Our program leads to a professional degree that combines essential aspects of the field of education studies with the academic tradition of the master of arts degree. About half of the required courses are taught in the College of Education and the other half in Italian Studies. Students typically complete the program in two to three years, but their last semester is always dedicated to hands-on training known as the practicum, an essential component of all the Commonwealth's educator preparation programs. During that semester, students work alongside an Italian teacher in a Massachusetts high school. Dr. Stacy Giufre coordinates the program and the placement of students with mentor teachers across the state.
Licensure
In order to teach Italian at grades 5–12 in a public school in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, teachers must possess a license. You should know that there is a very precise set of rules regarding the four types of educator licenses. Teachers who earn an MAT in Italian at UMass begin their careers right away with an Initial License. All Educator Licensure programs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Second Education to meet licensure requirements in the state of Massachusetts ONLY.
Many US states are signatories to the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement which facilitates the mobility of educators among the states that are members of NASDTEC. This agreement makes it possible for an educator who completed an approved program and/or who holds a certificate or license in one jurisdiction to earn a certificate or license in another state or jurisdiction, with possible additional requirements.
If you are seeking licensure in another state, here is a Teacher Licensure Agency Directory for you to contact other states.
How to Apply
Our applicants usually have a BA degree with a major in Italian, but anyone with a related major and adequate preparation will also be considered. Once you create an account in our online system, called SPIRE, you'll upload your documents directly.
We ask that you send official transcripts of your undergraduate work, your GRE scores and other materials as explained in Spire once your application is underway. It is best if you have your letters of recommendation sent by people who know your academic work and have an idea of your aptitude for teaching. If your native language is not English, you must additionally present a minimum score of 80 on the TOEFL exam in order to enroll at UMass Amherst. Students transferring from other institutions may be granted as many as nine credits of graduate-level work toward the MAT.
Teaching Assistantships
Especially if you're not familiar with the American university system, you should know that it is possible to complete your degree without paying tuition. Each semester, our teaching assistants (or TAs) teach one course of either elementary or intermediate Italian under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Giufre. In exchange, they receive a nine-month stipend of approximately $23,000, excellent health insurance, and full tuition and curriculum fee waivers. If you would like to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship, simply let us know in your application. If you are not an American citizen, you should also know that UMass Amherst will sponsor your visa upon your admission to the program. For further details, feel free to contact the International Programs Office.
Course of Study
Before the end of their first year, students must pass the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview with a minimum score of “Advanced Low” and the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure ("Communication and Literacy" and "Italian Subject").
A representative distribution of the 47 required credits is provided below.
Education Requirements (26 credits):
ITALIAN ED 500U: Student Teaching (7–12 credits)
EDUCATION 615J: Education and the Law (3 credits)
EDUCATION 524: Work of the Middle and High School Teacher (3 credits)
ITALIAN 572: Basic Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages (3 credits)
ITALIAN 598: Pre-Practicum Field Experience (2 credits)
ITALIAN 698: Practicum Seminar/ST-Teaching in Middle and High School (2 credits)
EDUCATION 597R: Tutoring in the Schools (3 credits)
EDUCATION 693I/EDUCATION 571: Psychology in the Classroom (3 credits)
Italian Requirements (21 credits):
Students are guided, year by year, in a varying selection of courses in order to establish a strong background in the full range of Italian culture, from the Tre corone to today. One of these seven courses may be substituted by a 500- or 600-level course taught in another Romance language if appropriate.
Still have questions?
Send an email to Dr. Michael Papio, Graduate Program Director.