Department of Education

Combined Baccalaureate/MAT Degree Program

Brown undergraduate students have the opportunity to begin working on a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree while completing their baccalaureate in a subject field (English, history, math, science, or allied concentrations).

Our one-year MAT program combines intensive coursework, immersive teaching experiences, and personalized coaching to prepare students to become culturally responsive and impactful educators. As part of a small, collaborative cohort, our students receive comprehensive, critical, and equity-based preparation for secondary-school teaching careers (grades 7-12) in one of the following subjects: 

The Combined Baccalaureate/MAT degree allows Brown undergraduate students many advantages if they are interested in a pathway to teaching. Once students are accepted, they are qualified to take two MAT courses during their senior year which would reduce their course load and provide a financial benefit during the graduate year. Students receive advising in content preparation from MAT faculty and are guided toward enriching experiences and opportunities that support their development.

Brown undergraduates apply to the program by October 1 or May 1 of their junior year. During their undergraduate years, candidates must complete all baccalaureate requirements related to the subject they want to teach and may take up to two of the required graduate courses. In their fifth year, they will complete the remaining required graduate courses, including the one-year teaching residency. The minimum requirements to complete both degrees are 36 credits, of which a maximum of two may count toward both the bachelor’s degree and the MAT degree.  

Students in all teaching disciplines are eligible to apply for an Urban Education Fellowship before they begin their graduate year. 

Attend an Info Session

Required Application Materials and Process

Please complete our online application and submit it by October 1 or May 1 of your junior year.

To find the Bacc/MAT application:

  1. Select 2024 Master's Application. 
  2. Under "Personal Background - Additional Questions," and "Brown Community Status," select "Junior Undergraduate" and enter your Banner ID.
  3. Under "Program of Study," select your Bacc/MAT discipline.

Please note that although the application asks for test scores and financial information, these are not required.

Applicants must meet with an MAT faculty member to discuss their plan of study before submitting an application to ensure that their proposed plan meets MAT requirements. 

Within the application, you will need to list all undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses you have previously completed, are currently completing, and plan to take for your intended area of certification.

An unofficial transcript from Brown, and any other colleges you attended, must be uploaded with the application. Official transcripts are only required for enrolling students before classes start.

In no more than two single-spaced pages, kindly address why you would like to teach your subject to structurally and economically disadvantaged students and how you believe education can be a tool for equity.

Applicants for the MAT-English discipline must submit a writing sample, no more than 5 typewritten single-spaced pages, in addition to their personal statement.

Please be sure to include prior experience working with children or adolescents in a role such as a tutor, mentor, or counselor. 

2 letters of recommendation are required, with at least one from a professor. 

Within the application portal, you will have the chance to invite references to complete the evaluation form and submit a letter of recommendation. It is important that your recommenders know you well, think highly of your work, and are able to write a thoughtful and informative letter of recommendation on your behalf.

An application may be submitted by the deadline without the letters, though an admission decision will not be released until all materials are received.