Dordt University's new Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program offers an accessible, flexible, and affordable pathway for students and professionals seeking initial teaching licensure in STEM fields.
Dordt University is now accepting applications for their Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, which will begin in the fall of 2024. The MAT program is 100% online and, at 35 credits total, can be completed in as little as 16 months.
Dordt’s MAT program is designed for those seeking an initial teaching license in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) area. Current areas of focus include biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, mathematics / computer science, and physics. In the coming months, the program plans to expand to include non-STEM areas as well.
Many times, students majoring in STEM content at Dordt or other colleges realize later in their programs that they may want to pursue teaching, but it’s too late to add an education major,” says Dr. Abby De Groot, associate professor of education.
“Additionally, there are professionals working in STEM fields who want to make a career path change into teaching. An MAT program allows individuals in both of those scenarios—people who already have the content knowledge to teach in a STEM field—to complete the education portion of their training in a timely manner.”
These students will student teach at the end of their program and receive a master’s degree, along with Iowa licensure to teach a STEM subject in grades 5-12. The Iowa licensure is also easily transferrable to other states. “It’s a great alternative pathway for students or professionals who want to be teachers, and it fills a growing need for quality education in Iowa and elsewhere,” adds De Groot.
At $415 per credit, Dordt’s MAT program is also quite affordable, says Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Ryan Zonnefeld.
“Our MAT program is significantly less expensive than other universities in Iowa,” he says. “Also, field experiences and student teaching placements can be completed in students’ local areas, creating more flexibility for working adults.”
While the MAT program is new to Dordt, most of the coursework is part of Dordt’s already thriving Master of Education (M.Ed.) program, says De Groot. “This means that students will get to experience well-established curriculum, experienced professors, and a healthy educational culture. Students can also adjust the starting semester and timeline of their program to match their learning needs.”
Dordt’s MAT program came to fruition through the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program as a $75,000 capacity building grant. The original intent was to serve the national need for preparing working professionals in STEM to transition to teaching roles. Zonnefeld served as the principal investigator for the project.
“Last summer when attending the Noyce Summit, multiple experts I spoke to were surprised to hear that Dordt University had received both a Noyce Scholarship Grant and a Noyce Capacity Building Grant. The fact that we received both is reflective of the National Science Foundation’s confidence in the work we’re doing here at Dordt.”
Zonnefeld also credits Dr. Steve Holtrop, an education professor who passed away from cancer in 2023, for his work on writing the original grant proposal.
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
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