Undergraduate students from other disciplines who wish to be certified to teach at the secondary level (grades 7-12 or PK-12) may participate in a five-year program resulting in bachelor's degree within their area of major and a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.). Applicants to the certification program for grades 7-12 must have a major or significant coursework in one of the following certification areas: biology, chemistry, earth/space science, English, mathematics, physics, or social studies. Applicants to the certification program for grades PK-12 must have a major or significant coursework in one of the following certification areas: art, French, music (both instrumental and vocal), or Spanish. Students submit the application by February 1 of their junior year and take three graduate-level courses in their senior year which count toward both the bachelor's and master's degrees. Students must receive a grade of B or better in each of the three courses in order for them to advance to the graduate transcript. Graduate courses taken during the senior year are included in the undergraduate tuition and take the place of undergraduate electives.

A minimum QPA of 3.000 through the fall of the junior year is required for full acceptance. Two professional academic recommendations, standardized test scores, and a personal essay based on a prompt question will be required. It is highly preferable for candidates to ask the evaluator to submit the MAT Recommendation Form which contains a listing of teacher qualification characteristics. A personal interview may be required. Provisional acceptance may be granted for students with a QPA between 2.750 and 3.000. Under provisional acceptance, students are required to submit evidence of a passing composite score (based on the Maryland cutoff level) on the Praxis I: Pre-Professional Skills Tests before the start of their senior year. Consistent with new regulations for teacher certification set forth by the state of Maryland, qualifying scores on the SAT, ACT, or GRE may be substituted for Praxis I performance (contact the department for specific information).

In order to complete the requirements for graduation, candidates must submit passing results for the Praxis II: Content Knowledge test and provide proof of taking the Praxis II pedagogy test related to the certification area. In place of Praxis II tests, candidates for certification in French or Spanish are required to provide proof of taking the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview and the Writing Proficiency Test. Students are responsible for taking these tests prior to April of the last semester. Testing requirements above are as listed on the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) website, www.msde.maryland.gov.