The Graduate Education Program at Christian Brothers University has one mission, with two levels of program. Our core mission is to prepare excellent K-12 teachers who will lead in their classrooms and in their schools and thus add value to the lives and learning of children and young people even as they also make strong contributions to the improvement of schools where they teach.

Our two levels of the Graduate Program in Education are (1) initial teaching licensure and (2) advanced preparation. The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree program is designed to prepare individuals who are seeking to become licensed teachers for the first time. In the M.A.T., all courses count both for the license and for the degree. The M.A.T. degree is designed specifically to meet state and national standards for initial teaching licensure and to emphasize the development of fully professional, fully licensed teachers who will be teachers of distinction from the beginning of their careers forward. Using courses from the M.A.T. program, CBU also offers a licensure-only track at the graduate level for qualified individuals, as well as options for additional endorsements.

To obtain an application packet for the M.A.T. or Licensure Only program, you will need to attend the Tuesday information meeting. If you live out of town, please emailour office for additional information.

Accelerated Program Calendar

CBU offers all graduate education courses on an accelerated eight-week calendar during the fall and spring semesters, allowing students to complete two eight-week terms in the fall and two eight-week terms in the spring. Summer courses are offered using four-week terms. Many of our M.A.T. initial teaching licensure candidates finish in a year or a year plus a semester, with the final semester as student teaching. The CBU program combines fast pace with high quality instruction, allowing students to meet their goals sooner, whether the goal is career change or salary advancement. In addition to the accelerated calendar, newly admitted students have cohort opportunities. They may move at a set pace with other newly admitted students and complete a pre-planned program of study simultaneously with their peers in the cohort they enter.

M.A.T. Graduate Recommendation Form(PDF Format)

Licensure Only Graduate Recommendation Form (PDF Format)

M.A.T. 2 Year Course Plan (PDF Format)

M.A.T. Elementary Checklist (PDF Format)

M.A.T. Middle Grades Checklist (PDF Format)

M.A.T. Secondary Checklist (PDF Format)

Program of Distinction

Heritage

CBU has been preparing learners to be leaders since 1871. Since 1997, CBU has also been preparing leaders for learners through its Graduate Education Program. The heritage is even richer, including three centuries of the internationally renowned Lasallian educational tradition of the Christian Brothers. CBU is well-known for offering small classes, a personal touch in advising, a practical approach to professional development, a concern for the dignity and worth of the human being, a focus on ethics in curriculum and program, and an experienced, excellent faculty. The Graduate Education Program has developed a positive reputation for its preparation of teachers, both initial and advanced, in less than a decade.

Practical Emphasis and Outcomes

The Graduate Education Program is designed to provide students at both levels with practical experience that will meet their professional goals. At the initial leve, where the goal is the first teaching license, students have a variety of well-planned, school-based field placements that are intended to help them experience every aspect of teaching successfully from the beginning. The assignments and assessments in the M.A.T. program are highly practical. CBU M.A.T. students frequently say about the work that they did in the program: “I am using this in my classroom!” In the M.A.T. program, students encounter current practitioners in local K-12 schools among the faculty and a constantly updated curriculum that is closely aligned with contemporary teaching practice.

Leadership

Throughout the program, students are challenged to assume the responsibilities of leadership, to take initiative to solve problems, to show persistence and dedication, and to establish a moral position of advocacy for the learning and lives of children and young people. Initial licensure candidates are encouraged to become advocates for best practice in classrooms and schools, for a fully professional status and stance for teachers, and for the enhancement and transformation of schools into learning communities where the best is expected from everyone. The advanced candidates are expected to exemplify and model teacher-leadership in their classrooms, their schools, and their communities.

Technology

In keeping with the strong technological emphasis that is part of CBU’s heritage, all students in the M.A.T. program are expected to acquire and enhance their technological expertise. M.A.T. students develop an electronic portfolio designed around state, national, and institutional core standards. This portfolio is designed to follow them into their job search and to showcase their abilities to teach using technology. M.Ed. and M.S. students also highlight aspects of their work using a similar process. CBU’s technology capacity in education has been enhanced through its participation in the IBM Reinventing 3 grant as well as through the continual updating provided by CBU’s Information Technology Services unit.

A Learning Community

CBU offers both new educators and continuing professionals a true experience of a learning community. The faculty is committed to teamwork in delivering an outstanding overall program to students. Faculty members know students on an individual basis and are concerned with their development and success. The program and classes are small enough that students have the experience of being treated as individuals. The quality of advising is high, and students have many opportunities for in-depth feedback that can enhance their own growth and learning.

Admission Requirements For the Initial Teaching Licensure Program

(M.A.T. or Licensure Only)

1. Attend the every-Tuesday information and orientation meeting on the CBU campus, “How to Become a Licensed Teacher in Tennessee.” The meeting begins at 3:30 pm and runs until 5:00 pm. Applications are available at the meeting. Call (901) 321-4350 for instructions on location.
2. Earn passing scores on the PPST (Praxis I) test (preferred) or acceptable scores on the GRE or MAT.
3. Complete the application, including all official transcripts (with an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 minimum preferred), letters of recommendation, and required essays.
4. After a successful review of the application, have an interview with the Graduate Education Admissions Committee.

For information regarding the Masters of Education requirements, please visit the CBU Catalog.