Teacher Intern Program & Master of Arts in Teaching

Change the world by changing lives - one student at a time.  

It is never too late to become a teacher.  No matter your background, the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree will help you transition into the field of education as a middle school or high school teacher.  

Teacher Intern Program

Recently approved by the Iowa State Board of Education, starting in Fall 2024, Drake School of Education will offer a new Teacher Intern Program, which allows individuals with a Bachelor's degree in another field and three years of post-bachelor work experience to complete coursework toward teacher licensure for middle school or high school subject areas in an accelerated format. Eligible candidates can complete all the necessary classroom coursework within one academic year by taking nine credits in the fall, spring, and summer semesters, respectively. At the end of that year, they obtain an intern teaching license, which allows the individual to be hired by a partnered school district and receive full salary and benefits while completing a year-long internship and simultaneously earning an additional 10 credit hours without further coursework. At the end of the one-year teacher internship, participants earn their MAT degree.

Master of Arts in Teaching

This is a minimum 36-credit hour degree program.  The degree program is designed for individuals who hold undergraduate degrees in a field outside of education, but would like to obtain teaching certification at the middle or high school level (5-12).  Would you rather teach younger students?  Consider the Master of Science in Teaching program to be prepared as an elementary school teacher.  

This part-time program is designed to meet the needs of working professionals. Courses are offered during the day, in the evening, and online to accommodate your lifestyle.  You can continue to work while you move toward the completion of your master's degree.  Courses can be taken all year round.  

In addition to courses needed to receive your teaching license, you'll fulfill requirements that will certify you to teach in at least one subject area. As an MAT student, you are required to complete at least one endorsement while attending Drake. Contact the School of Education Coordinator of Graduate Admission for a transcript review to see which courses from your undergraduate transcript may count toward an endorsement. The number of courses you will need to take to complete an endorsement will depend on how many of your undergraduate courses fulfill state requirements.   

Questions?

For more information about the MAT program, contact:

Todd Hodgkinson, PhD
Associate Professor
todd.hodgkinson@drake.edu
515-271-4565

Additional Information

International Students

Scholarships and Financial Aid 

There are a number of scholarship opportunities for students pursuing teacher licensure. See the full list of scholarship opportunities offered to School of Education students. 

• Teacher Loan Forgiveness: Under the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, if you teach full time for five complete and consecutive academic years in a low-income school or educational service agency, and meet other qualifications, you may be eligible for forgiveness of up to $17,500 on your Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and your Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans. 
• Teach Iowa Scholar Program: The Teach Iowa Scholar (TIS) Program provides qualified Iowa teachers with awards of up to $4,000 a year, for a maximum of five years, for teaching in Iowa schools in designated shortage areas.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer.
• Financial Aid
• Tuition and Fees