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Columbus State University

Columbus State University

Master of Arts in Teaching
Special Education General Curriculum with Reading Endorsement

College of Education and Health Professions

Department of Teacher Education

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Special Education degree is designed for individuals holding a bachelor's degree in a non-teaching field who wish to obtain a teaching certificate and master's degree in Special Education. The MAT provides professional and pedagogical studies that develop proficiency in the knowledge, skills, and habits of beginning teachers.

Educator Preparation at Columbus State University is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), formerly the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

All educator preparation programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Career Opportunities

Successful completion of the M.A.T. program and passing scores on the appropriate Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) basic skills and content tests allow the candidate to be recommended to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for teacher certification at the T-5 level (i.e., the letter “T” indicates that the certificate is in a teaching field and the number “5” indicates that the candidate’s highest degree is a master’s degree recognized by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission).

Admission Requirements

  • Degree in related field or a minimum of 25 semester hours of approved coursework
  • Transcript evaluation to determine content courses needed for certification.
  • Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 (regular admission) or 2.50 (provisional admission) on all undergraduate work at an accredited United States institution in fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree
  • Satisfactory scores on the general portion (quantitative and verbal) of the Revised Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with "writing assessment" component; OR passing scores on the GACE content examinations required in the intended teacher certification field
  • Admission to Teacher Education – Go to http://safe.columbusstate.edu/teacher_ed.php for additional information.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics of the learner with special needs
  • Demonstrate knowledge and skill in the use and administration of assessment instruments and strategies
  • Demonstrate competence in instructional strategies and techniques
  • Demonstrate competence in classroom management
  • Demonstrate competence in communication and consultation

Additional Program Requirements

  • Students must earn a 3.0 GPA calculated on all graduate work attempted. "Academic Forgiveness" policy does not apply to graduate studies
  • Students cannot graduate with a grade of "C" or below in more than two (2) graduate courses
  • A minimum of 27 hours of the hours required for the degree must be earned in residence (75%). Asynchronous (online) and distance learning courses administered through Columbus State University constitute courses taken in residence
  • A maximum of nine (9) semester hours of transfer credit or courses taken at CSU prior to full admission to a masters degree program may be applied toward the degree. Courses with earned grades of "C" or below cannot be transferred. The student’s advisor and the coordinator of the program in which the student is enrolled must approve any courses transferred
  • All degree requirements must be completed within seven (7) years of first enrollment.

An active TK20 account is a required resource for this program because selected assignments must be submitted electronically using this online platform. TK20 is used by the university to maintain our accreditation, to demonstrate the quality of our academic programs, and to improve teaching and learning.

For additional information about the program and admission to CSU, contact COEHP Graduate Studies at 706-568-2301.