Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) History

Students who complete our master of arts in teaching history (MAT History) program will complete the requirements for initial licensure while developing the skills and content knowledge needed for the next step on your career path.

Our MAT program combines the pedagogy of teaching with a content specialization in history. 

Program Features 

• Small class sizes: Most courses at the graduate level are conducted with approximately 15 students.

• Flexible pacing options: This program can be completed in ~2 years full-time or 3 to 6 years part-time. Graduate history courses are offered in online, hybrid, or in-person formats in the evenings during the academic year and during two six-week summer sessions.

• Faculty: The Salem State University history department is an active community of scholars who regularly publish and contribute to their fields. The faculty prepares students for a range of professions while remaining committed to the core tradition of investigating the changing human condition and sharing this scholarship with the university community as well as the broader public 

• Exciting 300-hour practicum: We have strong partnerships with more than 50 area schools throughout Greater Boston and the North Shore, offering excellent experiential learning opportunities for those seeking placement. Educators already working in the classroom may be able to complete their practicum at their place of employment. 

• Concurrent enrollment opportunities: Certificate in Public History; Certificate in Holocaust and Genocide Studies; Certificate in Digital Studies; and more.  

• Graduate assistantships: Opportunities to apply for graduate assistantships, grants and scholarships. 

Curriculum 

Our curriculum is designed to give students the skills and confidence they need to begin teaching on day one. Students will complete four core courses in education, four courses in history, two methods courses in teaching history taught in coordination with two field-based courses, and a semester-long supervised practicum*. 

*If you have already completed a practicum (student teaching), the MAT program may not be right for you. Instead, you should look into the MA program. See the history program options below.

History Content 

The MAT in history is designed for liberal arts graduates who want to begin preparation for teaching history at the middle school or secondary level or are practicing teachers who would like to expand their understanding of the educational process while increasing their formal education in history. 

Through consultation with the program coordinators, students will select four content courses: 

Sample Content Courses

• Historiography 

• Oral History 

• Museum Studies 

• American History 

• The Civil War 

• Nazi Germany 

• The Holocaust 

• Modern Latin America 

• History of US-East Asian Relations 

• The French Revolution 

• The Napoleonic Empire 

• Russia Since 1917 

Licensure Opportunities* 

We offer the opportunity to progress from your preliminary license through your professional license within one program. As soon as you pass your MTELs (state teacher tests), you can apply for your preliminary license and begin your career as a classroom teacher. Once you have completed your core classes and student teaching, you will be endorsed for your initial license.

Upon completing your MAT and teaching for at least three years under your initial license, you will be eligible for your professional license. This means that graduates of our program can complete all licensure requirements without needing to pursue additional coursework. 

_{*Please be aware that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may change licensure requirements. Students are advised to contact the state for specific, current licensure requirements. Students may access that information at the Department for Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).}

Opportunities 

Research Resources 

Major repositories are within a half-day's driving distance of the university. Salem State’s library offers students access to a rich variety of print and electronic resources. Students also love the valuable subscription databases available through the website.

Professional Development 

• Professional Historical Societies: Many graduate students participate and present research as part of regional and national historical societies. 

• Phi Alpha Theta: All graduate students are encouraged to apply to Phi Alpha Theta, Salem State’s active chapter of the history honor society. Each year, Phi Alpha Theta supports a select number of students to present their scholarship at one of the organization's regional or national conferences. 

• Salem State University’s Research Day: Graduate students and faculty present papers, posters and workshops about their ongoing research. 

Travel 

Salem State history students can travel to domestic and foreign locations with the department. The department regularly offers summer and spring break trips to different European locations and the American South. Students can take these trips as part of a travel/study course or as stand-alone travel experiences.

The department also currently offers guided excursions to sites in New York City and Washington, D.C. Because travel/study programs are popular, the department will expand its offerings throughout the United States and Asia. 

Careers 

Salem State graduate history students can take advantage of the department’s relationships with practitioners in various fields, including archives and records management, museums, and education. Recent graduates have been offered jobs in area school districts, museums, research institutions, and historical societies, and others have gone on to pursue PhDs.