Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

MAT at a Glance

Degree

Master of Arts in Teaching

Program Benefits

Earn a master’s degree and initial North Carolina teaching licensure in just one year
Choose from multiple licensure tracks in elementary, secondary, and special education
Gain meaningful, real-world student teaching experience in local schools
Join the close-knit, mission-driven School of Education community
Follow in the footsteps of alumni who lead within their communities

Program Length

13 months (in-person instruction)

Credit Hours

40+

Estimated Tuition & Fees

Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition and fees for graduate programs at UNC–Chapel Hill are determined by the University and can be calculated on the University Cashier website.

Licensure

Upon completion of the MAT program, students will be fully prepared for North Carolina initial teaching licensure.

*Note: The elementary licensure option within the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program will be offered during the 2026–27 and 2027–28 academic years. Admissions for elementary education licensure will pause beginning with the 2028–29 academic year. All other MAT licensure options — including secondary education — will continue to be offered. Undergraduate students interested in an initial elementary teaching license should explore the B.A.Ed. in Elementary Education program, beginning in fall 2026. For guidance on selecting the program that best fits your goals and timeline, please contact the UNC School of Education’s Office of Student Affairs.

Accreditation

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) as a licensure program.

Pre-MAT Affiliation Option

UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduates may affiliate with Pre-MAT as early as their second semester, allowing them to take up to 12 graduate-level education credits that may count toward the MAT program if admitted.

Pre-Master of Arts in Teaching (Pre-MAT)

Best for

Best for those who hold a bachelor’s degree and are ready to pursue teacher licensure while making a meaningful impact in K–12 classrooms.

Academic Programs

I have been challenged to better myself for the sake of my students. I have been exposed to new thoughts and ideas by brilliant professors who truly care about me as a person and as a future educator.

Kay Cee Butcher, MAT graduate

Sharpening Effectiveness in Teacher Preparation

Our teacher-preparation program produces highly effective educators, as we work to continually improve the program

Left: Lauren Oliver, a Master of Arts in Teaching program alumna stands in her English and Language Arts classroom at Culbreth Middle School in Chapel Hill. Right: Megan Cannady, a Master of Arts in Teaching alumna and special education teacher in Durham Public Schools stands in the hallway of Y.E. Smith Elementary. Both have been recognized as beginning teachers of the year for their schools.

MAT student and Fellow for Inclusive Excellence Grace Landrum inside a Carolina Community Academy classroom

James Michael Sapp, UNC Student Teacher of the Year

Jennifer Gray holding a sign that says — Jennifer Gay, a 2018 graduate of the MAT program, on her first day of teaching second grade!

Students and Staff in front of a screen for orientation — The MAT program kicks off every year with an orientation session in which faculty and program staff meet with students.

Students hiking in the woods — MAT students have the opportunity to engage in experiential learning by joining a N.C. Outward Bound course developed for the School of Education.

Madison Sturdivant poses for a photo in her classroom

MAT students at N.C. Outward Bound School — MAT students after a few days of experiential education and personal and professional growth at the N.C. Outward Bound School.

MAT alumna Megan Cannady poses in the hallway of Y.E. Smith Elementary School in Durham, North Carolina.

MAT students climb Cedar Rock — MAT students Hannah Forbes and Stephen Grier seek the right footholds for their path to the peak of Cedar Rock.

Group of MAT students stand in circle during a Tricontinental Teacher Training (TTT) Exchange Program meeting

MAT student Jillian Parisi atop Cedar Rock

Experiential education: MAT student suspended over water — Experiential Education: The "winning" moment of a group challenge; behind every future teacher who is suspended on ropes above water is a massive team of other teachers keeping them dry.

Flatly image of the items included in the MAT new teacher boxes, including school supplies, a cup, a lanyard, and a custom wall sign with the new teacher's name and UNC School of Education branding

Group photo of MAT students completing a navigational challenge in the woods. — That’s joy, not sweat you see. This group of MAT students eyes the completion of an all-day navigational challenge across several mountain ridges.