Master of Arts in Teaching

Louisville Teacher Residency Program

The Louisville Teacher Residency (LTR) offers adults with a bachelor’s degree the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching from Bellarmine in just one year while gaining real classroom experience in Jefferson County Public Schools.

• Teach in a JCPS classroom four days a week
• Earn a $33,000 residency stipend
• Receive reduced tuition
• Work alongside a mentor teacher
• Complete your degree in one year

Earn your teaching certification and step into a full-time role in JCPS, making an immediate impact in Louisville schools.

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Free Tuition Opportunity for STEM Degree Holders

Funded by the NSF’s Robert Noyce program, the Noyce Knights Scholars Program (NKSP) aims to prepare, support, and certify 25 highly qualified diverse middle and high school (6-12) science and mathematics teachers over five years to remedy the 6-12 STEM teacher shortages in Kentucky. If you hold a STEM degree, you can qualify for free tuition.

Learn More About NKSP

Admission Requirements

The MAT is for people who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education and want to teach in grades P-12. Successful applicants to the MAT program will have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 out of 4.00 from coursework across all undergraduate and/or graduate coursework prior to the MAT, or a GPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 on the last thirty hours of completed credits.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How will I fit in the required number of field observation hours while working full time?
The Commonwealth of Kentucky requires that each teacher candidate acquire at least 200 field observation hours, roughly 55 per semester, before they enter into their student teaching/professional semester. Students have been able to make this work by requesting time off from their employers, either a half-day per week, or entire days for a full week. Students report a better experience when they are able to go to their assigned field placement at least one time per week, but we are flexible in our expectations because we know that many of our students are working full-time to support a family. Our field coordinator will work with you to ensure you have the necessary number of field hours before your final semester.

What are the requirements for obtaining an alternative certification/temporary credential?
Many students are interested in obtaining an alternative certification so they can be hired as a teacher before they complete the full five semesters of the program. Most often, these positions are only available in areas of high need (Science, Math, English) at the middle and secondary level in public schools. To qualify as an "alt-cert" candidate, you must:

1. Have completed at least one semester of the program.
2. Have completed all required content courses.
3. Have successfully completed your content Praxis exam, and all three sections of the CASE exam.
4. Have the recommendation of at least one faculty member at Bellarmine.
5. Meet with our certification officer to complete the necessary paperwork.

It is important to note that moving into an alt cert position without the benefit of the full five semesters of schooling is often very stressful, and is not recommended for all candidates.

What does a typical course schedule look like?
Our courses are presented in a module format. You will matriculate through five modules. For most of these modules, you will spend one night a week at Bellarmine for a face-to-face class from 6–8:45 p.m. In addition, you will attend five full-day Saturday sessions throughout the semester from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. In your first module, you will also take an online course in conjunction with the evening class and the Saturday class.

Can I work while student teaching?
Your final semester is a full-time student teaching experience where you co-teach an entire semester with a mentor teacher. Because this is a full-time job, we recommend that you do not attempt to juggle an additional job during this semester.

Early Entry Program

The School of Education offers competitively priced Early Entry programs for our Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for elementary teaching or middle and/or secondary teaching. Bellarmine undergraduate students can begin taking graduate MAT courses their senior year and complete a Master's level teaching certification in a fifth year. Students will have the option to complete an Early Entry MAT and teaching certification either in Elementary Education or in their respective content area for middle and/or secondary education.

Graduates will be leaders in education, serving their communities by helping every child develop to their highest potential. Bellarmine graduates are highly sought after. Starting salary varies depending on the school district in which one finds employment, though is highly competitive at the Master's level. 

Tuition and Fees

Please visit our Graduate Tuition Rates for the most up-to-date tuition and fees information.

Funding Assistance
School districts may apply tuition support for this program, please contact your school district’s personnel specialist. As a degree seeking student in the MAT program, students should be eligible for federally supported forms of student aid. Financial aid questions should be directed to the Financial Aid Office at Bellarmine University (finaid@bellarmine.edu or (502) 272-7300).

Faculty

Meet the faculty who support Bellarmine’s graduate education programs.

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