Brown's Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is designed for a variety of people seeking to work directly with students in grades 7-12 as a classroom teacher, including recent college graduates, early-career individuals, and mid-career professionals. 

Our approved program certification areas are:

• Secondary Grades Biology Teacher 
• Secondary Grades Chemistry Teacher 
• Secondary Grades English Teacher 
• Secondary Grades Mathematics Teacher 
• Secondary Grades Physics Teacher 
• Secondary Grades Social Studies Teacher

Brown's program leads to a teaching license. Upon completion of the program and state-required Praxis exams, candidates will be recommended for a Rhode Island Department of Education teaching certificate in their discipline at the secondary level and an endorsement in teaching multilingual language learners.

Candidates who complete Brown's MAT program are eligible for full certification in Rhode Island and are eligible for certification in other states through reciprocity based upon agreements in the Interstate Certification Agreement with NASDTEC.

Brown's MAT is a one-year program. It begins each June and ends with Commencement the following May. Fall and spring semester starts are not permitted.

Yes! Our Student Ambassadors are present at information sessions or you can use our Contact an Ambassador form to connect.

Email us to arrange for a tour or visit Brown's Admissions page for more information about in-person and virtual campus tours.

Prospective applicants need to meet discipline-specific coursework requirements to be considered for admission. These requirements can be found on the How to Apply page, listed by content area. If you’re unsure that your coursework qualifies, you can request a transcript analysis by emailing a list of 8-10 courses that you’ve taken that you think meet these requirements and your transcript (unofficial works) to the respective faculty member:

• English — Laura Snyder 
• Math — Indira Gil
• Science — Diane Silva Pimentel
• Social Studies — John Palella

Once analyzed, the faculty member will be in direct contact with you with their decision.

While professional work experience is not a requirement, having prior education-related experience like camp counseling or tutoring can strengthen an application.

The admissions committee looks for a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with lower GPAs are not typically accepted but there are exceptions.

The application opens each year in September and is due January 15 for all applicants, including Brown seniors applying as fifth-year master's students. 

The admission committee evaluates applications holistically. A strong applicant has some experience in working with adolescents or in education, along with a commitment to enhancing students' outcomes and opportunities and promoting the cause of justice. The committee expects applicants to have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. No prior professional experience is necessary to apply.

A non-refundable application fee of $100 is required of all applicants. The fee must be paid by credit card. Applications will not be processed until this fee is received.

All students, including U.S. citizens and international students, are eligible for application fee waivers.

Application Fee Waivers

1) The Application Fee is automatically waived for:

• Active duty U.S. Military personnel, as well as U.S. Military veterans. Please be sure to list your status within the application.
• Domestic or international applicants who are members/alumni of certain programs listed within the application.

2) If you would like to request an Application Fee Waiver based on high-financial need:

Application fee waiver requests can be found within the application and will be considered if they are accompanied by documentation that substantiates your financial hardship. The fee waiver request form must be submitted no later than three days before the application deadline. Applicants will be notified by email regarding the outcome of their request and should not submit their application until receiving notification about their waiver.

Neither the GRE General nor GRE Subject tests are required for the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. 

All international applicants whose native language is not English must submit an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score. Please visit this website for more information and exceptions. 

MAT applicants in all disciplines are welcome to apply for an Urban Education Fellowship (UEF), which provides loan forgiveness to MAT graduates who stay in the community for at least three years serving urban students and schools. UEF recipients are required to teach full-time for three years in an urban school in Rhode Island that meets the following criteria:

1. Qualifies for federal funds
2. More than 30% of the school’s enrollment must be made up of children from low-income families

To apply for an Urban Education Fellowship, please follow the instructions within the program application. 

International students who would be in F-1 visa status while enrolled in the program are not eligible for an Urban Education Fellowship.

The MAT program offers financial aid packages through a combination of merit-based and need-based scholarships. For those who qualify and apply, financial aid can also come in the form of an Urban Education Fellowship. We do not offer graduate assistantships or other forms of employment as part of our financial aid packages.

Applicants who are accepted to the program receive their financial aid packages at the same time as their admissions letter. Please see this website for information. 

Yes, international students are eligible for both merit-based and need-based scholarships. 

All students who apply for admission are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.

Domestic and International applicants are encouraged to apply for a need-based scholarship by completing either the FAFSA or the CSS Profile and submitting it with their application.

If you have questions regarding sensitive financial information, please contact the Graduate School's financial aid office or (401) 863-2721.

Brown will release admission decisions between late February and early March. You will receive an automated email when an admission decision is available. 

Please accept or decline the admission offer no later than April 15 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. We strongly encourage submitting the decision sooner. 

An offer of admission to the MAT program is made only for the upcoming academic year. The program will grant deferrals only in rare circumstances and scholarships do not defer.