Education Where It’s Needed Most
You’ve always wondered whether you would make a good teacher – dedicated, caring, resilient, and committed to lifelong learning. UM-Flint’s Master of Arts in Secondary Education with Certification program wants you! This program is designed for aspiring teachers who have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and are interested in earning a master’s degree with teacher certification.
UM-Flint’s MAC program not only equips you with strong teaching skills but also empowers you to be part of the solution to the compelling realities facing students in today’s challenging school environments.
Why Earn Your Secondary Education Master’s Degree at UM-Flint?
Real-world Focused Teaching Program
UM-Flint’s MA in Secondary Education with Certification program focuses on experience-based learning intended to explicitly link theory with practice through clinical observation and student teaching placements for the entire program. You start the program by working alongside experienced teachers while gradually growing your responsibilities for teaching in these classrooms. As a result, you can become well prepared to teach and help students achieve academic excellence despite the challenges they might face.
Field-based Experience
The field-based setting is invaluable in building a sense of community with your instructors, cohort peers, coaching teachers, and students. The MAC program assigns you teaching placements in middle and high schools throughout Michigan. In the field-based training, you work closely with expert university and school faculty who facilitate and support your growing expertise in teaching.
Flexible Learning Format
The master’s degree in Secondary Education with Certification program’s robust emphasis on field experience is coupled with seminars offered in a mixed-mode learning format—online and face-to-face. You will consult with your university supervisor and school-based mentor to arrange 10-12 hours per week of field experience based on your availability. This flexible format empowers you to balance your work, school, and life commitments and take courses around your schedule.
Teacher Certification in One Year
Our MA in Secondary Education program is an authorized Alternate Route Provider with the State of Michigan. MAC candidates who pass a Michigan Test for Teacher Certification content area test and successfully complete the first year of the program are eligible for a Michigan Interim Teaching Certificate and employment while completing the remainder of the program.
However, students may also choose the traditional route to take the MTTC tests and earn their teaching certification after their completion of the MAC program.
The MAC program offers courses that not only give you insight on how to be a teacher, but how to see the world through the realms of inclusivity, equity, and growth mindsets. I feel I am more equipped not just as a teacher, but as an advocate in my community. As a student teacher, I am getting certifications in both music education and mathematics. Something that is discussed in the education field is the anxiety students and even teachers get when it comes to math. One of my passions is making math understandable in a way that it seems like a puzzle with certain rules.
Mitch Sansiribhan
Master of Arts with Certification 2022
Engaging Cohort Environment
The MA in Secondary Education with Certification program is cohort-based. You can enjoy an engaging learning experience with a small cohort of fellow educators who share your passion for making a difference through education. This cohort structure enables you to develop a strong support network for personal and professional development.
In addition, with small class sizes, the coursework emphasizes team-based projects, which allows for networking while improving collaborative and communication skills. Our faculty experts are committed to your success, making themselves available to you outside the normal class schedule with flexible office hours and online access.
U-M Resources
As part of the world-renowned University of Michigan community, you also have access to the full academic and research resources at the Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor campuses.
Master’s in Secondary Education with Certification Program Curriculum
The Master of Arts in Secondary Education with Certification program provides a robust curriculum that integrates theories with hands-on teaching fieldwork at the middle and high school levels. As part of the curriculum, the teaching placement allows students to build their teaching expertise in the real world and obtain feedback from our renowned faculty and supportive coaching teachers.
With a requirement of 42 credits, this full-time MAC program can be completed in less than two years, with an option to earn your teaching certificate in one year. Through the rigorous coursework, you can build a broad range of teaching skills and approaches to improve the classroom experience in secondary education.
Learn more about the MA in Secondary Education with Certification program curriculum.
The UM-Flint MAC program is pleased to announce that our students are eligible for the Michigan Future Educator Fellowship which offers a $10,000 renewable scholarship to future educators, as well as the Michigan Future Educator Stipend which provides a $9,600 stipend for the semester of student teaching. More information on these two programs and their associated eligibility requirements is at MI Student Aid Scholarship and Grant Programs.
Questions about these programs can be directed to Jim Owen, MAC advisor, at [email protected].
Master’s in Secondary Education Career Outlook
After earning a Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education and a teaching certification, you are well-prepared to pursue fulfilling teaching jobs in grades 6 through 12. You are empowered to apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired to create a more equitable society through education.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of middle school and high school teachers is projected to grow 4% through 2029 with over 1,000,000 jobs in the market. In addition, teachers can make a competitive median salary of over $60,000/year.
Each State Department of Education makes the final determination on a candidate’s eligibility for license and endorsement. State educational requirements for licensure are subject to change, and the University of Michigan-Flint cannot guarantee that all such requirements will be satisfied through completion of the Education with Certification (MAC) program.
Refer to the MAC Statement 2024 for more information.
Admission Requirements
Qualified applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and have a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 may be considered for probationary admission.
To be considered for admission, submit an online application below. Other materials can be emailed to [email protected] or delivered to the Office of Graduate Programs, 251 Thompson Library.
- Application for Graduate Admission
- $55 application fee (non-refundable)
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Please read our full transcript policy for more information.
- For any degree completed at a non-US institution, transcripts must be submitted for an internal credential review. Read the following for instructions on how to submit your transcripts for review.
- If English is not your native language, and you are not from an exempt country, you must demonstrate English proficiency.
- Résumé
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of Purpose: Teaching is both a calling and a daily challenge. In a 750-word essay, describe why you are well-suited to this challenge.
- Students from abroad must submit additional documentation.
Once all documents have been received, a face-to-face interview will be scheduled with you by the Education Department. A criminal background check that includes fingerprinting, at the candidate’s expense, is also required.
This program is an online program with mandatory in-person meetings. Admitted students will not be able to obtain a student (F-1) visa to pursue the degree. Students living abroad are unable to complete this program online in their home country. Other nonimmigrant visa holders currently in the United States please contact the Center for Global Engagement at [email protected].
Application Deadlines
The program has rolling admissions and reviews completed applications each month. Application deadlines are as follows:
- Fall (early deadline*) – May 1
- Fall (final deadline) – August 1 (applications will be accepted on a case-by-case basis after August 1 deadline)
Admission to the MAC program is reserved for the fall semester. Occasionally, the program will provide admissions to the winter semester as well. This is not guaranteed and we recommend all applicants plan for fall admission.
*You must have a completed application by the early deadline to guarantee application eligibility for scholarships, grants, and research assistantships.
Academic Advising for the Secondary Education with Certification Program
At UM-Flint, we are proud to have many dedicated advisors to guide your educational journey. Book an appointment today to talk about your plan of earning a master’s degree in Secondary Education.
Learn More about the MA in Secondary Education with Certification Program
University of Michigan-Flint’s Master of Arts in Secondary Education with Certification program offers the skills and fieldwork experience you need to pursue your dream of becoming an inspiring teacher for the next generation. Apply today or request information to learn more about the program!
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