If you are passionate about working with special education populations the M.A.T. in Special Education will give you the skills necessary for your career. The program provides you with the education and credentials required to be a special education teacher. Coursework focuses on the methodology and psychology of working with special education populations, and also covers teaching methods and lesson preparation. The M.A.T. in Special Education offers two areas of concentration: Adapted Curriculum Concentration and General Curriculum Concentration. Applicants are required to provide two essays: One outlining your professional goals and another based on a topic provided by the program.
The M.A.T. in Special Education will develop your skills as a teacher and increase your understanding of working with special education populations. Students in the Adapted Curriculum concentration will take 42-semester hours of courses like Topics In Communication Disorders; Physical Care and Management of Students with Profound Disabilities; and Evidence-Based Methods for Teaching Students with Autism. Students in the General Curriculum concentration will take 42-semester hours of courses like Best Practices for Teaching Math to Exceptional Learners; Collaboration with Families and Professionals; and Culturally Responsive Classroom Management for Exceptional Learners. Both programs lead to recommendation of licensure from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
WCU’s M.A.T. graduates will be eligible to teach special education populations in grades K-12. The National Education Association states the average salary for North Carolina public school teachers is $47,783 for the 2014-15 school year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting a 6% increase in high school teacher hirings by 2022. There are also a number of opportunities across the nation and internationally for primary and secondary teachers.