Master of Arts in Teaching – Secondary Education Classroom Theory to Real-World Impact
36
Credit Hours
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Take Your Next Steps Towards a Career in Secondary Education with a Master of Arts in Teaching Degree
Do you want to pursue a career in the education field and become a licensed secondary education teacher? Whether you have always aimed for a career in secondary education or you are looking to make a career change, we can help set a clear path for you to obtain your initial teaching licensure. Liberty University’s 100% online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) – Secondary Education online degree program can help you achieve your career goals.
Additionally, Liberty University’s online teaching degree allows you to pursue multiple areas of study. Many students choose to pursue a dual endorsement to expand their career options. For more information, please review the MAT career section below.
Upon successful completion of Liberty University’s Virginia state-approved Master of Arts in Teaching program, you may apply for your teaching license in another state through reciprocity, which may or may not result in additional requirements based on your state’s Department of Education regulations.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
Why Choose Liberty’s MAT in Secondary Education Online Degree Program?
We don’t just train educators — we train educators who want to make a positive impact on the next generation. It’s who you are and who you aspire to become. We want to help you reach your goals, so we’re making a master’s degree more affordable.
Choosing Liberty means that you don’t have to compromise your principles to get the education you need. Liberty University’s 100% online secondary education program was designed to train ethical and effective teachers. At Liberty University, our online teaching degree will be based on a foundation of biblical principles that can help you stand out in the job market.
You can add to your skill set, broaden your professional capacity, and make a bigger impact on your students with an online graduate degree in education from Liberty University. If you are interested in earning both your MAT and EdS at the same time, you may want to consider our MAT in Secondary Education Curriculum to EdS in School Curriculum and Instructional Planning.
Additionally, Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). You can trust that your degree is of the highest quality.
What Will You Study in the Master of Arts in Teaching – Secondary Education?
The online Master of Arts in Teaching provides a balance of essential education theory and hands-on, practical teaching skills. Throughout this program, you will have a core of learning theory, important studies in the historical and philosophical foundations of education, and foundations of exceptionality in education. You can also learn about critical assessment tools that enable schools to measure student learning and make improvements. Your secondary education track can help prepare you to work with grades 6-12 and prepare you with topics like curriculum development and behavior management.
Here are some of the specific subjects you will study throughout your program:
- Current trends in the education field
- Educational behavior and development
- Methods of teaching and classroom management
- Theories and methodologies of education
Potential Career Opportunities
- The secondary education MAT program is designed to get you into a high school classroom as a licensed teacher!
- Students may also choose to pursue a dual endorsement. By taking a few extra courses, students can graduate with licensure in secondary education and another endorsement area, such as elementary education or special education.
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Education.
- View the Graduate Education Course Guides (login required).
- This program requires a background check.
- Students will complete a semester of student teaching.
- This program can help you earn your initial teaching licensure.
- Our program may be eligible for certification through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education Helpful Links and Information
- Review state-specific approval disclosures.
- Additional program details are available in the Online Graduate Advising Guide.
Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
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Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Graduate Education Full Time | $415/Credit |
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Graduate Education Part Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Online Graduate Programs
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.5 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Please note: Guidelines are subject to change in federal or state regulations for the licensure of school personnel.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
- Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
- If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.
Dual Enrollment
Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.
Transcript Policies
Unofficial College Transcript Policy
Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:
- Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
- Cumulative GPA
- A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
- Degree and date conferred (if applicable)
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)*
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
*Not applicable to certificates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is secondary education?
Secondary education is defined by most states as grades 6 through 12 in the K-12 primary school system. Depending on your state, the exact grades defined as secondary may differ, or include lower grades for the purposes of teacher licensure. If you want to pursue teaching licensure for your state, you can complete our program and apply for reciprocity. See your state’s Department of Education website for more details.
We have created our online MAT in Secondary Education degree program with your success in mind. Our goal is to support you as both a student and as a teaching professional.
Can I teach without a secondary education degree?
Bachelor’s degrees such as Liberty’s Bachelor of Education (BEd) offer licensure track training for teaching licensure. If you already have a bachelor’s degree and do not meet state requirements for teaching licensure, a licensure-track master’s in secondary education could be the best path forward for meeting your career goals.
Without a license, you may teach in limited, non-licensure roles such as in private school settings, homeschool, tutoring, and ministry settings. You may also be able to meet your state’s specific licensure requirements outside of a degree program. However, states typically require that you fulfill specific course requirements and hands-on teaching minimums. Earning Liberty’s master’s in secondary education online can be the most straightforward way to meet all of the requirements for state licensure in teaching.
Can I teach middle school with a secondary education degree?
Liberty University’s MAT programs are designed to meet licensure requirements for specified grade levels in the state of Virginia. Depending on how your state defines middle grades, the content in Liberty’s MAT program can allow you to apply for reciprocity for middle grades teaching. You can refer to your state’s Department of Education website for details about specific requirements for middle grades licensure.
Can secondary education teachers teach college courses?
Liberty University’s Master of Arts in Teaching is a graduate program that provides 36 credit hours of specialized teaching content. Often, colleges and universities will require a minimum of 18 credit hours of graduate courses to be eligible to teach that topic at the college level. These requirements may differ from school to school, but Liberty University’s master’s in teaching can help equip you with advanced education training that can open the door to potential college-level teaching roles.
Does this program have any special financial benefits?
While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we actually lowered our tuition for our Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Education programs. At $415 per credit hour for full-time (at least 9 hours per semester), Liberty University’s MAT is available at one of the lowest tuition rates for this degree in the country.
Additionally, pursuing our online Master of Arts in Teaching licensure-track may make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
Does this program have any additional accreditation?
Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
What are the benefits of pursuing a program like this online?
Because this is an online degree, you will have the opportunity to network with educators from across the country.
Will this program provide any hands-on experience?
You will gain real-world experience with required in-person practicums and 1 semester of student teaching.
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