MAT in Elementary Education – 45 Hours Teach with Excellence and Integrity
45
Credit Hours
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
A Master’s Degree in Elementary Education that Prepares You for Licensure and Lifelong Influence on the Next Generation
Your desire to impact people’s lives is what motivates you. And with the demand for teachers on the rise in the U.S., your passion can fill a much-needed role for tomorrow’s students. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of students enrolling in kindergarten and elementary school is expected to grow over the next decade, increasing the number of teachers needed to accommodate the higher volume.**
But students need more than just a teacher — they need a role model who inspires them to be the best version of themselves. Your presence in the classroom can make a positive difference in the lives of your students. To prepare yourself for this incredible opportunity, you’ll want the proper training — that’s where we can help.
An online master’s degree in elementary education from Liberty University can provide you with the requirements for licensure to teach in both public and private schools. Most importantly, you will be earning your teaching degree from a nonprofit Christian university committed to seeing you succeed with excellence and integrity.
Liberty maintains strict compliance with all licensure requirements for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Not a Virginia resident? We want to help find the best program for you! To view educational requirements and whether a specific program aligns with the licensure requirements for your state, please review our licensure/certification requirements webpage.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Kindergarten and elementary school teachers, 2019 (viewed online August 20, 2019). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.
Why Choose Liberty’s 45-hour Master’s in Elementary Education Degree?
If you’re interested in turning your current career into a teaching career, Liberty’s Master of Arts in Teaching can help you become a licensed teacher — even if your bachelor’s degree is not an education degree.
The elementary education’s 45-credit hour option can provide you with the content competencies you’ll need in order to become a teacher. These core competencies are in history, lab sciences, social science, arts, and English.
No matter which direction you go with the 45-hour MAT in Elementary Education, our courses are designed to equip you to feel as prepared as possible for your students and for your role in the classroom. At Liberty University, we don’t just train educators — we train educators who want to make a positive impact on the next generation.
Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This standard of excellence means you can graduate from Liberty with an online graduate degree recognized and respected by colleges and employers across the nation.
What Will You Study in Our MAT in Elementary Education Online?
As an online MAT student, you will complete a semester of student teaching at the end of the program. By working hands-on in the classroom under an experienced, licensed elementary school teacher, you will not only be meeting licensure requirements, but you will be developing your own unique teaching style. This is an important opportunity to develop your passion for education into practical skills and increase your marketability to employers.
With an online MAT in Elementary Education, you can gain teacher licensure, broaden your professional capacity, and make a bigger impact on your students. Throughout this program, you will study:
- Current trends in the education field
- Educational behavior and development
- Methods of teaching and classroom management
- Theories and methodologies of education
Potential Career Opportunities
- Elementary education licensed teacher
- K-12 curriculum developer
- K-12 curriculum manager
- Teaching product developer
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 will help you achieve your initial teaching licensure.
- Our program may be eligible for certification through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
- Review state-specific state requirements.
- Additional program details are available in the Online Graduate Advising Guide.
Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
State Licensure Requirements
Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.
Not sure what to choose?
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 |
---|---|
Graduate Education Part-Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Our Graduate MAT Online Degree
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 2.0 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.
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
Are there any special financial benefits for this program?
While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we offer a lower graduate tuition rate for our Master of Arts in Teaching programs. At $415 per credit hour for full-time students, Liberty University’s MAT online is available at one of the lowest tuition rates for this degree in the country.
Additionally, pursuing our online Master of Arts in Teaching may make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
Is this program recognized by any additional accrediting bodies?
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?
You will have the opportunity to network with educators from across the country.
During this program you will get real-world experience with your required in-person practicums and student teaching.
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Why Choose Liberty?
- What Will You Study?
- State Requirements
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
- Military
- FAQs
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