COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Early Childhood Unified Residency at Wichita State University is designed for both recent college graduates and working professionals who want to transition into teaching by gaining the academic knowledge, instructional strategies, and supervised classroom experience needed for initial teacher licensure. The program emphasizes a residency-based model that combines graduate-level coursework with hands-on, real-world teaching practice, allowing students to develop practical skills in classroom management, child development, curriculum design, and inclusive education while working directly in educational settings. Admission requires completion of a bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) from an accredited institution and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours, although applicants with a GPA as low as 2.750 may be considered if they submit acceptable Miller Analogies Test or GRE scores. All applicants must also successfully complete a criminal background check at their own expense as part of the program’s commitment to preparing safe and responsible educators for work with young children. The MAT program is structured to ensure that candidates are well-prepared for licensure and classroom readiness by integrating theory with practice, enabling students to apply pedagogical concepts directly in real teaching environments under professional supervision. In addition to academic preparation, students may benefit from financial support opportunities such as scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships, which are available to a significant portion of graduate students at Wichita State University. Overall, the MAT in Early Childhood Unified Residency equips future educators with the pedagogical expertise, practical classroom experience, and professional credentials necessary to begin or advance a career in early childhood education and make a meaningful impact on young learners.