Scott Hewit, Ed.D., Director
Rollins College offers courses of study for teacher certification and recertification, and the following graduate degree programs: the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Elementary Education/ESOL (K-6) with the Reading endorsement, the Master of Arts in Teaching in Education, the Master of Education (M.Ed.). The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) is designed for students pursuing initial teacher certification. The Master of Education (M.Ed.), with an emphasis in Elementary Education, is designed for professionally certified teachers who desire the professional enrichment represented by a master’s degree. For specifics regarding these programs, see the appropriate program descriptions.
Students who complete the required academic course and field work, maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have their Expanded Teacher Education Portfolio (ETEP) approved before AND during Student Teaching will meet the requirements for the M.A.T in Elementary Education/ESOL (K-6) or Music. The M.A.T. in Education provides the Education coursework required for Florida teacher certification in secondary education.
The M.A.T. in Elementary Education/ESOL (K-6) with the Reading endorsement at Rollins College is approved by the Florida Department of Education. Florida requires that students have a passing score on the General Knowledge test (GK) of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) to be admitted to any state-approved program. Students who meet the requirements for the M.A.T in Elementary Education/ESOL/Reading (K-6) or Music (K-12) AND submit passing scores on the General Knowledge (GK) test, Professional Education (PED) test, and Subject Area Exam (SAE) prior to graduation will be Florida State Approved Program completers, and immediately eligible for Professional Teacher Certification in Elementary Education/ESOL (K-6) with the Reading endorsement in the state of Florida.
The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Education provides Education coursework required to meet certification requirements for teaching in Florida. The M.A.T. in Education focuses on the mastery of content specialization, the teaching/learning process, and the application of educational research to classroom activities. The program requires a minimum of 36 graduate semester hours; however, additional hours may be required to meet certification requirements. An individual plan of study will be developed for each student. Students who complete the required Education coursework can apply for teacher certification in secondary education.