Licensure Options

A Master of Arts in Teaching degree will prepare you for a teaching license in one of the following areas. See Licensure information for detailed instructions on how to apply for a North Carolina Teaching License.

You will choose an Elementary Education, Secondary Education, or K-12 Special Education (General Curriculum) track depending on which license you want to pursue.

Check the Curriculum & Courses page for detailed information about course requirements for each track.

Elementary (Kindergarten – Grade 6) Licenses

  • Elementary Education (Kindergarten – Grade 6)

Middle Grades (Grades 6-9) Licenses

  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • English/Language Arts
  • Mathematics

Secondary (Grades 9-12) Licenses

  • Comprehensive Science
  • Comprehensive Social Studies
  • English/Language Arts
  • Mathematics

K-12 Special Education (General Curriculum) License

  • Special Education (Grade K-12)

Add-on License Options

In addition to the options listed above, you can choose to complete an additional teaching license in K-12 Special Education (General Curriculum). See the Specializations section of the Curriculum & Courses page for information about that option.

Testing and Assessment

In addition to completing your coursework, you will need to achieve passing scores on licensure tests and the edTPA portfolio. The following test requirements are current as of May 2021.

Special Education (K-12)
*same for add-on

  • 190: Pearson Foundations of Reading Test (recommended) OR 090: Pearson Foundations of Reading
  • 5543: Praxis II Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications
  • 7813: Praxis II Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics CKT Subtest

Elementary Education (K-6)

  • 190: Pearson Foundations of Reading Test (recommended)
  • 7813: Praxis II Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics CKT Subtest

Middle Grades Education (6-9)

Social Studies (Middle Grades)

  • 5089: Praxis II Middle School Social Studies

English Language Arts (Middle Grades)

  • 5047: Praxis II Middle School English Language Arts

Science (Middle Grades)

  • 5442 Middle School Science

Secondary Education (9-12)

5624: Principals of Teaching and Learning (7-12) is required for licensure only if edTPA is not completed. Because edTPA is required for MAT, most candidates will not have to take Principles of Learning and Teaching (7-12).

Social Studies (Secondary)

  • 5081: Praxis II Social Studies: Content Knowledge

English Language Arts (Secondary)

  • 5038: Praxis II English Language Arts: Content Knowledge

Science (Secondary)

  • 5435: Praxis II General Science: Content Knowledge

Mathematics (Secondary)

  • 5165: Praxis II Mathematics

About the edTPA portfolio

From the edTPA website:

edTPA is a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by teacher preparation programs throughout the United States to emphasize, measure and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need from Day 1 in the classroom.

During your student teaching experience, you will gather a portfolio of materials that serve as evidence of your preparation to become a teacher. This includes an unedited video recording of you at work in a real classroom. You will work with your university-based supervisor and program faculty determine the specific requirements needed in your portfolio, which will be based on the type of license you are pursuing.

Read more about the edTPA requirements for North Carolina.