Master's in Education at Maryville College: Programs & Specializations

In the 2024-25 school year, 9.05% of Tennessee K-12 teaching positions were either vacant or filled by someone on an emergency credential. Maryville College, a private liberal arts institution in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots dating to 1819, has prepared educators for this exact reality. Its graduate options include a Master of Education (M.Ed.) for licensed teachers and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for career switchers, each with multiple specializations.

Tennessee’s persistent teacher shortage means a state-approved masters in education directly translates to hiring eligibility and long-term career stability.

Maryville College's Graduate Education Offerings: M.ed. And MAT Tracks

A Master of Education (M.Ed.) builds advanced expertise for already-licensed teachers, while a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) creates a route into the classroom for career changers. Maryville College designs both tracks to fit distinct professional stages, so clarifying your own starting point narrows the choice considerably.

Understanding the M.Ed. Track

The M.Ed. typically serves educators who hold an initial teaching license and want to deepen their practice, take on instructional leadership roles, or specialize in areas such as curriculum design, literacy, or special education. Coursework often explores research-based teaching strategies, assessment literacy, and school improvement. Because candidates arrive with classroom experience, discussions and assignments draw heavily on real instructional contexts. Maryville College structures its M.Ed. programs to be immediately applicable, so you can implement new techniques in your own classroom while completing the degree.

Admissions requirements generally include a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a valid teaching license, and professional experience. Some specializations may request a statement of purpose and letters of recommendation. Since program details can shift, the most reliable step is to visit Maryville College’s official website or contact the Admissions Office directly for the latest specialization list and credit totals.

Exploring the MAT Pathway

The MAT is designed for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in a field outside of education and now wish to earn initial teaching licensure. It combines pedagogical training with supervised clinical practice, often in a cohort model. Maryville College’s MAT likely includes foundations of education, developmental psychology, content-area methods, and a semester-long student teaching placement. The program pace aims to get candidates into their own classrooms within one to two years, depending on full-time or part-time enrollment.

Because the MAT leads to licensure, applicants should confirm that the program meets Tennessee state requirements. Reviewing information from the Tennessee Department of Education and professional accrediting bodies such as the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) adds an important quality check.

How to Choose Between Them

• Current license holders: An M.Ed. can lead to a salary lane change, a credential for instructional coaching, or preparation for administrative roles.
• Aspiring teachers with a non-education degree: An MAT offers a structured path to certification, often with a built-in student teaching component.
• Career outlook research: Consulting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov) can help you compare long-term demand and earnings for the roles each degree targets.

Staying Current with Program Offerings

Graduate education catalogs evolve. Specializations, credit requirements, and delivery formats may be added or revised between academic years. To avoid relying on outdated information, request the most recent program guide from the Maryville College Admissions Office. Ask about any new M.Ed. concentrations, accelerated MAT schedules, or respecialization tracks that might not yet be fully reflected on the public website. Additionally, verify CAEP accreditation status directly through the CAEP website, as this recognition supports licensure portability and employer confidence.

Flexible Formats: Online, Hybrid, and On-Campus Choices for Working Educators

Maryville College’s graduate education programs are designed with flexibility in mind, so you can earn your degree without stepping away from your current classroom or career. Whether you are a full-time teacher, a career changer with a bachelor’s degree, or a STEM professional moving into education, the college offers formats that adapt to your life. The MAT in Secondary STEM, for example, is fully online and structured in a cohort model¹, while other master’s in education specializations may blend online and on-campus components or meet entirely in person. For the most current information on program-specific formats, check the official catalog or speak with an enrollment advisor.

Online and Cohort-Based Learning in the MAT Program

The MAT in Secondary STEM is Maryville College’s flagship online graduate program for aspiring middle and high school STEM teachers. The entire 36-credit curriculum is delivered online, with no required campus visits¹. Students progress through the program as part of a cohort, a group of peers who start and finish together. This structure builds a professional network and offers built-in support from both classmates and faculty. The cohort model is particularly valuable for career changers who may not have a background in education; it creates a collaborative environment where you can share experiences and strategies.

Scheduling and Pacing: Intensive Summers, Lighter Academic Years

Coursework follows a strategic calendar that aligns with the realities of a teaching career. The program begins with an intensive summer session¹, where you complete foundational courses in a concentrated timeframe. During the academic year, the course load lightens significantly, allowing you to manage job-embedded clinical practice¹ or other commitments. This pacing makes it possible to earn your degree and initial teaching license in about 12 months. Because the online courses are largely asynchronous, meaning you can log in and complete work on your own schedule, you can plan around your workday or family obligations. However, some collaborative activities or live discussions may be scheduled in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate working professionals.

Choosing the Right Format for Your Situation

• Career changers: The fully online MAT removes geographic barriers and lets you continue working in your current field while completing coursework. The job-embedded clinical practice means you gain hands-on teaching experience in a school setting without interrupting your income.
• Full-time teachers: If you are already teaching on a provisional license, the online asynchronous format, one of the best online m.ed. programs for working teachers, lets you earn your master’s degree and full certification without leaving your classroom. Some on-campus M.Ed. tracks may also offer evening or summer classes; schedules vary by specialization.
• Recent graduates: If you prefer face-to-face interaction and can attend classes on Maryville College’s Maryville, Tennessee campus, you may benefit from the on-campus or hybrid M.Ed. options. Hybrid models typically combine online coursework with periodic in-person sessions.

Clinical Practice and In-Person Requirements

All teacher preparation programs, whether online or on-campus, require a clinical practice component: student teaching or a job-embedded internship. For the online MAT, this clinical placement is arranged in a school near your community. You will work under the guidance of a mentor teacher, and a Maryville College supervisor will provide support and evaluation. There are no required campus visits for online students¹, so you can complete the program from anywhere in Tennessee or beyond, as licensure reciprocity allows. Be sure to confirm the specific clinical requirements for your chosen program, as they can differ between the MAT and the M.Ed. tracks.

Tuition and Financial Aid: Investing in Your Graduate Degree

What will you actually pay for a graduate education degree at Maryville College? For the 2025-2026 academic year, the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Secondary STEM, the college's sole graduate offering for aspiring educators, follows a straightforward cost structure that helps you plan ahead. All students, regardless of residency, pay a flat $431 per credit hour. With the program requiring 36 credits, the total tuition comes to $16,815.¹ Because Maryville College is a private liberal arts institution, there is no separate out-of-state rate.

A Closer Look at Required Fees

Beyond tuition, several mandatory fees ensure you have access to campus resources, technology, and hands-on teaching experiences. Here is what to budget for beyond the per-credit cost:

• Comprehensive fee: $876 per semester, covering student activities, health services, and technology infrastructure.
• Parking fee: $60 per semester for on-campus parking permits.
• Student teaching fee: $258, assessed during the clinical practice semester to support placement and supervision.
• Course fee: $108, associated with specific STEM lab or field-based assignments.
• Enrollment deposit: $300 one-time payment to secure your spot after acceptance.
• Application fee: $57 due when you submit your application.¹

For a typical two-semester enrollment, expect total mandatory fees of roughly $2,200, though this figure can shift if summer terms are used or you study part-time. The 12-month accelerated timeline means you pay fewer semesters of fees compared to many longer graduate programs.

Financial Aid Opportunities for Graduate Students

Paying for graduate school is a partnership. Maryville College participates in federal student aid programs, opening the door to several funding sources for eligible students.²

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Available to graduate students regardless of financial need, up to $20,500 per academic year.
• Federal Grad PLUS Loans: Can cover any remaining cost of attendance after other aid is applied, based on creditworthiness.
• TEACH Grant: Eligible students who intend to teach in a high-need field at a low-income school may qualify for grants of up to $4,000 per year. Because the MAT is focused on secondary STEM, a designated high-need area, many candidates meet this requirement. However, this grant converts to a loan if service obligations are not fulfilled, so review the conditions carefully.

While institutional scholarships and graduate assistantships are not widely advertised for this program, you should contact the Office of Financial Aid to ask about any college-funded awards or payment plan options. Private scholarships from professional teaching organizations can further reduce your out-of-pocket costs. By combining federal aid with targeted external funding, the $16,815 total program cost becomes manageable, and the accelerated format helps you start earning a teaching salary sooner. Reach out to Maryville College's financial aid advisors early to build a personalized funding plan that fits your circumstances.

Questions to Ask Yourself

How to Apply: Admissions Requirements and Deadlines for Graduate Education

Choosing between the Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) and the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) at Maryville College means navigating two distinct admission pathways, each aligned with your academic background and career goals. The M.A.Ed. welcomes a broad range of baccalaureate degrees, while the M.A.T. requires a STEM-focused undergraduate foundation. Both programs, however, share a streamlined application process with no GRE or MAT exam requirement.¹

Program-Specific GPA and Prerequisite Requirements

The M.A.Ed. program asks for a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 from an accredited baccalaureate degree.¹ There are no prescribed prerequisite courses, giving flexibility to candidates from diverse academic fields who want to advance their education expertise.

The M.A.T. in Secondary STEM has a two-tier GPA standard: an overall minimum of 2.75, plus a 3.0 or higher in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work. This ensures candidates bring strong recent academic performance to the intensive teacher preparation curriculum. Additionally, the M.A.T. requires a bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline to guarantee deep content knowledge for the secondary classroom.

Application Materials Checklist

Every applicant assembles a common set of materials through Maryville College’s online graduate application portal:

• Official Transcripts: Requested from each college or university previously attended, showing degree conferral and all coursework.
• Letters of Recommendation: Typically two, submitted by academic or professional references who can attest to your potential for graduate-level work and teaching aptitude.
• Statement of Purpose: A focused essay detailing your career objectives, teaching philosophy, and reasons for pursuing the specific program.
• Current Resume: Highlighting educational history, relevant work or volunteer experience, and any teaching-related credentials.

Deadlines and Application Fee

Maryville College operates on a rolling admission cycle with priority deadlines for fall, spring, and summer entry terms. Exact dates are updated regularly on the graduate admissions website, and submitting by the priority deadline can improve consideration for financial aid and program capacity. Because conditional admission is not offered,¹ all materials must satisfy program requirements at the time of review.

A nonrefundable application fee is required, though fee waivers may be available for applicants who demonstrate financial need or participate in specific service programs. Details on waiver eligibility appear on the fee payment page within the online portal.

Starting Your Application

Begin by creating an account on the Maryville College graduate admissions portal. The platform guides you through each section, from entering personal information to uploading documents and managing recommendation requests. Admissions staff are available to answer questions about missing materials or technical issues.

From Classroom to Certification: Licensure Paths and Exam Pass Rates

In the 2017, 2018 reporting year, Maryville College education graduates posted an 89% pass rate¹ on the teacher certification exams required for Tennessee licensure. The cohort of 19 test takers¹ demonstrated steady mastery, anchoring a four-year pass rate trend that ranged between 89% and 100% from 2015 to 2018¹. These results reflect the program's deliberate integration of clinical practice, content knowledge, and performance assessments like the edTPA.

Licensure Pathways and Endorsements

Maryville's Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs are designed to lead to initial or advanced Tennessee teaching licenses. Candidates complete rigorous fieldwork, pass the state-required edTPA performance assessment, and earn passing scores on content-specific Praxis exams⁴. The college prepares candidates for endorsements in areas such as elementary education (K, 5), secondary education (6, 12) across multiple subject areas, and special education. Additionally, the English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement is available, as reported in the program's 2018 documentation². For those pursuing advanced roles, the M.Ed. curriculum can support additional credentials like reading specialist or administrator certifications, subject to Tennessee Department of Education approval.

Praxis Performance and Testing Flexibility

Maryville does not require candidates to pass all Praxis II assessments before student teaching¹, a policy that grants aspiring educators flexibility during their clinical semester. The most recently available Title II report shows that 89% of completers passed the required Praxis content tests in 2017, 2018¹. While more current data has not yet been published, the consistent pass rate trend (89, 100% over three years) signals a strong alignment between coursework and exam expectations. The program's edTPA and content exam preparation scaffolds candidate success from the first methods course through the final semester.

Moving Across State Lines

Tennessee participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which streamlines teacher license reciprocity for Maryville graduates³. Holders of a valid Tennessee teaching license can often qualify for a comparable license in other member states by meeting that state's specific testing or coursework requirements. Some states may require additional Praxis exams, where passing scores vary by state, or a review of transcripts, but the initial Tennessee license generally serves as a reliable foundation. Prospective out-of-state teachers should consult the destination state's department of education early in their program to align electives and clinical placements with local regulations.

State Authorization for Online Learners

Maryville College holds institutional approval from NC-SARA, enabling it to offer online education programs to residents of most U.S. states. This authorization is critical for out-of-state students enrolled in the online M.Ed. or MAT tracks who seek licensure in their home state. While the college's programs are designed to meet Tennessee licensure standards, distance learners must verify whether their own state's licensing board accepts credits and clinical experiences completed through a Tennessee-based program. The college's education department provides guidance on state-specific requirements to help online students navigate the process smoothly.

Career Outcomes: Where Maryville Education Graduates Work and What They Earn

A master's degree in education from Maryville College serves as a direct pipeline to stable, fulfilling teaching careers in Tennessee's schools, with graduates stepping into classrooms often before they officially graduate.

Strong Job Placement for Education Graduates

Maryville College's M.Ed. and MAT programs emphasize rigorous clinical practice and close mentorship, which translates into high employment rates. While program-specific placement statistics are not detailed publicly for every cohort, the college's career services and education department report that most graduates secure teaching contracts within a few months of completing their degree. The blend of classroom theory and extensive field experience makes these candidates attractive to local districts, and many receive job offers during their student teaching placements.

Where Maryville Graduates Build Their Careers

Education alumni from Maryville College teach across a broad spectrum of settings. The most common roles include elementary classroom teacher, middle school content specialist, high school instructor, and special education interventionist. Graduates also move into positions such as literacy coach, instructional coordinator, or ESL educator. Typical employers span:

• Public school districts: Maryville City Schools, Alcoa City Schools, Blount County Schools, Knox County Schools, and other systems throughout east Tennessee.
• Private and independent schools: Area academies and religious-affiliated institutions.
• Educational nonprofits: Organizations focused on curriculum development, after-school programming, or community education.

The college maintains strong, long-standing partnerships with these districts for student teaching placements, which frequently evolve into full-time hires.

Earning Potential with a Master's in Education

In Tennessee, teacher salary schedules are structured to reward advanced degrees. Earning a master's typically allows educators to start at a higher pay step, often commanding $5,000 to $7,000 more per year than a peer with only a bachelor's degree. While Maryville College does not yet publish earnings data specific to its education graduates, state trends and national benchmarks provide a clear picture. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $57,720 for middle school teachers, with the top 10 percent earning more than $91,670. A master's degree accelerates progression toward that upper range, particularly when combined with national board certification or additional endorsements.

Comparing Salaries in a Tennessee Context

Statewide, the average teacher salary sits in the mid-$50,000s, but educators with a graduate degree often surpass the average within a few years of service. Maryville College prepares its graduates to enter the profession at an advanced level, positioning them on the higher end of the pay scale from the start. This financial advantage, combined with relatively low tuition costs, makes the return on investment for a Maryville M.Ed. or MAT particularly strong for those committed to teaching in Tennessee.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maryville College's Master's in Education

Prospective graduate students often have questions about programs, costs, licensure, and outcomes. Below are answers to common inquiries about Maryville College’s Master’s in Education offerings, based on publicly available information and official resources.

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