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What is the difference between an MAT and M.Ed.?

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Choosing an MAT vs M.Ed.

A master’s degree in education can give you a jump start when you’re ready to take the next step in your career. Several available graduate education degrees mean that you can choose one that aligns with your passion, no matter which part of the field you’d like to pursue. As you’re considering a graduate degree, ask yourself:

  • Which aspects of education do you enjoy most? Are you happiest working with students directly? Would you prefer to take more responsibility in a teaching leadership role? Or is your ideal position in school, district, state or federal education administration?
  • Where are you in your education career? You might be an entry-level educator starting your teaching journey, or a mid-career teacher seeking a more specialized role.
  • What is your background? Some education degrees are more appropriate for licensed or certified teachers, while others are tailored to those seeking initial licensure or certification.

With better insight into your career goals, you can explore the career trajectories for an MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) and M.Ed. (Master of Education). Brenau University offers both degrees, whether your passion is in elementary education, middle grades education, secondary education or special education. Determine which is best for you by learning about the differences between an MAT and M.Ed.

What is an MAT degree?

A Master of Arts in teaching (MAT) is ideal for educators who are early in their career because it offers classroom experience and content knowledge that can qualify individuals for certification or licensure. Resilient Educator, an expert-led education resource center, states that an MAT is “also the better choice for those with bachelor’s degrees in a different field” because the MAT adds teaching skills to content expertise.1 Clinical or field experience is usually required for an MAT regardless of specialty, allowing educators to hone their skills in a supervised setting.

Focus areas for Brenau’s MAT degree

Brenau University offers an MAT degree in four focus areas: Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, Secondary Education and Special Education. Courses in Brenau’s MAT degree programs include professional development for educators, teaching methods, content and clinical experience. Each course is taught by faculty who listen to the concerns of teachers in practice and continually update their curriculum to reflect today’s teaching needs.

  • Elementary Education: One of the few MAT in Elementary Education programs in Georgia with 100% online classes, you’ll pursue certification* from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) to teach preschool through 5th grade. Gain 9-12 credit hours of clinical experience through student teaching (9 hours) for one semester or an internship (12 hours) over several semesters.
  • Middle Grades Education: Pursue initial certification* from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) to teach grades 4–8. Choose two concentrations from English language arts, mathematics, reading, science and social studies. Gain 9-12 credit hours of clinical experience through student teaching (9 hours) for one semester or an internship (12 hours) over several semesters.
  • Secondary Education: Pursue certification* from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) to teach grades 6–12. Gain hands-on experience through student teaching for one semester (9 credit hours).
  • Special Education: Pursue certification* from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) as a special education teacher. Choose one concentration from language arts, mathematics, reading, science or social studies. Gain 9-12 credit hours of clinical experience through student teaching (9 hours) for one semester or an internship (12 hours) over several semesters.

What jobs can an MAT degree prepare you for?

MAT degree programs offer leading-edge teaching skills for educators at nearly any level.

  • Kindergarten Teachers: In Georgia, kindergarten teachers earned an average salary of $67,240 in 2023, which was much higher than the national average.2 Due to employment growth, kindergarten teacher positions in Georgia are projected to have an average of 450 job openings per year from 2020 to 2030.2
  • Elementary School Teachers: Georgia’s elementary school teachers earned an average salary of $64,390 in 2023, which was higher than the national average.3 In Georgia, 3,640 job openings per year are projected for elementary school teachers from 2020 to 2030.3
  • Middle School Teachers: The average salary for middle school teachers in Georgia was $73,210 in 2023, and the position is projected to have 2,530 job openings per year from 2020 to 2030.4
  • Secondary School Teachers: In Georgia, secondary school teachers earned an average salary of $65,350 in 2023.5 Due to employment growth, secondary school teacher roles in Georgia are projected to have an average of 2,020 job openings per year from 2020 to 2030.5
  • Special Education Teachers: Salaries and job openings for special education teachers depend on the grade level they work with.
    • Georgia’s kindergarten special educators made an average salary of $74,510 in 2023, about $10,000 higher than the national average. The position is expected to have 500 job openings per year from 2020 to 2030.6
    • Special education teachers in middle school made an average salary of $78,020 in 2023, about $12,000 higher than the national average.7 The position is projected to have 220 job openings from 2020 to 2030.7

What is an M.Ed. degree?

A Master of Education (M.Ed.) is geared toward working educators interested in career advancement. It gives educators forward-thinking teaching techniques, continuing professional development and leadership skills. The Resilient Educator resource center states that an M.Ed. “enhances current teaching and instructional skills” and “lays the groundwork for administration or curriculum design.”1 An M.Ed. can open doors to roles that influence schools, school districts and the education system itself.

Focus areas for Brenau’s M.Ed. degree

Brenau University offers an M.Ed. degree in three focus areas: Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education and Special Education. Courses in Brenau’s M.Ed. degree programs are geared toward advancement in their specific area, and each program culminates in a capstone course where students will synthesize and apply their knowledge in a special project. Just as with Brenau’s MAT programs, each course in the M.Ed. programs is taught by faculty who are in tune with today’s teaching environments.

  • Elementary Education: In addition to a core of courses in methods, professional development and education research, you will complete one endorsement. Choose from English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), math, reading or science.
  • Middle Grades Education: Complete core methods, professional development and education research courses. Choose two concentrations from language arts, mathematics, science or social studies.
  • Special Education: Learn how to enhance education for learners with exceptional needs. In addition to core coursework in special education, the program has one area of content concentration, autism, which is built in.

What jobs can an M.Ed. degree prepare you for?

With an M.Ed., graduates can enhance their current teaching role or move into positions in administration, curriculum design, education technology, career counseling and more.

  • Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary: This occupational group includes principals, vice principals, education administrators, athletic directors, superintendents and special education directors. In Georgia, these professionals made an average salary of $102,460 in 2023.8 They are expected to have an average of 640 annual job openings in Georgia from 2020 to 2030.8
  • Educational, Guidance and Career Counselors and Advisors: Included in this occupational group are academic advisors, academic counselors, guidance counselors, admissions counselors, college counselors, vocational counselors and more. In Georgia, these professionals made an average salary of $60,930 in 2023.9 They are expected to have an average of 980 annual job openings in Georgia from 2020 to 2030.9
  • Instructional Coordinators: These professionals are also known as curriculum coordinators, education specialists, instructional designers, learning development specialists and more. They made an average salary of $79,800 in Georgia in 2023 and can expect an average of 720 job openings per year from 2020 to 2030.10

Choose your education master’s degree program

Now that you have more information about Brenau’s MAT and M.Ed. degrees, you can make the decision that’s best for you. With an education degree from Brenau, you’ll receive the career preparation you need in fully online courses taught by faculty who are experts in the field. With no application fee or test scores required, now is the time to explore Brenau’s MAT and M.Ed. programs.

MAT degrees

M.Ed. degrees

Sources

  1. Resilient Educator. “What Are Graduate-Level Education Degrees?” January 29, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://resilienteducator.com/degrees/masters-vs-eds-edd/.
  2. O*Net OnLine. “Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education 25-2012.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2012.00.
  3. O*Net OnLine. “Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 25-2021.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2021.00.
  4. O*Net OnLine. “Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25-2022.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2022.00.
  5. O*Net OnLine. “Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25-2031.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2031.00.
  6. O*Net OnLine. “Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten 25-2055.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2055.00.
  7. O*Net OnLine. “Special Education Teachers, Middle School 25-2057.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2057.00.
  8. O*Net OnLine. “Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary 11-9032.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-9032.00.
  9. O*Net OnLine. “Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors 21-1012.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1012.00.
  10. O*Net OnLine. “Instructional Coordinators 25-9031.00.” 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-9031.00.

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