MAT in Elementary Ed. – Special Ed. 45-Hr. Go Beyond The Traditional Classroom

45

Credit Hours

View Courses

Online*, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

To be a good teacher for elementary students, you need a thorough understanding of child development and age-appropriate teaching methods. But if you also want to help address the challenges children with special needs face in entering the education system, you need advanced training outside of the normal scope of an elementary education degree. Liberty has a program designed specifically for your needs. You can have a rewarding career helping students with special needs at the elementary level with Liberty’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education (45 hour) – Special Education General Curriculum (K-6) add-on program.

Our MAT in Elementary Education – Special Education track can give you flexibility by building in requirements for an additional endorsement and allowing for electives to help fill in missing content competencies.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education (45 hour) – Special Education General Curriculum (K-6) add-on.

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.


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What Sets Us Apart?

  • Private Nonprofit University
  • 600+ Online Degrees
  • No Standardized Testing for Admission
  • Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
  • Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

The MAT in Elementary Education’s 45-credit-hour option can provide you with the content competencies you’ll need to become a teacher. These core competencies include history, lab sciences, social science, arts, and English. You will also meet requirements for the Special Education General Curriculum Add-On Endorsement, providing advanced training and career flexibility.

At Liberty University, we don’t just train educators — we train educators who want to make a positive impact on the next generation. The well-being of your students and their families matters, so you can learn to evaluate education theory from a biblical worldview.

Empowering teachers to succeed is essential. So at Liberty, you can earn your MAT degree for less — at only $415 per credit hour. With our online format, this special rate makes the MAT one of our most flexible and affordable master’s programs. By integrating special education skills with Christian ethics, you’ll learn to confidently address the educational, emotional, and spiritual needs of your students.

Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). With excellent and affordable online education, Liberty’s online MAT in Elementary Education will help you meet licensure requirements and prepare you for success in your teaching career.


The MAT in Elementary Education provides an in-depth foundation of teaching practice and learning theory that can help you succeed in the classroom. You will study essential topics such as educational behavior and development, theories and methodologies of education, current trends in the education field, teaching methods, and classroom management.

Through your special education courses, you can learn how to provide individualized education support and care for students with significant disabilities. You can learn to create lesson plans and provide intellectual stimulation for students with special needs while encouraging growth. You will also learn how to make decisions about student progress, instruction, program, placement, and transitional services.

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 also be developing your own unique teaching style.

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

Degree Completion Plan


Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.


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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

Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.


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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 serve 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.

Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.