Master of Arts in Teaching
Secondary Education
Earn a Michigan teaching credential and gain the field experience you need to launch your career as a secondary education teacher.
Great teachers are always in high demand, and few institutions train more of them than Oakland University. Our Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education (MATSE) is designed for college graduates who seek to migrate into the profession from another career. You’ll get rigorous preparation from one of Michigan’s most widely respected sources of new teachers, graduating with a secondary education master’s degree that gives you instant credibility in the teaching job market. In addition to giving you a rigorous academic foundation, Oakland’s teaching master’s degree offers personal mentorship and superior field experience. You’ll start your secondary teaching career with the confidence, connections, and credentials to succeed.
Great teachers are always in high demand, and few institutions train more of them than Oakland University. Our Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education (MATSE) is designed for college graduates who seek to migrate into the profession from another career. You’ll get rigorous preparation from one of Michigan’s most widely respected sources of new teachers, graduating with a secondary education master’s degree that gives you instant credibility in the teaching job market. In addition to giving you a rigorous academic foundation, Oakland’s teaching master’s degree offers personal mentorship and superior field experience. You’ll start your secondary teaching career with the confidence, connections, and credentials to succeed.
Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education: The Oakland University Advantage
The Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education is a two-year teacher certification program for the middle- and high-school levels. You’ll attend classes two evenings a week, giving you the option to keep working while you earn the teaching master’s degree.
Oakland University’s graduate teaching program has a stellar reputation throughout Michigan’s education community because of our:
- Exceptional classroom training. Oakland’s broad network of partner districts extends throughout southeast Michigan, so you’ll get superior teaching career preparation in diverse school settings. The secondary education master’s program includes three separate field placements prior to your semester-long student-teaching experience, which is hand-picked to fit your career objectives.
- High-caliber faculty. Our secondary teaching program is led by seasoned educators who pair classroom experience with high-level academic expertise. You’ll build strong relationships with faculty, receiving extensive one-on-one coaching, professional guidance, and personal mentorship.
- Strong career outcomes. Oakland-trained teachers have stellar scores on performance metrics, so our graduates do very well in the teaching job market. School districts eagerly recruit our secondary education master’s degree students, who frequently receive teaching job offers before graduation.
- Rigorous professional training. Our master of arts in secondary education emphasizes evidence-based practice that aligns with Michigan and national teaching standards. You’ll develop practical skills in classroom management, educational software, adolescent development, educational equity, diverse learning styles, and more.
- Close-knit community. Oakland University uses a cohort model that encourages strong, mutually supportive relationships. As you move through the course sequence together with your classmates, you’ll develop camaraderie and friendships that form the beginnings of a professional network to support your teaching career.
What Can You Do With a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education?
The two-year secondary education master’s degree qualifies you for certification as a teacher in grades 6 through 12. Your certification will specify at least one “teachable major,” or academic focus area. Depending on your teachable major(s), you can begin your secondary teaching career as a:
- Biology teacher
- Chemistry teacher
- English teacher
- Social studies teacher
- Mathematics teacher
- Science teacher
- Foreign language teacher
Depending on your prior academic background, you may need to complete some additional coursework to fulfill the Michigan state requirement for a teachable major.
Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education: What You’ll Learn
The secondary teaching master’s degree requires a minimum of 44 credits, including a student-teaching semester (12 credits) and a collaborative research study (3 credits). Courses follow a prescribed sequence and address themes such as:
- The school and society
- Adolescent cognitive and affective development
- Educational equity
- Educational software
- Disciplinary literacies
- Special needs students
- Educational studies
Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education Resources
- Admission requirements
- Program Requirements
- Teacher Development and Educational Studies
- School of Education and Human Services
Programs Related to the Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education
Not sure if the secondary teaching master’s degree is right for you ? Check out these other graduate programs at Oakland, and contact our admissions team to discuss your options.