Practical, hands-on experience in the classroom
As an MAT candidate, you may participate in an internship or residency during the fall and spring semesters of the program. Quinnipiac and our partnering schools provide you with guided, hands-on professional practice while reducing some costs of the program.
Candidates who are not employed by a school district will be placed as either an intern or a resident. These candidates will receive a reduction in tuition of up to 50% by means of a tuition remission for serving in such capacity. Candidates employed by a school district may be eligible for employee tuition assistance. Financial aid is available for all candidates in the MAT program.
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Interns serve in area schools in a variety of capacities and as substitute teachers with guidance from an on-site adviser and from a Quinnipiac faculty member. Each intern has the opportunity to participate in staff meetings and take part in all school operations.
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Residents spend the entire school year with one teacher in one classroom in the role of co-teacher. The classroom teacher and a Quinnipiac faculty member will provide guidance throughout the school year. Each resident can participate in staff meetings and take part in all school operations.
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School employees continue working in the capacity in which they were hired.
After successfully completing one year of studies in the MAT program, a candidate can be hired as a teacher of record under a Resident Educator Certificate issued by the State of Connecticut.
You will be off to a strong start — gaining experience in a professional environment while also gaining perspective and support from your Quinnipiac faculty and classmates.
Preparing the next generation of STEM educators
Quinnipiac University’s School of Education has been awarded a $751,755 Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Grant to support the development of highly qualified Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) educators and help address the national shortage of STEM teachers.
The grant will provide scholarships for 18 Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) candidates with STEM majors to participate in an immersive residency program during their graduate year. This includes both secondary education candidates in biology, chemistry or mathematics, as well as elementary education candidates, who have an appropriate STEM major.
Program Benefits
Grant funding and participation in the program will:
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Cover 90 percent of program tuition
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Offer extensive hands-on classroom experience, followed by three years of support and mentorship.
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Organize a full-year co-teaching residency alongside an experienced mentor teacher in a local school district
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Provide professional development activitiesm including workshops led by STEM experts, participation in STEM events for K-12 audiences and attendance at national STEM education conferences
Apply and Learn More
The first cohort is set to begin in Summer 2026. For inquiries about applying for this unique opportunity to become a highly qualified STEM teacher, or for those considering the teaching profession more generally, you are encouraged to reach out to Quinnipiac’s Graduate Admissions Office.
Read more about the program on QU Today
Contact Graduate Admissions
From Student to Teacher
We have forged collaborative partnerships with several area schools to give students the opportunity to learn best practices in teaching while being an important part of that school’s educational team. We have partnerships with 20 school districts throughout the state of Connecticut. These districts understand the importance of providing high-quality teaching experiences and opportunities to learn for our teacher candidates in a hands-on classroom environment.
Throughout the course of your internship, Quinnipiac faculty provide you with support and guidance that allows you to thrive in your environment. To help you secure your first job in education, we offer a range of career transition services including resume-writing workshops, mock interviews and assistance completing your certification paperwork.
Who is this program designed for?
The MAT in Special Education is designed for students with a bachelor's degree that hope to teach special education in public or private schools. The School of Education is proud to offer additional programs of study for individuals interested in the field of special education.
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Current teachers who have already earned an initial teaching certification will be better suited for our MS in Special Education leading to Cross-Endorsement program.
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Students who are interested in performing research into the theory and practice of special education, but do not plan to teach, are a perfect fit for our MS in Special Education program.
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Individuals from any program of study who want to continue to build foundational competencies may be interested in our Certificate of Completion.
Quinnipiac follows NACE First-Destination Survey Standards and Protocols for the collection and dissemination of undergraduate student initial career outcome information six months after graduation. Learn more about the standards for statistics and reporting used by Quinnipiac.
