MAT in Middle Education – 45 Hours Mold Middle School Minds for Success
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Degree Options
Online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026
Being a middle schooler isn’t easy. Between 6th and 8th grade, most young students are just starting to learn who they are as individuals and what they want in life. These students are at one of the most important transitional times in their lives, and having a role model to look up to can have an immensely positive influence. As a teacher, you want the tools to help these young people as they begin making important choices.
If you are passionate about working with middle school children but you don’t have a license to teach, a master’s degree in middle education from Liberty can help you get the credentials you need to enter the field with confidence. With our online 45-hour Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Middle Education, you can prepare to teach in many public and private schools across the country.
With the demand for teachers on the rise in the U.S., your passion for teaching can help fill a much-needed role for tomorrow’s students. Most importantly, you will be earning your teaching degree from a nonprofit Christian university committed to seeing you succeed with excellence and integrity. You will touch many lives throughout your career; our goal is to provide you with training founded on biblical principles, so you can feel equipped to make an eternal impact on your students.
Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Middle Education – 45 Hours.
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.
As a middle school teacher, you must be an expert in your subject area. Our MAT in Middle Education program is designed to prepare you to confidently lead your English, math, science, or social studies classroom by allowing you to choose courses that focus on your subject of choice.
In addition to your core teaching courses, you will take classes on the historical foundations of education and learn how to test and measure your students’ growth. You will also take a class on language acquisition and instruction, which can help you better understand where your students are coming from — no matter what subject you teach.
Throughout this program, you will study:
In order to prepare for your career in the classroom, you will complete a semester of student teaching at the end of Liberty’s MAT program. By working hands-on in the classroom under an experienced, licensed middle school teacher, you will not only be meeting licensure requirements, but you will also be developing your own unique teaching style. This is an important step in maintaining your passion for education and increasing your marketability to employers.
With an online MAT in Middle Education from Liberty University, you can meet the requirements for Virginia state licensure, broaden your professional capacity, and make a bigger impact on 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). This standard of excellence means you can graduate with an online graduate degree recognized and respected by colleges and employers across the nation.
By choosing Liberty’s 45-credit-hour MAT program, you will have elective credits built into your program – allowing you to tailor your degree to your interests in education. At $430 per credit hour at the full-time rate, you will be earning your degree at one of the lowest tuition costs for this program in the nation!
Another option you have with the MAT is to use your electives to complete content competencies. In order to become licensed as a middle school teacher, you will need to complete content competencies in English, mathematics, social studies, or science. Depending on your bachelor’s degree, you may have completed some or all of these courses already.
If you have any questions about what courses you may need in order to obtain licensure for your middle grades subject area, please feel free to reach out to one of our Admissions Counselors at (800) 424-9596!
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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Visit our Degree Completion Plan (DCP) webpage or select one of the programs below for more information.
Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.
| Graduate Education Full Time | $430/Credit |
|---|---|
| Graduate Education Part Time | $645/Credit |
| Military Graduate | $290/Credit |
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
All Tuition & Fees
Please note: Guidelines are subject to change in federal or state regulations for the licensure of school personnel.
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
Please see the Online Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.
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:
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.
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*Not applicable to certificates.
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we offer a lower graduate tuition rate for our Master of Arts in Teaching programs. At $430 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.
Pursuing our online Master of Arts in Teaching may also make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
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*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, non-degree-seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and certificate students.