4+1 Education Program (BA/BS+MAT)
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Our Five-Year Education Program is available to undergraduates who are interested in pursuing a professional career in teaching. Students in this innovative program earn a bachelor’s degree in an academic major, initial teaching certification and a master’s degree, while participating in a school-based internship or residency during their graduate year. The MAT program for five-year students is a 39-credit program.
Candidates who are interested in the Five-Year program have the opportunity to get certified in one of the following areas:
- Elementary education (grades PK-6)
- Secondary education (grades 4-12; biology, chemistry, English, general science, mathematics, social studies/history and world languages)
Five-Year Candidates will apply to the Master of Arts in Teaching program their sophomore year. Students are required to have a minimum GPA of a 2.80 to apply and will take education classes during their junior and senior years. During the fall semester of sophomore year, an information session will be held to review the application process and additional admissions requirements.
Why choose the Five-Year Education Program at Sacred Heart University?
Students will have the opportunity to take education credits during their junior and senior years. The education credits taken at the undergraduate level help reduce the time and tuition cost when compared to following the traditional MAT track. Interdisciplinary/elementary education candidates also have the opportunity to student teach during their senior year. Secondary education students will student teach during the master’s year. All five-year students will take 39 credits to complete a Master of Arts in Teaching in only one year!
Five-year education students will participate in either the school-based internship or the SHU Teacher Residency program. Both the school-based internship and residency programs provide tuition assistance equal to the cost of 30 graduate credits! For more information, visit the school-based experiences page.
School-Based Internship
The school-based internship is characterized as a year-long interview as candidates provide instructional assistance under the support of a school administrator.
SHU Teacher Residency Program
Students who opt to participate in the SHU Teacher Residency program spend a full school year in a classroom apprenticeship working alongside a mentor teacher in a partner district school. Students who successfully complete the residency program and licensure will be guaranteed employment (contingent upon position availability in the district).
Five-year program students who complete their certification in elementary education have the opportunity to become cross-endorsed in special education.
The special education cross endorsement track is designed for candidates who want to support students with exceptionalities (i.e., learning, emotional, orthopedic, language, and/or intellectual disabilities, autism, visual or hearing impairment, etc.) in general and special education settings. The majority of the courses that count toward cross endorsement are taken in the fifth year of study. Upon completion of the 30-credit course and clinical requirements, candidates will be eligible to apply for cross endorsement in Comprehensive Special Education (PK-12) through the state of Connecticut. Additional licensure tests apply.
Five-year students in all certification areas can also become cross-endorsed in computer science education.
Program Involvement
All candidates for the Five-Year program have the opportunity to get involved in many education-based clubs and activities including:
- Education club
- Study abroad in Dingle, Ireland
- Discovery Science Center & Planetarium teaching opportunities
- Classroom experiences/volunteer opportunities at local public schools