Clinically based programs vary but the overall core principles are:
- Intensive classroom experience: We have greater hours expectations than other programs. In the first year, students will spend a minimum of two full days a week in their placements. In the second year, students are often placed in their own classroom as full-time teachers throughout the year.
- Intensive Mentoring: Students are given intense mentoring support from both “clinical” teachers and university supervisors. The clinical teachers apply and get training throughout the year in order to make sure we are providing intensive support to our students.
- Classwork tied to Intensive Experience: Every course we offer is tied to classroom experience throughout the year so students get hands on opportunities to practice the techniques, ideas, and skills they are learning.
Advantages: Results from our own program have been great. Principals who hire our students feel like they’re getting a second or third year teacher. Our hiring and retention rate has been very strong. Research about clinically-based programs suggests that these teacher candidates feel more prepared for the rigors of teaching and are less likely to leave a job than those who went through a traditional program.
At this time, the OSU Clinically Based MAT is only for an elementary multiple-subject endorsement. Students do have the option of an ESOL endorsement and Dual Language Specialization to earn concurrently with their MAT. OSU does offer several other options for secondary or specialty endorsements. Please review the OSU College of Education website for more information.
Courses for the 2022-2024 Cohort will begin Summer Term 2022. Student teaching placement will begin in the fall with the 2022/2023 school year (Start date will depend on district).
We will begin accepting applications around September 16. Students who have applied prior to January 1 will receive first consideration for the 2022-2024 Cohort. Applications will continue to be accepted until May 1st or all cohort spots have been filled. Cohort sizes vary depending on district needs and availability. All applications to the MAT program are jointly reviewed by program staff and their district partners.
The OSU MAT is an Ecampus program and all classes have an online component. Half of the classes are hybrid online, which means that they meet in face to face classes about four times each term in the Portland area.
We have lots of students who join us from various fields and experiences. Many students have families and are also first-generation college graduates. We have had a number of students who have worked as instructional assistants (IAs) who are interested in becoming teachers. We encourage working with elementary age students prior to application. However, we accept Bachelor’s degrees in any area.
The OSU MAT is developing partnerships with many districts throughout Oregon in addition to our already established partnerships.
Students who are not part of these districts should reach out to program faculty ([email protected]) for more information.
We only have two required undergraduate courses related to education, and many of our students take them in the summer after they’re first admitted. They are: ED 216 - Purpose, structure and function of education in democracy and ED 253 - Learning across the lifespan. The state also requires that teacher candidates meet a range of content requirements: see our content mastery form.
We are a two-year elementary multiple-subjects program. We select our new cohorts in the late winter/early spring and begin classes in the summer. There is an average of eight to nine credits per term. Placements begin in mid-August and go through mid-June, and graduation takes place in June of the second year.
Our program allows for our candidates to continue working as teachers or Instructional Assistants (IAs) while completing their licensure and program requirements within our district partnerships.
Note: The program is very intensive, and student teaching takes a tremendous amount of physical and mental stamina. Any time not spent in classes is generally spent writing lesson plans, grading your students' work, and doing your own homework. Be prepared for a very busy year!