Do you have a bachelor's degree and want to make a rewarding career change to teaching students with exceptionalities? If so, then the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education is the program for you.
Henderson State's MAT in Special Education can help you obtain your Arkansas standard teaching license while earning a master's degree. Students with a provisional license can earn a starting salary up to $50,000 in Arkansas. Our faculty provide an all online curriculum that allows for flexibility in your schedule.
Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship
The Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship is a program that offers aspiring teachers up to $6,000 for tuition and program fees each semester. For every year a student receives funding, the student is required to teach in an Arkansas public school.
Who is eligible?
An applicant must:
- be an Arkansas resident (at least 12 months prior to enrollment and a US citizen/lawful permanent resident)
- be enrolled with a participating Teacher Academy institution
- maintain satisfactory academic progress
- commit to teaching in an Arkansas public school
**Failure to complete required teaching requirement will result in awarded money converting into a loan, that must be repaid by the recipient.
Online Program
Courses meet online. Instruction, lectures and student presentations are delivered using web conferencing (Zoom and Big Blue Button).
Admission Requirements
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- Complete Graduate School application and be admitted to the Graduate School
- Submit passing scores for Praxis II content area exams to the MAT Programs Admissions Link obtained from the MAT Coordinator, Dr. Wright
- Entrance Interview (held during summer MAT Orientation)
- Employment as a teacher of record with a provisional license, special education paraprofessional, or placement in an internship setting
- Completion of ADE background checks
Faculty
MAT Faculty will challenge, encourage, and support candidates throughout their academic journey and first years of teaching. Faculty members are or have been licensed teachers.
Income and Demand
The National Education Association estimates that educators with a master's degree can earn as much as $64,883. In its Occupational Outlook Handbook, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that teaching jobs will grow by 6 percent through 2024 because of growth in student enrollment.