 specializations and flexible online and hybrid options, you can find the path that fits your passion and your schedule. Build real-world skills that matter and start building a future that makes a difference. This degree also serves as a licensure pathway for all approved Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs).
Art, Birth to Kindergarten, Elementary Education, English Education (9-12), Health/Physical Education, Mathematics Education (9-12), Middle Grades Language Arts, Middle Grades Mathematics, Middle Grades Science Education, Middle Grades Social Studies Education, Science Education (9-12), Social Studies Education (9-12), Spanish Education, Special Education
Share your passion for art with students in grades K–12. In this program, you’ll build skills to teach, inspire and create. You’ll learn:
Additional Admission Requirements
You’ll complete online coursework, studio projects and a teaching internship. When you finish, you’ll be ready to earn your North Carolina art teaching license.
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Naomi Lifschitz-Grant
Help students build confidence in math and problem-solving. In this program, you’ll learn how to teach math to middle school learners in ways that make concepts clear and practical. You’ll build skills in:
You’ll complete coursework in teaching and math content, then finish with an internship. When you graduate, you’ll be ready to earn your North Carolina teaching license for grades 6–9.
Additional Admission Requirements
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Hillary Sessions
Help children build a strong start that lasts a lifetime. This fully online program prepares you to teach and support young learners from birth through kindergarten. The program is designed to help you pass the edTPA and qualify for North Carolina licensure. With flexible online classes and a hands-on internship in a preschool or kindergarten setting, you’ll graduate ready to lead in early education.
You'll study:
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Sandra Plata-Potter
Help students explore how the world works. In this program, you’ll build a broad foundation across biology, chemistry, physics and earth science. You’ll learn:
You’ll complete science content courses, teaching methods classes and an internship. When you graduate, you’ll be ready to earn your North Carolina teaching license for grades 6–9.
Additional Admission Requirements
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Rita Hagevik
This 30-credit master’s program helps you grow as a teacher and a leader. You’ll explore best practices, data-driven instruction and strategies that support all learners. Coursework is a combination of online and hands-on fieldwork. Designed for busy educators, you can apply what you learn right away. Our program is fully accredited and leads to advanced licensure in North Carolina for individuals already licensed in elementary education. Whether you're aiming to become a curriculum facilitator, instructional leader or anything in between, this program gives you the tools to take that next step.
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Kelly Ficklin
Help students make sense of history, culture and society. In this program, you’ll build a strong foundation across history, geography and social sciences. You’ll learn:
You’ll complete content courses, teaching methods classes and an internship. When you finish, you’ll be ready to earn your North Carolina teaching license for grades 6–9.
Additional Admissions Requirements
The following prerequisites are required:
Prerequisites may be waived in part or whole if you have a passing Praxis II social studies content score at the time of admission.
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Serina Cinnamon
Help high school students find their voice through reading, writing and critical thinking. This concentration builds your skills in teaching literature, writing and language. You’ll study topics like literary research, creative writing, rhetoric and linguistics. Along with online coursework, you’ll complete field experiences, a teaching internship and an edTPA portfolio. When you graduate, you’ll be ready to teach English in grades 9–12 and qualify to apply for North Carolina licensure.
Additional Admission Requirements
If you don’t have an undergraduate degree in English or a passing score Praxis II, you’ll need to complete the following prerequisites before applying to the MAT in English Education program:
You should finish these courses before you apply. If you're missing one but have enough content hours to qualify, you may be allowed to take it alongside your education courses.
If you have fewer than 24 undergrad English credits or a GPA below 2.7, we recommend completing these prerequisites before applying.
Program Type: Hybrid
Program Director: Dr. Joseph Sweet
Inspire high school students to ask questions, explore and think like scientists. In this program, you’ll build a strong foundation across biology, chemistry, physics and earth science. You’ll learn:
You’ll complete science content courses, teaching methods classes and an internship. After graduation, you’ll be ready to earn your North Carolina teaching license for grades 9–12.
Additional Admission Requirements
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Rita Hagevik
Help students stay active, healthy and strong. In this program, you’ll learn how to teach health and PE at every grade level. You’ll build skills through:
You’ll complete online coursework, gain field experience and finish with an internship. When you graduate, you'll qualify to apply for NC licensure.
Additional Admission Requirements
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Thomas Trendowski
Prepare students to think deeply about history, society and the world they live in. This program gives you the tools to lead high school social studies classrooms with confidence. You’ll focus on:
Through advanced coursework, teaching strategies and an internship, you’ll graduate ready to make an impact—and to start earning your North Carolina license for grades 9–12.
Additional Admissions Requirements
The following prerequisites are required:
Prerequisites may be waived in part or whole if you have a passing Praxis II social studies content score at the time of admission.
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Serina Cinnamon
Make math real, useful and exciting for your students. In this program, you’ll learn how to teach high school math in ways that keep math engaging. You’ll study topics like curriculum design, technology in math classrooms, statistics, geometry and advanced analysis. You’ll also practice your skills through a teaching internship. When you finish, you’ll be ready to earn your North Carolina license to teach math for grades 9–12.
Additional Admission Requirements
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Hillary Sessions
Share your love of language and culture with the next generation. In this program, you’ll build the skills to teach Spanish to students in grades K–12. You’ll learn:
You’ll complete Spanish content courses, teaching methods classes and a teaching internship. When you graduate, you'll qualify to apply for NC licensure.
Additional Admissions Requirements
If you don’t have an undergraduate degree in Spanish, you’ll need to complete the following prerequisites before applying to the MAT in Spanish program:
Program Type: Hybrid
Program Director: Dr. Ana Cecilia Lara
Help students grow into strong readers, writers and thinkers. In this program, you’ll build skills to teach language arts to middle school students. You’ll learn:
You’ll complete coursework in English content and teaching methods, explore a variety of literature and writing topics and complete a teaching internship. When you finish, you’ll be ready to earn your North Carolina teaching license for grades 6–9.
Additional Admission Requirements
If you don’t have an undergraduate degree in English or a passing Praxis II, you’ll need to complete the following prerequisites before applying to the MAT in English Education program:
You should finish these courses before you apply. If you're missing one but have enough content hours to qualify, you may be allowed to take it alongside your education courses.
If you have fewer than 24 undergrad English credits or a GPA below 2.7, we recommend completing these prerequisites before applying.
Program Type: Hybrid
Program Director: Dr. Joseph Sweet
Prepare to meet the needs of exceptional learners. This accelerated concentration trains you to teach students with mild to moderate disabilities in K–12 classrooms. You’ll study instructional strategies, behavior supports, assessment tools and special education policies. With a mix of 100% online coursework, field experience and a full-time internship you’ll graduate ready to support every student’s success. When you graduate, you'll qualify to apply for NC licensure.
Program Type: Fully Online
Program Director: Dr. Marisa Scott
To be considered for admission — either full or provisional — you’ll need to meet the requirements listed below. Some programs may have additional requirements or prerequisites, so be sure to check. If you’re unsure or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to the program director for your specific area of interest.
*For GPAs below 2.65, contact the Graduate School at 910.521.6271 or grad@uncp.edu.
If you’ve been offered a teaching job in North Carolina but haven’t completed a licensure program yet, you may be eligible for a residency license. This option lets you begin teaching while you earn your MAT at UNCP. It’s a great fit for career changers and others ready to step into the classroom now.
You’ll work toward your MAT and your full teaching license at the same time. Just make sure you complete all licensure exams and requirements before your residency license expires.
When you come into UNCP it’s amazing just how you have that rapport with the advisor, with the professors. You know that they’re caring. You know that they’re here to have you obtain the information. And that’s what’s so good about the MAT program. They cared about the material and they were invested in it.
Eugene “Tre” Smith III
MAT
or call us at 910.521.6271
Associate Professor of Art Education
naomi.lifschitz-grant@uncp.edu
UNCP's Teacher Education Program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Each undergraduate and graduate teacher education program area offered by UNCP is approved by the NC State Board of Education.
