Track Description
The Teacher Education MAT, Science Education - Physics program is a state-approved initial teacher preparation program for students seeking certification to teach Physics in grades 6-12, including students previously certified to teach in another field. The Teacher Education MAT, Science Education-Physics Track has potential ties to professional licensure or certification in the field. For more information on how this program may prepare you in that regard, please visit https://apq.ucf.edu/files/Licensure-Disclosure-CCIE-Teacher-Ed-Science-Ed-Physics-MAT-June2020.pdf.
The Master of Arts in Teaching is a state-approved initial teacher preparation program that is subject to any change in the Florida Administrative Code (State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066). Students enrolled in this program should remain in close contact with their adviser to keep informed of any program changes implemented to comply with new state requirements.
Students in the Mathematics Education and Science Education tracks may be eligible for Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant. Please see education.ucf.edu/teach_grad.cfm for more information.
Curriculum
The Teacher Education MAT, Science Education - Physics program requires a minimum of 36 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. The program is a secondary (grades 6-12) program for noneducation majors at the undergraduate level or teachers previously certified in another field.
The MAT requires an online portfolio of both reflective practice/analysis of professional development and demonstration of attainment of the beginning level of performance for all Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs). Multiple artifacts and reflective analysis are required for each of the accomplished practices. All portfolio entries are critical components of learning since they are the primary means of accessing the professional development of students as reflective practitioners. In addition, an internship is required.
All teacher education candidates are required to complete Via™ by Watermark requirements before being certified for graduation. Via™ by Watermark access is required for the portfolio. See http://ccie.ucf.edu/explore-via/
Total Credit Hours Required: 36 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor’s Degree
Required Courses: 19 Credit Hours
Core: 13 Credit Hours
*Must be taken in the first semester in the program.
**Must be taken prior to internship.
Elective Courses: 9 Credit Hours
Students choose electives in keeping with their specialization.
- Electives approved by adviser 9 Credit Hours
Internship: 6 Credit Hours
- SCE 6946 - Graduate Internship (6 Credit Hours, taken over two semesters ***)
***The two semester requirement applies to on-the-job internships and most traditional internships. Traditional internships may be completed in one semester with advisor approval.
Students should ensure that they meet all requirements for Graduate Internship.
- Complete 24 credit hours of the program, including all core courses plus methods courses.
- Overall graduate GPA must be 3.0 or higher.
- No more than 6 credit hours of co-requisite content requirements can be outstanding at the time of admission to graduate internship.
- Passing scores on the appropriate Subject Area Examination and Professional Education Examination are required prior to admission to the second semester of graduate internship.
- Students must apply and be approved for graduate internship. Deadline dates and applications are available through the Office of Clinical Experiences at http://www.education.ucf.edu/clinicalexp/
- Satisfactory completion of the Graduate Internship requires the student to demonstrate proficiency in all Florida Educator Accomplished Practices at the beginning level in accordance with State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.065.
Culminating Experience: 2 Credit Hours
Additional Program Requirements
- Complete an electronic portfolio according to program guidelines. This portfolio requires demonstration of professional growth, reflection, and proficiency in the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.
- Pass all required sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination.
- Students are required to have 30 credit hours of co-requisite science course work to meet certification requirements to teach science in grades 6-12. These may be previously earned undergraduate or graduate science credits, or include graduate credits in science approved for electives in the program. Only six hours of independent study courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements. It is important to see an adviser if courses are difficult to schedule in content areas.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Master of Arts in Teacher Education program pay a $64 equipment each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $32 per semester.
Independent Learning
The MAT requires a portfolio of both reflective practice/analysis of professional development and demonstration of attainment of the beginning level of performance for all Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs). Multiple artifacts and reflective analysis are required for each of the accomplished practices. All portfolio entries are critical components of learning since they are the primary means of accessing the professional development of students as reflective practitioners. LiveText is required for the portfolio. In addition, an internship is required.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements , applicants to this program must provide:
One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
Passing score on all four parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination/General Knowledge Test (FTCE/GKT) OR a competitive score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score. This program does not require GRE for admission, but in accordance with Florida Statute 1004.4 and State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066, admission to this graduate-level, state-approved initial teacher preparation program requires demonstrating mastery of general knowledge.
UPDATE: In order to demonstrate mastery of general knowledge, Graduate Record Exam test administrations conducted on or after July 1, 2015, may be used as an acceptable means of demonstrating a mastery of general knowledge. A minimum passing score on a GRE subtest in an applicable general knowledge content area, as defined in the table below, will satisfy the requirement of demonstrating a mastery of general knowledge for the applicable general knowledge content area.
| FTCE GKT SUBTEST |
GRE SUBTEST |
MINIMUM GRE SCORE REQUIRED TO SUBSTITUTE FOR GK SUBTEST |
| GK Writing Subtest (Essay) |
GRE Analytical Writing |
A combined score of 4 out of 6 |
| GK English Language Subtest Skills |
GRE Verbal Reasoning |
A scaled score of 151 |
| GK Reading Subtest |
GRE Verbal Reasoning |
A scaled score of 151 |
| GK Mathematics Subtest |
GRE Quantitative Reasoning |
A scaled score of 147 |
- NOTE: Effective January 1, 2015, only examination results earned by educators within 10 years prior to the date of application for a new Florida Educator’s Certificate with the Florida Department of Education may be acceptable for certification eligibility requirements (SBR 6A-4.002).
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
- To align with current student standards and, therefore, be acceptable to satisfy educator requirements, a passing score on an examination identified in state board rule must have been earned during the ten (10) years immediately preceding application and qualification for a certificate, unless otherwise stipulated in relevant statute or rule.
Students may not switch from an MAT program to an MEd program without going through the university’s application process.
Application Deadlines
| Science Education-Physics |
*Fall Priority |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| Domestic Applicants |
|
|
Dec 1 |
Apr 1 |
| International Applicants |
|
|
Jul 1 |
Nov 1 |
| *Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date. |
Financials
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
