Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Health and Physical Education

CAREERS

• Athletic Director
• Certified Health Educator
• Certified Physical Education Teacher
• Coach
• Community Center Athletic Director
• Community Recreation Director
• Corporate Trainer
• Dance Instructor
• Nutrition Instructor
• Sports Camp Director
• Sports Camp Instructor
• Wellness Coordinator
• Wellness Instructor 

Program Coordinator: Dr. Eugene Asola, email: efasola@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-7161

Department of Teacher Education Website

General information about this program (Majors & Degrees)

For more information on MAT Health and PE click this link

Admission Deadlines

• Summer Semester: April 15
• Fall Semester: No Admission
• Spring Semester: No Admission

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

• Application Fee 
• Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor’s degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

• Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
• Must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• Minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) or combined undergraduate and graduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants not meeting the required GPA may be eligible for admission by an alternative pathway.*

PASS THE GEORGIA EDUCATORS ETHICS ASSESSMENT (Test 360)

• To register: https://gace.ets.org/ethics/register/

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

Admission by Alternative GPA Pathway Requirements.

1. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA or combined undergraduate and graduate GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale AND must be employed full-time at a Georgia public school and hold provisional certification in the field of health and physical education.  Applications with a cumulative undergraduate GPA below 2.5 on a 4.0 scale will be admitted as a probationary student and must earn a 3.0 GPA in his/her first semester in the program.
2. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA or combined undergraduate and graduate GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale AND meet requirements for one of the following alternative pathways:

• Alternative Pathway 1: Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor’s degree (i.e. 3000 and 4000 level coursework); or 
• Alternative Pathway 2: Have a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale in all graduate coursework (must have completed at least 6 credit hours of graduate work in which a letter grade was awarded); or
• Alternative Pathway 3: Have an undergraduate GPA earned ten or more years prior to admission

Special Requirements:

1. Candidates will be required to complete coursework each enrolled semester that will require a mininum amount of time at different P-12 grade levels within a health and/or physical education classroom with a mentor with no less than three years' experience, who is currently teaching health and/or physical education, and who is licensed to teach health and /or physical education.  Please contact the program advisor, Mrs. Renee Whitmer, about any concerns of meeting this requirment.
2. Out-of-State applications are strongly encouraged to confirm that this program complies with the requirements of their respective state educator licensing agency prior to applying.  It is the applicant's resonsibility to determine if there are additional requirements for educator certification by the respective agency.

VERIFICATION OF LAWFUL PRESENCE.

(FOR APPLICANTS WHO BELIEVE THEY QUALIFY FOR IN-STATE TUITION OR A RESIDENCY WAIVER.)

This is not required for individuals who do not qualify for in-state tuition or a residency waiver.  This must be received prior to enrollment (if applicable), NOT prior to admission.  Citizenship documentation is needed for any applicant who wishes to be considered for in-state tuition.  Check out a complete list of accepted documents and residency information here.  Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed.  It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents.  Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

• Call Us: 229-333-5694 
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact Renee Whitmer at brwhitmer@valdosta.edu or (229) 245-2786.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Candidates must successfully complete the KSPE 2999 requirement the first semester of enrollment to progress in the program. 
2. Candidates must fulfill the Georgia House Bill 671 requirement prior to program completion.
3. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date;
4. A 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation.  No grade below a "C" will be credited toward the degree. 

Graduation Requirements Page

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

1. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements. 
2. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. This credit must be documented in the form of an official transcript at the time of admission. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.
3. Earning grades below “B” in graduate courses will result in the following consequences: Students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter will be dismissed from the Graduate School if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points unless otherwise indicated by individual program policy. A grade of “C” (although it may be credited toward a degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D,” “WF” or “F,” or “U” (none of which will be credited toward a degree) equals two deficiency points. Candidates admitted BEFORE Fall 2011 and receiving two grades below “C” (“D”, “F”, “WF”,“U”) will be dismissed from the program. One grade below a "C" results in a warning. 
4. If dismissed from the program a student must not be enrolled for two semesters. Application for readmission may be initiated during the second semester. Readmission is not guaranteed, and prior academic performance and student conduct/disposition in the program will be considered. The academic program reserves the right to place specific conditions and contingencies on any offer of readmission.

Retention, Dismissal, & Readmission Policies Page