Master of Arts in Teaching Foreign Language Education

Prepare for a rewarding career as a teacher with our Master of Arts (MAT) program in Foreign Language Education. From drawing up lesson plans to managing the classroom, the MAT program will provide you with a rigorous and thorough foundation in the fundamentals of teaching. Our program pairs intensive coursework with student teaching opportunities to ready the next generation of foreign language education teachers.

Quick Facts

• Program Duration: 11 months over three terms (Fall, Spring, and Summer I)
• Time Commitment: Full-time
• Term of Enrollment: Fall term
• Course Requirements: 36 credits
• Application Deadline: Rolling until July. Priority is given to applications received by January 15.
• Admissions Requirements: GRE Exam Not Required

Program Details

The Master of Arts (MAT) program in Foreign Language Education offers students a rigorous course of instruction in teaching specific foreign language areas in grades K-12. The MAT satisfies the requirements for earning a Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate and provides students with a Master’s in Teaching upon graduation.

Certification studies are available in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, or Latin.

Native speakers of the language of certification are not exempt from prerequisite course work in the culture, civilization literature, and structure of their language. Applicants who are non-native speakers of the language of certification are also required to achieve at least an Advanced-Low rating on an oral proficiency interview by an individual certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

Master of Arts in Teaching Degree

The Master of Arts in Teaching degree is available for qualified liberal arts graduates who want to combine initial teacher certification in a particular foreign language with advanced study for a master’s degree. Applicants must have completed or must be able to complete, prerequisite course work before beginning the MAT. Native speakers of the language of certification are not exempt from prerequisite course work in the culture, civilization, literature, and structure of their language. Students complete a minimum of 36 credits. Applicants are also required to submit results of an Oral Proficiency Interview by an individual certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. A rating of Advanced Low or higher on the Oral Proficiency Interview is expected.

• IL 2252 - Teaching And Learning In K-12 Foreign Language 1
• IL 2258 - Teaching & Learning In Secondary Foreign Language 2
• IL 2892 - Practicum In K-12 Foreign Language
• IL 2502 - Student With Disabilities In Secondary Classroom
• IL 2257 - Teaching English Language Learners
• EDUC 2200 - Disciplined Inquiry
• IL 2520 - Literacy Assessment & Instruction For Children With Disabilities In Inclusive Settings In Secondary Classroom
• IL 2990 - Research Seminar For Mat Interns
• IL 2882 - Internship - Foreign Language
• PSYED 2265 - Attentional Teaching Practices 1
• PSYED 2266 - Attentional Teaching Practices 2
• IL 2826 - Student Teaching Seminar - Foreign Language
• IL 2254 - Teaching & Learning In K-12 Foreign Language 3

Degree Requirements

Internship: During the school year, students complete an internship in a local school. Students are placed for an entire school year under the supervision of a mentor. In the fall, students spend approximately 20 hours working with their mentor teacher. In the spring and summer sessions, students in the MAT program are full-time in their school sites, culminating in a full take-over of teacher responsibilities for two weeks in the late spring. Interns observe, analyze, and practice basic teaching skills in different grade levels and subject fields.

Certification

The MAT program satisfies the requirements for a Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate, pending:

• Earning a passing score on the national PRAXIS II Exam;
• Completing the PA Statewide Evaluation Form for Student Professional Knowledge and Practice (PDE 430); and
• Demonstrating satisfactory performance in courses and the student internship

Teaching Interns must take and pass the Written Proficiency Test (WPT) in the language of certification during the first semester of their program in order to attain the Intern Certificate.

Prerequisites

For all students

• In addition, applicants to the program are expected to provide documentation of 30 hours of experience working with K–12 children. These hours can be fulfilled by obtaining experiences with children through summer camp; Sunday school; Hebrew school; tutoring; or other volunteer or paid work with children
• All applicants are also required to take the course Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)

All applicants are encouraged to use the program’s online transcript review to track your progress online.

For Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish language students:

A total of 30 credits are necessary, with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 credits in each of Area 1 and Area 2.

Area 1: Languages and Linguistics (12-18 credits)

• Conversation and Advanced Conversation (3 credits)
• Composition/Writing (3 credits)
• Stylistics (3 credits)
• Phonetics (3 credits)
• Grammar (3 credits)
• Syntax (3 credits)
• Structure of the Language (3 credits)
• Dialects (3 credits)
• Morphology (3 credits)
• Listening Comprehension (3 credits)
• Advanced Reading (not a literature course) (3 credits)
• Professional Translation (3 credits)
• History of the Language (3 credits)
• Introduction to Linguistics (may be taught in English) (3 credits)

Area 2: Literature and Culture (12-18 credits)

• Civilization I (3 credits)
• Civilization II (3 credits)
• Major Cultural Periods (3 credits)
• Cultural Heritage Courses (3 credits)
• Literature Surveys (3 credits)
• Author Courses (3 credits)
• Genre Courses (3 credits)
• Literary Period Courses (3 credits)
• Cultural Period Courses (3 credits)
• Thematically-based Literature Courses (3 credits)

For Latin language students only

The following prerequisites must be fulfilled by all applicants of Latin only.

Latin Area 1

• Roman Civilization (3 credits)
• Latin Prose Composition (3 credits)

Latin Area 2

• At least 24 credits above intermediate Latin with a maximum of 144 credits

Career Pathways

The majority of our graduates go on to become Foreign Language Education teachers in secondary settings.

Some of our graduates ultimately decide to return to school and obtain either their Ph.D. or Ed.D, focused in various areas of educational research.

Master's Admissions Guidelines

To be considered for our master's programs, your admissions materials must include the following basic elements. Please visit the web page of your program of interest to see if there are additional program requirements.

Online Application

1. Applications are submitted through the Pitt Education Online Application Form
2. There is a non-refundable application fee of $50 (USD) to be paid by credit card
3. Your online application must include (a.) a Goal statement, (b.) your resume or curriculum vitae, and (c.) contact information for three academic or professional contacts to later be invited to provide letters of recommendation
4. The instructions for your goal statement are as follows: "Please share your reasons for pursuing a degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education, focusing on your long-term goals and how your academic program will help you achieve those goals. Include any aspects of your experience, skills, and background which may aid the admission committee in evaluating your fit for the program for which you are applying. Your goal statement should be a maximum of 750 words."

Need-Based Application Fee Waiver

Applicants may be eligible for a need-based application fee waiver due to:

• Pell eligibility within the last three years
• Recent participation in federal, state, or local programs that aid students from low-income families
• Qualification for public assistance
• Otherwise demonstrable financial hardship, including emergency expenses or unexpected medical bills

If you believe that you are eligible for a need-based fee waiver, please submit your request HERE. Our admissions staff will review your request, and reach back out to assist you in completing your application. The School of Education reserves the right to request any necessary documentation.

Transcript Submission

1. Official transcripts from every institution previously attended can be sent to us electronically at soeinfo@pitt.edu or mailed to us at "School of Education Admissions and Enrollment Services, 5500 Posvar Hall, 230 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260"
2. Any courses that you took or degrees that you earned from the University of Pittsburgh after 2008 do not need to be sent. Our office can obtain these transcripts internally.

Additional Requirements for Teacher Preparation Programs Only

1. For Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and MOSAIC applicants - Completion of Documentation of 30 hours of Education-Related Experience Form.
2. For Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) applicants - Completion of our Online Transcript review.
3. For Foreign Language Education applicants - Completion of an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) to be scheduled through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL).