• Chapman student teacher helping student
Attallah College of Educational Studies

»Secondary Education

The combined Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and Single Subject (SS) teaching credential program at Chapman University aims to develop reflective and transformative teachers capable of working collaboratively with youth, their families and communities for the sustainable well-being of educational, social and ecological systems.

The mission of Chapman's Teacher Education program is to prepare teachers who use integrated, developmentally appropriate and critical pedagogies and are ready to collaborate within diverse educational communities. 

MAT Secondary Education

The MAT Secondary Education program allows the candidate to obtain both a Single Subject (SS) teaching credential and a master’s degree through a rigorous program of coursework, fieldwork and student research. 

The Single Subject (SS) teaching credential authorizes teachers to teach one subject, and they are typically employed at the high school or middle school (secondary) levels. The Single Subject teaching credential options at Chapman are English, mathematics, science, social science and music. Visit our Teaching Credential webpage for a list of all credentials offered at Chapman University.

Why Attallah College?

  • Enjoy the benefits of low student-to-faculty ratios due to our small class sizes
  • Comprehensive financial aid opportunities, including tuition assistance and scholarships available 
  • Designed for working professionals, with classes offered once a week at 4 p.m. or 7 p.m.
  • Tailored support and personalized instruction for individual learning needs
  • Experiential, community-based learning that integrates coursework with student teaching experience
  • Combined teaching credential and master's degree programs in elementary, secondary, special education and music education

Our Students and Alumni

Chapman University Secondary Education graduates are employed all across Southern California, including in these school districts:

  • Orange Unified School District
  • Santa Ana Unified School District 
  • Tustin Unified School District
  • Corona-Norco Unified School District
  • Irvine Unified School District 
  • Los Angeles Unified School District

Our Research 


Chad Coudriet
Chad Coudriet, MAT '23
"Every professor at Attallah College has modeled and offered content to provide access to every student. They have taught us how to have an asset-based lens, and through lesson planning strategies such as UDL, differentiation and CGI, we have learned to remove obstacles and offer access to all learners while supporting the whole child."
Dorcas Hoi
Dorcas Hoi, MA '19
"I am excited that Attallah College continues to foster many promising educators. I am reminded of how much I’ve grown since I first declared myself as a future educator."
Kevin Kim
Kevin Kim, MAT '20
"As someone who thrives in a hands-on collaborative learning environment, I found Chapman’s MAT program to be a perfect fit for me. The cohort model brings the students together as everyone works collectively to achieve a like-minded goal: to learn as much as we can so that we can go out into the world and enable the dreams of others. The highlight of the program for me is forming relationships with my teachers, classmates, and the staff. These are people who truly care about your success as an educator and will do everything in their power to help support you along the journey.”

More Information


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Program at a Glance

  • Small class sizes and low student-to-faculty ratio.
  • Hands-on, community-based learning connects coursework to student teaching
  • MA in Teaching (MAT) Secondary Education program is 36 units
  • Cohort model with a summer term start
  • Four terms are required to complete the MAT Secondary Education program: Summer/Fall/Spring/Summer
  • Paid University Intern Credential program available (in lieu of unpaid student teaching).
  • Students who already possess a single subject or multiple subject teaching credential from California are not eligible for admission to the MAT Secondary Education program.

Admission Requirements

  • Submit an online application (for Summer start only).
  • A statement of intent, the prompt can be found within the application.
  • A current resume or CV. 
  • Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
  • One set of official transcripts from all institutions the applicant has received (or will be receiving) a degree from. 
  • Two letters of recommendation are required. 
  • Submit passing score on the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) or equivalent.
  • Applicants must have a minimum admission grade point average of 3.000. Applicants with an admission grade point average between 2.750 and 2.990 may be considered for admission, and if admitted, will have a hold placed on their second term’s registration. Students must be in good academic standing to continue in the program. Students whose admission grade point average is below 2.750 will not be considered for admission for the Teacher Education master’s degree programs.
  • Submit passing score on, or proof of registration for, the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) applicable to their credential area or equivalent.
  • $60 application fee.

For more information on Teacher Education Program requirements, please visit our designated information page. Visit Chapman's website to submit your Graduate Program application here

Fieldwork and Graduation Requirements

Fieldwork and Graduation Requirements:

Additional Teacher Education Fieldwork Notes:

  • All candidates will participate in a minimum of 600 fieldwork / clinical practice hours across the arc of the program.  

Course Sequence:

Interested in Applying? 

MAT Secondary Education: Apply Today!

Program Design

Our teacher credential programs are grounded in research associated with best practices in teacher education and education in K-12 settings, including components for teacher education such as intense clinical experience (Darling-Hammond, 2010); video-based lesson self-evaluation (Dieker et al., 2009); action research and performance assessments (Darling-Hammond, 2006); and coursework focusing on working with English language learners (ELLs) and students with disabilities, culturally responsive pedagogy, Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction, and assessment.

The Chapman teacher education program aims to develop pre-service teachers who:

  • Possess strong content knowledge and the ability to use and reflect upon effective inclusive, research-based, and subject-matter integrated pedagogies. 
  • Align themselves with educational theories reflective of John Dewey’s progressivism and Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy with the goal of relationship based and sustainable systems for a more equitable and socially just world. 
  • Value diversity and inclusiveness as an asset and are capable of fostering student strengths to support all students to reach their academic, personal, and societal potential. 
  • Demonstrate collaborative, resilient, caring, creative, and democratic attributes of a professional teacher.
  • Integrate a developmental understanding of the whole individual in classroom and school communities. 
  • Value, engage, and ally with students and their families who come from multiple and overlapping community contexts both local and global.   
  • Commit to ongoing learning throughout their career.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Chapman University located?

Chapman University is located in the City of Orange, California, near historic Old Towne Orange. Our beautiful campus is centrally located in Orange County, a short distance from the 5, 55, 22, and 91 freeways.

What teaching programs do you offer?

The Attallah College of Educational Studies offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with an embedded Single Subject Credential or Multiple Subject Credential. See the Teaching Credential webpage for the complete list of credentials offered.

Can I enroll in the credential-only program?

No, Chapman offers combined teaching credential and master's degree programs. Our combined programs can be completed in as few as 15 months. Students must select their master's degree program and type of credential(s) prior to applying.

How long does the program take to complete?

The combined MA in Teaching (MAT) and credential program takes 15 months to complete full time. Those admitted in Summer are in a cohort sequence of Summer/Fall/Spring/Summer.

What is the cost of the program?

Please see the Tuition & Fees page for full details. All Attallah College graduate program applicants who submit all their materials by the program's priority deadline are automatically considered for tuition fellowships and scholarships.

Where can I find information about tuition, financial aid, scholarships, and grants?

Visit these webpages for more details about the cost of Chapman Teacher Education Programs as well as available scholarships and grants:

A variety of state and federal grants are also available for future teachers, including the Golden State Teacher Grant, TEACH Grant, and Cal Grant. Download the State and Federal Financial Aid for Future Teachers guide for more details and links to additional resources.

What time are classes held?

Classes are held between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Fieldwork takes place in late afternoon during the Summer or during a typical school day in Fall and Spring.

Additionally, your full-time (Spring) student teaching term will be conducted during district contract hours, Monday through Friday.

When is the application deadline?

Chapman admits one cohort per year (with a summer term start) to the teaching credential and MA in Teaching programs. See the graduate admission webpage for all Attallah College application deadlines.

Do I need to submit any test scores with my application?

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) is allowing applicants to teacher education graduate programs to submit exam scores, evidence of sufficient coursework, or a mixture of coursework and exam scores to fulfill their Basic Skills and Subject Matter Competency Requirements. See the Teacher Education Admission Testing Requirements webpage for full details.

Where can I mail my supporting documents?

Chapman University
Office of Graduate Admission
One University Dr.
Orange, CA 92866

How do I submit my letters of recommendation?

Your letters of recommendation will be submitted electronically through the online application. On the left-hand side of the online application you will be asked to input the name and email address of your recommenders. They will receive an email with information on submitting your letter of recommendation electronically. We do not accept written letters of recommendation directly from the student.

Can the credential(s) I earn at Chapman be used to practice/work in any state other than California?

Chapman University offers degree programs that lead to professional licensure within the state of California, and which may also allow graduates to be eligible for licensure or certification in other states. However, other than for the state of California, Chapman has not made an independent determination as to whether its programs’ curriculum meets a particular state's educational requirements for licensure or certification. Therefore, students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact the state’s licensure entity where they intend to practice to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by the state(s) of their choice. Chapman is not responsible if a student is unable to qualify for state licensure or certification.

What if I have a question about an admission decision?

  1. Any applicant who wishes to inquire about or to appeal an admission decision made by the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at the Attallah College of Educational Studies may contact the program administrative assistant in writing at teachereducation@chapman.edu. If the student wishes to submit a formal written grievance, this must be received by teachereducation@chapman.edu within 10 days of admissions decision. Once the written grievance has been received, it will be forwarded to the program coordinator, who will review documentation with the admissions committee and respond in writing to the candidate.
  2. If the student wishes to further grieve the response they may do so in writing to teachereducation@chapman.edu within 10 days of grievance response. At this point, the applicant's file (including candidate’s application package and review scores) will be forwarded to the program coordinator and a meeting will be arranged with the applicant to review applicant documents and program decision. 
  3. Should the applicant desire to file a formal grievance, a written appeal should be sent within five working days to the Associate Dean of Graduate Education or Dean. The Associate Dean or Dean will confer with the applicant and meet with the program coordinator and faculty if appropriate. Within 10 business days of meeting with the Associate Dean or Dean, the applicant will receive a formal written statement indicating the decision of the college.

How do I receive more information?

The Attallah College of Educational Studies offers monthly graduate information sessions. These sessions are great opportunities to obtain further information about the program and meet with the program coordinator.
RSVP for an information session »

To request further information about Chapman University's Graduate Programs, please complete the form at the link below so that the Office of Graduate Admission can send you more information about life as a Panther.
Request information on this program »

Contact Us


Dr. Trisha Sugita
Director of Teacher Education Programs
teachereducation@chapman.edu

Questions?


Credentials

Graduate Financial Aid
gradfinaid@chapman.edu
(714) 628-2730

Application Deadlines


Priority Application Deadline: February 1, 2025

Regular Application Deadline: March 14, 2025

Please note: To be considered for fellowship opportunities, prospective students must submit their application by the priority deadline date.