MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES
The MAT program is designed for individuals—including career changers—who already
possess a bachelor’s degree and who wish to teach social studies, but who do not have
an undergraduate degree in education.
To be considered for admission to the program, applicants must have either an undergraduate
degree in history or a degree in one of the social sciences with a history minor (18
credits). Prospective applicants who do not meet these requirements will be considered
for admission. However, they must complete a supplementary course of study equivalent
to a Stony Brook major in history before a decision can be made on their applications.
Admissions requirements
• An undergraduate degree in history or one of the social sciences (excluding psychology,
linguistics, criminal justice, and communications) with an 18-credit history minor.
• A minimum GPA of 3.00 (both overall and in the major).
• Scores on the
Graduate Record Exam (GRE; general test, not subject test); successful applicants generally have verbal
scores in the 50-80th percentiles, writing scores in the
40-80th percentiles, and quantitative scores in the 20–60th percentiles.
• A completed application and letters of recommendation.
The application deadlines are July 15 (for the summer and fall semesters) and October
31 (for the spring semester). Applications must be submitted
online.
For further information or to set up an appointment, please email
Prof. Charles Backfish.
Program Requirements
Program requirements include 5 graduate history courses, 6 pedagogy courses (plus
state-mandated field experience), and student teaching, which is full-time, 15-week
practicum. In addition, students must also satisfy the required areas of study in
history and the social sciences. This requirement may be met through prior undergraduate
coursework and courses taken as part of the MAT curriculum, though many students must
take a small number of additional courses. For more detail, please download the
MAT advising worksheet. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to meet with the program director.
Tuition and Financial Information
Tuition and fee information can be found on the
Bursar's website.
Stony Brook recognizes the need for helping students manage the expenses of higher
education. To this end, the University offers a
Time Option Payment Plan (TOPP), a program that allows students to make equal and consecutive payments throughout
the year.
For information on financial aid options, contact the Stony Brook Office of Financial
Aid at 631-632-6840, or
visit the Financial Aid website.