Arts Education, MAT

The Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education (MAT I) is a pre-service degree program that prepares students with a BFA degree or equivalent for PreK-12 art licensure by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Using a studio-based approach to art education and working closely with area public school systems, the MAT degree consists of 30 credits of graduate art education, school practicum experience, studio work, and pre-service teaching internship and seminar.

Available Concentrations

This degree program has two options: one for those seeking certification (MAT I) as well as one for licensed art teachers who are continuing education (MAT II). The concentration for licensed art teachers (MAT II) is designed for PreK-12 licensed art teachers who currently hold an undergraduate degree in art education and a current teaching license in Art Education. Applicants should be interested in obtaining a graduate art education degree for further professional development. Students take graduate art education courses, approved graduate level studio art courses, education courses, and complete a capstone project.

Admissions

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified on the Graduate Admissions policy page. Specific graduate admissions requirements can be found on the College of Visual and Performing Arts Graduate Admissions requirements page.

Policies

See College of Visual and Performing Arts for policies specific to the college.

Banner Code: AR-MAT-ARTE

Degree Requirements

Total Credits: 30

Students must earn a B- or higher in licensure coursework.

Required Core Courses

MAT (I) Required Courses

Coursework meets licensure and Master's degree requirements. The listing below follows the recommended sequencing for licensure.

¹

Prior to internships, students must pass: Praxis II, VCLA, technology & child abuse standards.

MAT (I) Professional Teaching Portfolio

The comprehensive experience for the MAT I includes the following:

1. a group exhibition, "The Art of Teaching Art Showcase," in which MAT candidates display and formally present works of PreK–12 student art completed during the internship, along with exemplars of the MAT candidate's own artwork, and
2. a culminating review of the intern's competencies as reflected in a professional teaching portfolio, accomplished during the internship seminar course that accompanies student teaching.

A committee of MAT faculty will determine whether the student has mastered the field of study based on the final portfolio and exhibition. Students who are unable to successfully complete the full student teaching internship in art education and seminar for student teachers will be terminated from the MAT in Art Education program.

MAT (I) Teacher Endorsement

MAT I students originally admitted under provisional status must complete all endorsements and any assigned art education foundational courses by the date indicated on the student's provisional admission agreement and prior to admission to degree status. These courses may be taken concurrently with other MAT courses, but may not exceed a total of 9 credits. All MAT I students should meet all testing and coursework requirements prior to starting their student teaching internship.

Students must have a studio major in the Visual Arts and meet the Virginia Department of Education's required semester credit hours in the following specific areas: 12 hours of two-dimensional media, 12 hours of three-dimensional media, 9 hours of cultural context and art history, judgment and criticism, aesthetics, and 3 hours of related areas of the fine arts.

Note:

MAT I students will receive ongoing evaluation reviews by the MAT faculty to determine whether they have achieved satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Student Teaching Placement Requirement

All MAT I students must pass Praxis II and Virginia Communication and Language Assessment (VCLA) to receive placement for student teaching in the final semester.

MAT (II) Concentration for Licensed Art Teachers (LAT) Required Courses

¹

 Other AVT graduate level courses as approved by director may fulfill this requirement.

Art and Visual Technology, BFA/Art Education, Accelerated MAT

Overview

Academically strong undergraduates in Art may apply to the accelerated Master’s Degree in Art Education. If accepted, students will be able to earn an Art and Visual Technology, BFA and an Art Education, MAT after satisfactory completion of 150 credits. 

For more detailed information, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.  

BAM Pathway Admissions Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in the Graduate Admission Policies section of this catalog. 

Students are eligible to apply for this accelerated program once they have earned at least 60 undergraduate credits. After successfully completing 75 undergraduate credits, students must use at least 3 and no more than 12 credits of advanced standing courses (see below) to both complete the bachelor’s degree and begin the masters. An additional six credits may be held in reserve for the master’s degree, but cannot be used to complete the bachelors. 

Important information on how to apply for this accelerated master's program can be found in the University’s Accelerated Master’s Application Guide. 

Teacher Endorsement

Students for the MAT (for BFA students) must complete ALL endorsements, as well as the Praxis Core Exam. Students must meet Virginia Department of Education's required semester credit hours in the following specific areas:

Students should work closely with their advisor to ensure they complete these course requirements through the BFA in Art and Visual Technology and MAT degrees.

Accelerated Master's Admissions Requirements

Undergraduate students admitted to the accelerated master’s program pathway will be fully admitted into the MAT program if they meet the following requirements, as verified on the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition Form: 

• Minimum overall GPA of 3.00 
• Completion of specific undergraduate BFA coursework 
• Successfully meet Mason’s requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and complete the application for graduation
• Minimum grade of B in each advanced standing course
• Submission of BAM Transition Form to the School of Art advisor at the beginning of student’s final undergraduate semester . Full details can be found at AP.6.7.3.

Accelerated Pathway Requirements

To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students in the Accelerated Pathway must choose from the following Advanced Standing courses which can be taken as  Advanced Standing or Reserve Graduate credit.  A minimum grade of B is required.

Reserve Graduate Credit

Students may take up to 6 additional graduate credits as reserve graduate credit. These credits do not apply to the undergraduate degree. The ability to take courses for reserve graduate credit is available to all high-achieving undergraduates with permission of the School of Art. Permission to take a graduate course for reserve graduate credit is normally granted only to Mason seniors within 15 credit hours of graduation and must be approved by the Dean's Office.

To apply these credits to the master's degree, students must request that the credits be moved from the undergraduate degree to the graduate degree using the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition Form.

For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees.