The Middle Grades (6-8) Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) internship program is designed to prepare ambitious individuals for rewarding careers as highly effective educators in middle school classrooms. It offers a comprehensive blend of rigorous graduate-level coursework, intensive pedagogical training, and valuable hands-on teaching experience through a year-long internship residency. In addition to earning a master’s degree, candidates meet the performance standards required for a Tennessee Middle Grades (6-8) teaching license. Candidates complete a one-year clinical internship experience designed to gradually increase responsibility and autonomy in the classroom.
Professional Core Requirement (9-12 hours):
Completion of the Professional Core is a prerequisite for admission into the internship pathway.
• Belmont graduates completing the 4+1 pathway: Students complete the Professional Core as part of their undergraduate minor in education. The minor consists of 18 hours, including 9 hours of the Professional Core and 9 hours of EDU/related electives. Belmont undergraduates apply to the graduate program during their senior year. If accepted, they complete the one-year internship during the “plus one” year, earning both the M.A.T. degree and eligibility for middle grades licensure (6-8).
• Graduate students from other institutions: Applicants with an appropriate academic major from another institution may be required to complete additional coursework as stipulated by the State of Tennessee to meet licensure requirements. Transcript analyses determine whether further content-area coursework is needed. These candidates apply through the standard graduate admission process, and, if admitted, complete the 9-12-hour Professional Core and pass Gateway 2 before beginning the internship year.
The M.A.T. Internship Year:
During the internship year, candidates teach full-time alongside a school-based mentor for two semesters. Interns follow the same daily schedule and school calendar as their mentors, experiencing the full scope of the middle school teaching role. Each semester is structured to provide a gradual release of responsibility. Interns begin by co-teaching and observing, then assume greater responsibility for lesson planning, instruction, assessment, and classroom management. For approximately eight weeks each semester, interns serve as the primary instructor while continuing to receive support and feedback.
Mentors model effective teaching practices, co-teach, observe, and confer with interns on a daily basis. The Director of Clinical Practice and University Supervisors provide additional support through site visits, coaching, observations, and formal evaluations. This structure ensures that interns develop the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions required to thrive as middle grades educators while benefiting from sustained mentorship.
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