Q- What is the advantage of majoring and minoring in fields other than education?
A- Completion of a major and a minor Allegheny ensures that you will reach an impressive level of expertise in
those areas. This enables students to focus entirely upon education courses at the graduate level. Students
participating in the University of Pittsburgh's Master of Arts in Teaching program tailor the program to suit their
interests by choosing to specialize in one of the following:
- Elementary Education
- English/Communication Education
- Foreign Language Education
- Mathematics Education
- Science Education
- Social Studies Education
Q- What is the advantage of pursuing a five-year (masters) program to obtain my teaching certification, as opposed
to just a four-year (bachelors) program?
A- Masters work is required in order to obtain permanent teaching certification in Pennsylvania, as well as in most
states. Students who participate in the Pitt-MAT program obtain their teaching certifications in a streamlined,
timely manner, which typically eliminates the need to squeeze in courses during nights, weekends, and summers.
You can then devote your time to teaching and to your family.
Q- Why would school district officials elect to hire a candidate with a masters degree, when they can offer a lower
salary to one who holds only a bachelors degree?
A- School districts value these better qualified applicants, as their leadership skills and their commitment to the
profession indicate that they will be likely to remain in a given position for a long period of time. This means that
the school district will have to perform fewer costly teacher searches in the long run.
