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Master of Arts in Teaching Program

Student Teaching & Internship


The field-based experience component of the MAT is completed the last semester of your program. Either student teaching or an internship can be selected. The differences in the two are:
  1. Student teaching is full-time (all day, all week) for one semester. The MAT student gradually takes over the teaching of a classroom from the regular teacher, who remains the teacher of record for the class. Student teaching is unpaid and requires enrollment of six credit hours. MAT students will usually complete two different placements during the semester at different grade levels.
  2. The internship is also full-time, but lasts for two consecutive semesters. Students enroll for six credit hours for each semester. It is a paid position and the intern serves as the teacher of record for the class. The school district assigns an experienced teacher as a mentor to the intern. MAT students must find and secure their own employment for their internship.

In both student teaching and the internship TWU also assigns a university supervisor who visits the student to observe and provide feedback and support. Students must do their student teaching and their internship within both the content area and the grade level in which certification is being sought. See the specific criteria below for Student Teaching and the Internship.

For more information about student teaching and internships contact the Professional Development Center within the College of Professional Education.

  • Other useful documents include:
    Student Handbook [PDF]
    Intern Handbook [PDF]
  • Criteria to Enter Student Teaching

    • Degree plan signed by advisor submitted to Professional Development Center (The plan must be officially approved by the Graduate School prior to student teaching.)
    • “Change of Degree Plan” form approved by the Graduate School for any changes on the degree plan
    • 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA on master’s coursework at TWU
    • Completion of EDUC 5113, 5123, 5131, 5133, and 5142 with a grade of B or higher
    • Completion of all additional coursework on the degree plan, except student teaching, with a grade of B or higher (In rare instances, exceptions may be approved by the advisor and department chair.)
    • Completion of the TWU Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility (PPR) qualifying exam with a score of 75 or above
    • Passing score on the content area TExES exam or a score of 75 or above on the TWU qualifying exam for the content area

    Criteria to Enter Internship

    • Degree plan signed by advisor submitted to Professional Development Center (The plan must be officially approved by the Graduate School prior to student teaching.)
    • “Change of Degree Plan” form approved by the Graduate School for any changes on the degree plan
    • 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA on master’s coursework at TWU
    • Completion of EDUC 5113, 5123, 5131, 5133, and 5142 with a grade of B or higher
    • Completion of the TWU Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility (PPR) qualifying exam with a score of 75 or above
    • Passing score on the content area TExES exam and/or 24 hours in the content area specialization approved by the academic advisor

    page updated 5/14/2008 13:50

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Upcoming Events

  • Education Career Day UNT Coliseum, April 11, 9 - 1 p.m.
  • MAT Houston Info Session, March 29
  • Professional Portfolio Presentations, April 2, 3, & 4
  • May Commencement Denton Campus, May 10
  • May Professional Development Workshops Available! Saturday, April 5, 2008

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Did You Know?

Each semester our teacher education students spend an aggregate of 14,000 hours in observations and practicums in PK-12 classrooms, and approximately 280 student teachers and 170 interns each year receive full-time field-based preparation.

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