Mathematics (MAT) degree moves to 30-credit-hour program
Good news for teachers looking to earn a master’s degree in mathematics! The Master of Arts for Teachers (MAT) from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Mathematics has been changed to a 30-credit-hour (10 courses) program instead of 36 hours (12 courses), beginning with the Fall 2021 semester.
The 30 hours for the MAT degree can be completed entirely online (asynchronously or web conferencing), in-person on the UNL campus (or other Nebraska locations), or as a combination of both. Since 2005, more than 300 teachers have earned our MAT degree. The program is uniquely designed for secondary and middle-level mathematics teachers and aims to deepen teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching by focusing on advanced mathematical concepts that underlie or have strong connections to the school curriculum.
This degree can provide considerable value to high school teachers wishing to teach dual credit courses or teach at a community college or for teachers wishing to obtain an advanced degree that relates to and genuinely benefits their classrooms. Although this change to 30 hours technically drops the required number of math credit hours from 18 to 15, we strongly encourage teachers to still complete at least 18 credit hours of mathematics courses so that they can be eligible to teach dual enrollment courses.
This summer, the Nebraska Math and Science Summer Institutes program will be offering several courses for the MAT program, including Math 802T, 804T, 805T, 806T, 807T and 810T. See the course catalog at https://scimath.unl.edu/nmssi/2021/course-catalog for descriptions and how to apply for an NMSSI Fellowship.
For admission in Fall 2021 and beyond, teachers will choose the new “Option B” for the MAT degree, which has these requirements:
• Minimum of 30 credit hours
• Thesis not required (there will be a final exam project, however)
• At least one-half of the credit hours required for the degree must be in the major
• At least 15 credit hours must be graduate-only courses
• May include a minor of at least 9 credit hours (three courses) selected from and approved by the minor department
The MAT degree does not have set deadlines throughout the year. You can apply and be admitted at any time. To apply, you must have a valid teaching certificate, write a personal statement, provide three letters of recommendation, order official transcripts from all previous collegiate schools, and upload a resume. Applications are submitted to Graduate Studies via CollegeNet. Under Program Selection, search for "math" and choose "Mathematics (MAT)". If you are a middle-level math teacher, choose "Mathematics (MAT) - Teaching of Middle Level Mathematics" as an added specialization.
We are in the process of updating all of our web pages to reflect this change to 30 hours. If you have questions about the application process for the MAT, please contact Marilyn Johnson at marilyn.johnson@unl.edu.
Most of the courses in the MAT program were developed with NSF funding by members of the UNL faculty in partnership with master K-12 teachers. As a result, the content is rigorous yet grounded in the realities of K-12 classrooms.
Note about financial assistance: Teachers can apply separately to the Nebraska Department of Education for forgivable loans (up to $3,000 per year) for taking courses toward a master’s degree; you just have to keep teaching in Nebraska for two years after you receive the loan and then you will not have to repay it. See more at https://www.education.ne.gov/educatorprep/eetp-current-teachers/