Offered through WPU’s Professional and Graduate Studies (PGS) division, the MAT degree program considers the unique needs of today’s adult learners, many of whom are balancing work and family responsibilities. Focused on preparing students to pursue their Oregon Preliminary Teaching License, the MAT program is offered in an accelerated format with flexible online and in-person coursework options.

In WPU’s standard accelerated MAT format, coursework is delivered via synchronous class meetings with students taking one class at a time, one evening per week. Students attend classes either online or in person, and courses are between two and seven weeks in length. Students select a specialty focus area — Early Childhood/Elementary or Middle/High School — and complete a 15-week student teaching experience.

In the accelerated summer immersion format, students take a full-time course load of one- to three-week classes, mornings and afternoons, from May to August. Students attend these synchronous class meetings in an online environment, focusing on the Middle/High School endorsement area. This is followed by a 15-week clinical experience of student teaching in the fall semester, with the program finishing in December.

If you’re ready to apply to the accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching program, please review WPU’s admissions requirements. Candidates interested in applying to WPU’s MAT program must:

• Have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university

• Supply official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended

• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all higher education coursework

• Submit an academic paper on a current issue in any field of study

• Submit three recommendations on the required form

• Submit a goal statement on the required form

• Successfully complete an interview with WPU’s Education Department

• Have already taken prerequisite courses in human lifespan development and learning theory

• Submit fingerprints to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and have them cleared

Discover more about our admissions requirements, program requirements, and start dates in our course catalog.

In order to be licensed to teach in Oregon, individuals must meet all the requirements and regulations of the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission at the time of their licensure. To receive an Oregon Preliminary Teaching License:

• The candidate must have completed a teacher preparation program and must qualify for at least one endorsement, including passing any required assessment exams.

• WPU must have submitted a program completion report.

• The candidate must meet all requirements concerning knowledge of U.S. and Oregon civil rights laws and professional ethics.

• The candidate must agree to a background clearance.

• The candidate must submit a complete and correct application and payment of all fees.

Review the full process for adding an endorsement to a teaching license.

Warner Pacific University is accredited by The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). In addition, WPU’s MAT program is approved by the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC), accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), and aligned with Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards.

Individuals who have graduated with an MAT and obtained a state teaching license qualify for roles as elementary school, middle school, and high school teachers. 

With further experience or certification, many MAT degree graduates pursue roles beyond traditional teaching, such as:

• Specialized instructional positions, such as literacy or STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) specialist roles

• Roles in curriculum development, educational consulting, or instructional coaching

• Administrative positions

• Roles in corporate training, nonprofit education programs, or education technology (edtech) companies

WPU strives to provide students with a valuable education at an affordable cost, with tuition rates that are more than 40% lower than the average private university tuition in the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, most WPU students receive some form of financial aid. To explore your financial aid options, please visit our Financial Aid page.

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For a full list of fees, please visit our Tuition and Fees page.