Program Contact: Susan Norkus 203-582-3382 Christina Pavlak 203-582-3199
The purpose of Quinnipiac’s Dual-Degree Health Science/MAT program is to prepare graduates with perspectives, knowledge and skills to become master educators. The School of Education recognizes that the concept of educator is three-dimensional, and that successful educators must be teachers, learners and leaders. Therefore, graduates of the Master of Arts in Teaching program are teachers who lead all students to learn, learners who continue to learn as they continue to teach, and leaders who influence the culture of their schools in ways that support best practices in teaching and learning.
The program reflects the spirit and mission of Quinnipiac University with close attention to the teaching standards for the state of Connecticut and to the standards of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The three values of “excellence in education, a sensitivity to students, and a spirit of community” which are at the heart of Quinnipiac’s mission statement are woven through the program.
General Information
The dual-degree program provides the means for Quinnipiac students to earn a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master of arts in teaching degree leading to certification through the Connecticut State Department of Education. Consistent with the university’s mission, arts and sciences studies are integrated with professional studies to prepare graduates who have depth and breadth of content knowledge and strong pedagogical skills.
The dual-degree program is divided into a two-year preprofessional component and a three-year professional component. The two-year preprofessional program includes a required introductory course (ED 140) that acquaints prospective teacher candidates with the teaching profession. Students are encouraged to take this course during their first year but no later than the fall semester of their sophomore year. Additional required courses before the junior year include educational philosophy and diversity (ED 250 and ED 260). Students will complete the requirements for the undergraduate degree in health science within the first four years.
Students begin their professional component in the fall semester of their junior year. Supervised fieldwork, an integral part of the professional component, includes undergraduate observation and fieldwork, a graduate internship/residency, and student teaching. Following completion of the fourth year of study, students receive a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in their academic major. Students begin their graduate work immediately following graduation. Any teacher candidate enrolled in the dual-degree program who does not complete all the requirements for undergraduate completion of the bachelor’s degree as anticipated will not be allowed to enter any graduate fifth year without the written consent of the program director.
Note: Because the MAT program is subject to state review on a regular basis, prospective and current students are advised to see the School of Education for up-to-date program information.
Suggested curriculum (actual science electives are at the choice of the student in conjunction with their adviser)
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| EN 101 | Introduction to Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
| FYS 101 | First-Year Seminar | 3 |
| BIO 101 & 101L |
General Biology I and General Bio Lab I,General Biology I Lab |
4 |
| CHE 110 & 110L |
General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Lab |
4 |
| HSC 221 | Introduction to Health Care | 2 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EN 102 | Academic Writing and Research | 3 |
| BIO 102 & 102L |
General Biology II and General Biology Lab II |
4 |
| CHE 111 & 111L |
General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Lab |
4 |
| MA 275 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| HSC 202 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PS 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| BIO 211 & 211L |
Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab I |
4 |
| ED 140 | Introduction to Public Education and the Teaching Profession | 1 |
| HSC 220 | Health Care Essentials: Structure, Policy and Professionalism | 3 |
| HS 131 | US History to 1877,U.S. History to 1877 | 3 |
| HSC Elective | 2 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO 212 & 212L |
Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lab |
4 |
| ED 250 | Diversity, Dispositions and Multiculturalism | 3 |
| ED 260 | Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 3 |
| HSC Elective | 3 | |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PHY 110 & 110L |
General Physics I and General Physics I Lab |
4 |
| PS 236 | Child and Adolescent Development | 3 |
| ED 341 & 341L |
Learning and Teaching the Developing Child and Learning and Teaching: Pedagogy Field Lab I |
4 |
| UC Fine Arts | 3 | |
| HSC Elective | 1 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO 152 | Ecological and Biological Diversity | 4 |
| ED 343 & 343L |
Advanced Learning and Teaching in Secondary Classrooms and Advanced Learning and Teaching: Secondary Assessment Field Lab II |
4 |
| UC Foreign Language | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIO 282 & 282L |
Genetics and Genetics Lab |
4 |
| ED 409 & 409L |
Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum and English Language Arts Field Lab III |
4 |
| ED 477 | Teaching English Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom | 3 |
| UC Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SHS 420 | Integrative Capstone | 3 |
| ED 452L | Inclusive Classroom Secondary Field Lab IV | 1 |
| SPED 552 | Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom | 3 |
| Science elective | 2 | |
| BIO 358 & 358L |
Conservation Biology and Conservation Biology Lab |
4 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Admission
Students in the Health Science degree program will apply into the MAT as follows:
Admission to the dual-degree program is based on a holistic review by MAT program faculty of the following admission requirements:
- A 3.00 minimum overall undergraduate GPA (from all colleges and universities attended) for 45 credits of coursework with a subject area major or appropriate interdisciplinary major.
- Students applying to the MAT program are required to take one of the following tests: Praxis Core Mathematics, Reading and Writing tests, the SAT or the ACT. Scores will be reviewed by School of Education faculty as part of the retention review process.
- At least two written recommendations from individuals who have recent knowledge (within the last two years) of the applicant's suitability as a prospective educator, including one from a college instructor.
- A written essay completed in ED 140 that meets program standards.
- A formal retention review interview during which the applicant is expected to demonstrate: an ability to communicate clearly, a demeanor appropriate to the teaching profession, and a maturity and attitude necessary to meet the demands of the MAT program.