FAQs
General:
Should I do a 2nd undergraduate degree?
Do I have to have a relevant degree to join the program?
What’s the difference between the M.A.T. and a traditional M.Ed. or M.A.?
Is there a time limit to the program?
How do I qualify for NC Residency?
When do I need to submit a special request and where do I find the forms?
Admissions
What are the admission standards?
What if I do not meet the admission standards?
What is the application deadline?
Where do I send my official transcripts for the application?
Do I need Praxis I / Praxis II before beginning the program?
How do I know if I am accepted?
Now that I am accepted as a Graduate Certificate/MAT student, what do I do?
Now that I am accepted as a post bac student, what do I do?
Course Information
What classes will I need to take?
What does the term “background requirements” mean?
Do I have to complete an internship?
Who can help me pay for my course work?
Lateral Entry Teaching
What is Lateral Entry Teaching?
Do I qualify as a Lateral Entry Teacher?
How can I take classes if I am going through RALC?
General
Can I meet with someone?
Yes. You may set up a time to meet with an advisor Monday – Thursday (7-6) or Friday (9-5) by emailing (AmandaMacon@uncc.edu) or calling (704-687-8684). Occasional Saturday morning appointments are also available.
Should I do a 2nd undergraduate degree?
The best option will be the Graduate Certificate in Teachings; a second undergraduate degree would require many more courses. Occasionally people choose to complete a 2nd undergraduate degree if they must take daytime classes.
Do I have to have a relevant degree to join the program?
You need a four year undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, but you do not need to have a relevant degree in your area of interest in order to join the program.
What are the general similarities and differences between a Graduate Certificate program and a Master's program?
- Both are recognized graduate programs where students can access graduate levels of financial aid.
- A Graduate Certificate honors a specific program of study, but does not lead to a degree.
- A Graduate Certificate program does not require an entrance exam.
- A student may be admitted to the Master of Arts in Teaching program at anytime and their courses work from the Graduate Certificate will be applied as long as it is within the six year window for completion.
What’s the difference between the M.A.T. and a traditional M.Ed. or M.A.?
- The traditional M.Ed. and M.A. programs are designed for fully licensed, experienced teachers pursuing additional professional development in the same field or fields for which any Standard Professional I license and teaching experience provides adequate background. (e.g., ELED to ELED, MDLG to MDLG, or ELED to READ)
- The M.A.T. is designed for three kinds of adults: (1) those who wish to change professions and enter teaching, (2) those who are already lateral entry teachers and need to earn the Standard Professional I teaching license, and (3) those who wish to change teaching fields (for example, from high school biology to elementary education).
- Both kinds of master’s programs lead to the advanced “M” license and the 10% pay raise as long as you are teaching in the field of your master’s degree.
How long will it take?
The length of time for completion varies with the number of courses needed for each program, the number of courses a student takes each semester, and the schedule of offerings. Please work closely with your advisor to plan out your schedule of courses.
Is there a time limit to the program?
The MAT requirements must be completed within a six-year time span. The graduate certificate requirements must be completed within a four-year time span. These time frames begin when you take your first course.
What can I get a license in?
Art Education (K-12): Plan of Study - Graduate Certificate
Child and Family Studies (B-K): Plan of Study - Graduate Certificate
Dance Education (K-12): Plan of Study - Graduate Certificate
Elementary Education (K-6): Plan of Study
Middle Grades (6-9):
- English: Plan of Study
- Social Studies: Plan of Study
- Mathematics: Plan of Study
- Science: Plan of Study
Second Language Education (K-12):
- French: Plan of Study
- Spanish: Plan of Study
- German: Plan of Study
Secondary Education (9-12):
- Comprehensive Science: Plan of Study
- Comprehensive Social Studies: Plan of Study
- English: Plan of Study
- Mathematics: Plan of Study
Special Education (K-12):
- General Curriculum: Plan of Study
- Adapted Curriculum: Plan of Study
Teaching English as a Second Language (K-12): Plan of Study
Theatre Education (K-12): Plan of Study - Graduate Certificate
How do I qualify for NC Residency?
Residency is determined in the Office of Residency Determination. If you are working full time in a NC public school, you can complete the Teacher Tuition Benefitto receive in state tuition for the 12 month period you are establishing residency.
When do I need to submit a special request and where do I find the forms?
Special Request form: To add a course after a deadline or to withdraw from a course after a deadline Suspension Appeal form: To request reinstatement after receiving a grade of U or a third C in a graduate classGrade appeal process: http://www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/GradeAppeal.htmlTuition appeal process and forms: To request a refund or clearance of a tuition bill still pendingSexual harassment charges: http://www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-61.htmlOther grievances: http://www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-75.html
Admissions
What are the admission standards?
For the Graduate Certificate, the admissions standards are listed below:
1. Complete online application (https://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/Secure/OnlineApp/OnlineApp.asp)
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A four-year undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
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Three online recommendations
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A satisfactory statement of purpose
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An overall GPA of...
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at least 2.75 OR
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at least 2.5 with very strong recommendations OR
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at least 3.0 via the "GPA forgiveness route" plus a Praxis test score. The GPA forgiveness route includes two components: A total passing score of at least 522 on the Praxis I exams and a GPA of 3.0 or better in one of the following:
- your major OR
- your senior year OR
- 15 credit hours taken after graduation and in the last five years, OR
- 6 credit hours in authorized introductory courses in your intended graduate program.
IMPORTANT: Contact the Graduate Certificate Advisor in the Office of Teacher Education Advising and Licensure (TEAL) (704-687-8725) or the Teacher Recruiter/Advisor (704-687-8684) for assistance with the GPA forgiveness route before applying to the Graduate Certificate in Teaching.
For the Master of Arts in Teaching, the admissions standards are listed below:
- Complete online application (https://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/Secure/OnlineApp/OnlineApp.asp)
- A four-year undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75
- Three online recommendations
- A satisfactory statement of purpose
- A score on the Graduate Record Exam or the Miller Analogies Test at the 30th percentile or better (www.gre.orgor www.milleranalogies.com)
What if I do not meet the admission standards?
If you are interested in entering the Graduate Certificate in Teaching but your GPA is below the required minimum of 2.5 with favorable recommendations, you will need to enter the University as a post-baccalaureate student. Please note: There is no financial aid available for post-baccalaureate students.
Criteria for admission:
1. Completed online application: (https://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/Secure/OnlineApp/OnlineApp.asp)
Be sure to complete the fields as below:
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College or School = “Undesignated”
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Desired Degree = “Undesignated”
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Desired Major = “Post-Baccalaureate: Non-Degree Program”
2. Once you are admitted, you should contact the TEAL office (704-687-8725) to get authorized to register for courses
In order to be admissible to the Graduate Certificate in Teaching program, you must complete 6 hours of coursework in the program with a 3.0 or better and pass Praxis I (www.ets.org/praxis/index.html). During the semester you are completing your six hours and Praxis I, you will need to apply to the Graduate Certificate in Teaching.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadlines are as follows:
- Fall – July 15th
- Spring – November 15th
- Summer – April 1st
Where do I send my official transcripts for the application?
You will send your unopened, official transcripts to the Graduate School.
Do I need Praxis I / Praxis II before beginning the program?
If your cumulative undergraduate GPA is above the required 2.5 (with favorable recommendations), you are exempt from taking Praxis I. If you are following the GPA forgiveness route, you will need to take Praxis I.
Praxis II is required for licensure in Elementary Education and Special Education. Many school systems will require you to take Praxis II as a job requirement. We strongly suggest you take Praxis II near the end of your program.
How do I know if I am accepted?
Once all application materials are received, the Graduate School will change the status of your application from “incomplete” to “referred.” The application is then sent to the academic departments in the College of Education to review. Review of the completed applications to the Graduate Certificate or M.A.T. generally takes 4-6 weeks, depending on the volume of applications. At that time you will be notified via email if you have been accepted. Your acceptance letter will list your academic advisor at the bottom. Please contact your advisor regarding your classes and any other questions you may have.
Now that I am accepted as a Graduate Certificate/MAT student, what do I do?
You need to contact your advisor to discuss your plan of study and get authorizations to register for class. Your advisor is listed at the bottom of your emailed acceptance letter.
Now that I am accepted as a post bac student, what do I do?
You need to contact the TEAL office (704-687-8725) to discuss the courses you should take and to receive authorization to register for courses.
Can I defer my admission?
If you apply for first or second summer sessions, you can defer your application until the fall. If you apply in the fall or spring and need to change your start date to a later time you will need to reapply.
Course Information
What classes will I need to take?
To see a list of classes for your specific program please refer to the licensure programs list. Each area is hyperlinked to its planning sheet. Please note some licensure areas have a second page listing background courses required for licensure.
What does the term “background requirements” mean?
Candidates seeking licensure in any area except Birth-Kindergarten Education, Elementary Education, or Special Education must demonstrate sufficient background knowledge and competency in their subject area. Candidates will typically satisfy any deficiencies in background requirements through undergraduate coursework or the credit-by-exam process.
When are classes offered?
All programs offer evening classes to meet the needs of working adults. Some programs (Middle Grades, Secondary, and Special Education) offer their program in the evenings as well as online. You can view the current class offerings online.
When do classes start?
Please see the academic calendarfor all relevant dates: first day of class, drop/add day, holiday, etc.
Do I have to complete an internship?
The last course in Phase I of the M.A.T. and in the Graduate Certificate in Teaching is a graduate student teaching internship. It is a supervised, full-time, semester-long experience with increasing responsibility in a classroom of your licensure field.
If you are a lateral entry teacher, you will probably complete this internship in your own classroom. If you are a full time teacher assistant, you may be able to complete your internship in your current position. Be sure to contact the Office of Field Experiences(704-687-8802) to confirm.
How much is tuition?
Tuition is subject to change. Please see the rate breakdowns at: http://studentaccounts.uncc.edu/TuitionAndFees.html.
Who can help me pay for my course work?
Financial aid is available through federal loans (www.fafsa.ed.gov). The Graduate School lists multiple opportunities for students to fund their education online. The College of Educationalso lists funding opportunities specific to education majors.
Lateral Entry Teaching
What is Lateral Entry Teaching?
Lateral Entry Teaching is a program through the state in which an individual is able to teach before having their license. For more information on this process please see the following website: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/licensure/lateral/
Do I qualify as a Lateral Entry Teacher?
We do not determine qualification for lateral entry. Please see the following website for more information: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/licensure/lateral/
How can I take classes if I am going through RALC?
If you are seeking licensure through the Regional Alternative Licensing Center (RALC) and are not interested in the MAT or the Graduate Certificate in Teaching, you need to enter the university simply as a post-baccalaureate student. Be sure to fax your RALC plan to the Graduate School so that you will be admitted as a RALC student and become eligible for some financial aid.
Criteria for admission:
1. Completed online application: (https://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/Secure/OnlineApp/OnlineApp.asp)
Be sure to complete the fields as below:
College or School = “College of Education”
Desired Degree = “Undesignated”
Desired Major = “Regional Alternative Licensure Center”
2. Fax a copy of your RALC plan to the Graduate School (704-687-3279)
3. Once you are admitted, you should contact the departments hosting the course you need to get authorized to register
4. If you have questions, please contact the Teacher Recruiter/Advisor (704-687-8684) for assistance
