Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education (M.A.T.)

National Louis University's Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education program is designed for career changers who want to work toward their Illinois Type 03 certification for teaching kindergarten through ninth grade.

Consider getting your Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education degree at National Louis University (NLU) if you:

  • Have a bachelor's degree in another discipline
  • Plan to teach at the elementary or middle level
  • Would like to get your degree in as few as 15 months
  • Want to study at a well-established teaching institution

Why NLU for Teaching Elementary Education

Teaching and Learning with iPads

All over our country, instructional technology is being used to increase student understanding and excite students about school! This newly designed program at NLU builds a bridge from the traditional classroom to the classroom of tomorrow. In this program, you will be introduced to new technologies and many research-based teaching approaches designed to make you the best teacher possible.

Learn ways to integrate new techniques into your classroom such as teaching astronomy during the day; creating multimedia presentations using photos, videos, text and sound; or designing lessons for students with special needs. No previous iPad experience required.

NLU has a long-standing reputation for its education and teacher training programs, and is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Since 1886, we've trained thousands of Chicago-area teachers, and  continue to graduate the majority of Illinois’ Golden Apple Award winners —
one of the most prestigious teacher honors in the state.

Our instructors bring both academic skills and practical experience
to the classroom, offering the best in elementary education. As a result, we’re well known for preparing educators who can meet the demands of today's diverse classrooms and become leaders in the education profession.

What You Will Learn

  • How to teach students while taking into account their unique learning styles. The guiding principle
    of NLU instructional methods is based on constructivist philosophy: that learning is an active social process and teachers are the facilitators in that process.
  • Best practices in the classroom, and how to apply appropriate teaching methods to language arts, reading, math, social studies, sciences, and health and physical education.
  • How to assess and evaluate your techniques, and how to use
    research to enhance your teaching practices.

Career Outlook

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition, employment for teachers is projected to grow about 13 percent between 2008 and 2018. Many job openings will continue to result from the need to replace the large number of teachers expected to retire during this same period. Currently, our country's education schools don't graduate an adequate number of qualified teachers to meet the demand, and job prospects are best in areas including urban and rural school districts.1

NLU has excellent placement rates for our graduate education students, helping them find opportunities through the university's Career Development Center. NLU students are recognized by school principals as teachers who are comfortable in the classroom, and understand how schools are run.

Clinical Experiences

The State of Illinois requires a minimum of 100 hours of pre-clinical experience before student teaching. Hours are completed as part of the coursework, including ELE500, ELE510, and SPE500. An additional 30 hours of field experience are needed as part of the Master of Arts in Teaching program requirements and are completed in EPS511 and FND510.

Each student's growth as a teacher is encouraged and documented throughout the program through the development of clinical competencies and a Professional Portfolio.

Admission Requirements

All applicants must meet NLU's general admission requirements. Refer to the appropriate application checklist.

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition. www.bls.gov/oco/ocos318.htm

Locations

  • CHICAGO DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

    NLU’s Chicago campus on South Michigan Avenue occupies five floors of the historic Peoples Gas Building. This landmark building, across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago and Grant Park, is easily accessible by train, bus and car and is surrounded by restaurants, parking lots/garages and shops.

    122 S. Michigan Avenue
    Chicago, IL 60603
    800.443.5522

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  • ELGIN

    Conveniently located in a fast-growing business district off I-90 and Route 31, NLU Elgin features 10 classrooms with high-tech media equipment; a computer lab with high-speed Internet access; two conference rooms; and comfortable student lounges. Parking is free at this recently remodeled and upgraded teaching site, which now includes wireless Internet access.

    620 Tollgate Road
    Elgin, IL 60123
    800.443.5522

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  • NORTH SHORE

    Opened in the summer of 2006, NLU North Shore at Skokie is a state-of-the-art modern campus located just off the Edens Expressway near the Old Orchard Shopping Center. The campus includes 44 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a walk-in lab in the library; six conference rooms; a public café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; and multiple, comfortable student lounge areas.

    5202 Old Orchard Road
    Skokie, IL 60077
    800.443.5522

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  • LISLE

    Located just minutes from the East-West Tollway (I-88), NLU Lisle features 42 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a separate walk-in lab in the library; a café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; conference rooms; and six comfortable student lounge areas with wireless access.

    850 Warrenville Road
    Lisle, IL 60532
    800.443.5522

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  • WHEELING

    Located in one of Chicago's major northwest suburbs, the newly renovated NLU Wheeling includes 20 classrooms with high-tech media equipment, four conference rooms, four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, large student lounge areas with wireless capabilities and interactive video capabilities, and an extensive research library. The site also houses the university library research collection.

    1000 Capitol Drive
    Wheeling, IL 60090
    800.443.5522

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  • FLORIDA (TAMPA)

    Established in 1988 and located in one of the city's major business districts, NLU's Tampa campus serves students in 13 counties in central Florida. In addition to six classrooms, the campus features a conference room, a computer lab with high-speed Internet access, an extensive research library and comfortable student lounges.

    4950 West Kennedy Blvd. #300
    Tampa, FL 33609
    800.366.6581 | www.nl.edu/florida

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  • WISCONSIN

    NLU's Milwaukee campus has a proud history of serving graduate students in education in southeastern Wisconsin. Nearly one in five certified Wisconsin teachers looks to NLU for graduate education programs – more than any other university in the state. In addition to classrooms with high-tech media equipment, the campus offers a state-of-the-art computer lab with wireless Internet access and an extensive IDS research library.

    12000 West Park Place, Suite 100
    Milwaukee, WI 53224-3007
    414.577.2658

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