Secondary Education MAT Physical Science Concentration Alternative Florida Program

This program is designed for students with baccalaureate degrees and undergraduate coursework in Physical Science who seek Florida state secondary education certification. Graduates will be eligible for a Professional Educator Certification endorsed for secondary education/Physical Science (grades 6 to 12). 

For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page. 

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

PLO 1. Develop and practice a philosophy of education based on self-reflection.

PLO 2. Use knowledge of students to design a respectful learning community in which learning experiences are engaging, challenging, and meet the diverse needs of all learners.

PLO 3. Develop instructional practices that facilitate higher-order thinking and depth of student understanding.

PLO 4. Design and use formative and summative assessments that align with learning outcomes, inform instruction, and measure multiple forms of evidence.

PLO 5. Provide ongoing, meaningful performance feedback to enhance student learning.

PLO 6. Use current technology that is appropriate to the instructional outcomes, complements content-specific material, and actively engages students.

PLO 7. Exhibit a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of being a teacher.

In addition to the National College of Education Graduate Admission requirements, candidates must:

• Provide a statement of status of eligibility (SOE) from the Florida Department of Education that says they are eligible for the subject area and grade level listed on the statement. Secondary Education candidates must also:
  • Have 24 semester hours of coursework in Science with 18 SH in the designation completed with a grade of C or better 
  • Have a major from a school with regional accreditation (or minimum 24SH) in a single designation area (6 SH of laboratory coursework that contains a lab or two lab courses with a total semester hour equivalent to at least 2SH for students who don’t have major in the designation area)
  • Have at least one course in Biology and each of the other designations:
    • Chemistry
    • Earth Science/Space Science, Environmental Science or Physics
  • Candidates may be admitted to the program with up to 24 SH of content/subject area coursework deficiency. These courses must be completed before degree conferral.
• Provide an official letter of recommendation, signed and sealed by the writer (emailed letters are acceptable provided they are submitted directly by the writer to [e-mail])
• Submit a written statement that includes Professional Experience, Aspirations, and Instructional Learning Experience
• Have a faculty review of all documents
• The candidate’s academic achievement requirements are a prior cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher OR three references who vouch for the candidate’s ability to meet the rigors of the EPI program and teaching in public education in Florida

Program Details:

• Requires 35 SH for completion
• Requires practicum and student teaching
• Requires a min grade of C in program coursework
• Requires a min grade of B in the following methods courses: RLP 540, RLR 502, RLR 541, SPE 500, CIL 505, and SEC 516
• Requires the Education Preparation Institute (EPI) completion statement and the M.A.T. degree to be awarded simultaneously

Licensure Requirements:

• Requires passing score on the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations
  • Professional Education Test
  • Subject Area Test
  • General Knowledge test – waived with master’s degree

 

Required Courses

Program Requirements

CIL 505	Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language	3
EDU 512	Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of Education	2
LSE 511	Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts	2
RLP 540	Teaching Content Area Literacy at the Middle and Secondary Level	3
RLR 502	Teaching Comprehension and Content Area Reading	3
RLR 541	Teaching Writing	3
SEC 502	Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level	3
SEC 516	Methods for Teaching Physical Science at the Secondary Level	3
SEC 581D	Secondary Education Practicum	1 OR 3
SEC 590D	Student Teaching Seminar	2 TO 6
SPE 500	Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities	3

Note: SEC 581D must be completed for a total of 4SH. SEC 590D must be completed for a total of 6sh.