Terminal History MA vs Social Studies M.A.T

[willirp0]

Hi there!

I am planning on pursuing either a M.A.T in Social Studies Education or a Terminal M.A in American History in the fall of 2014, with the intention of teaching at the secondary level. I've been driving myself crazy trying to flesh out the advantages/ disadvantages of each degree and thought I might reach out for some feedback....

I know the MA is commonly considered a stepping stone en route to a PhD, and a career in Academia and that the Social Studies M.A.T is ostensibly the most practical degree for secondary school teachers-- BUT I find myself gravitating toward terminal MA programs, primarily b/c I'd like to forgo the education/pedagogical coursework subsumed by the M.A.T in favor of a more cogent focus on topical and historiographical content-- in short, I'd rather learn to think like a historian than a high school teacher, and believe a MA, if properly designed, could be equally as useful as a M.A.T. Does this line of reasoning make any sense at all????

Other than the obvious disadvantages of limited funding, and limited access to student teaching/education classes, would a terminal MA be a good fit if I want to teach in secondary schools? I'm primarily interested in the independent /boarding school route, so official teacher licensure doesn't really matter for me...

I should also note that I have a year of teaching experience under my belt (Latin, not History), but majored in History with a Classics minor and finished with a solid undergraduate GPA at a fairly small liberal arts college. Any insight would be awesome!!

Edited June 26, 2013 by willirp0

[der]

Hi,

 

You may have already found your answer as it is now October, but, just in case you haven't. I am currently pursuing a terminal MA but am planning on going into secondary education after I finish. When I made the decision to enter an MA program I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to go on to the PhD or secondary ed, but I've sense resolved that decision.

 

So here's some pros and cons:

 

M.A.T.

Pros:

Certification! (but this isn't an issue for you)

More Teaching Experience (though if you can get a Teaching Assistantship in your MA, you may be in charge of some of your own classes, however, obviously high school teaching isn't the same as teaching college students)

Shorter (at least in my state, you can get done with MAT degrees within a year if you take summer classes)

Will likely better prepare you for classroom management, lesson planning, and effective teaching strategies (and dealing with state curriculum requirements, etc. - although again, this might not be as much of an issue in private schools) - I'm not one of those people who is of the opinion that education classes are pointless, I think extensive pedagogical training is essential to being a good teacher(not that I have a lot of experience though)

You will likely need a MAT (or some form of Masters in Education) if you want to get into administration

 

Cons:

Depending on the program, I would say there are usually less funding opportunities.

Substantially less engagement with your subject material (however, this could be an advantage, there might be more jobs in world history or civics than American History)  

Maybe more rushed. 

I think Private Schools actually really value & are willing to hire people with advanced degrees in their subject areas.

 

M.A.

Pros:

Often funded

Teaching Experience (if you are funded through a teaching assistantship)

Really intense engagement with your subject material that you would probably not have if you don't pursue the degree. Also, the classes are waaay more engaging then they ever were in undergrad (the students & the teachers are much more into them)

Again, I've heard that Private Schools look at MAs as huge advantages when hiring, but I'm not positive.

 

Cons:

No certification (again, not a problem for you)

Doesn't prepare you as well for the challenges of the high school classroom (but you have experience, so perhaps this isn't a problem, if you are worried though, volunteer with high schoolers, or harder to teach groups when you are in your MA) 

It is hard to be as competitive (or sometimes as motivated) as the other students in your cohort when you are not planning on staying in academia, and you can feel a little out of place. That being said, at my school, students (& professors) understand that academia isn't for everyone (not even every grad student) and are very encouraging of those of us who might want jobs outside of academia.

Even though it's not a PhD, it is still very hard work.

 

You can always get them both....especially because I think sometimes schools will assist with the costs of masters degrees in education (this may be only in public schools though)

[New England Nat]

"Often funded" is I think an overstatement about MAs.

[der]

true...I guess a more accurate statement might be that you are more likely to get funded in a MA program than a MAT program. Also, I might should add, you shouldn't get a degree like an MA if you aren't planning on going into academia unless you get funding. It just doesn't make any sense to go into debt for a degree you don't absolutely need.

[New England Nat]

Or you are already a certified teacher looking to make more money.  My MA program was about 1/3 MAT students, 1/3 existing teachers, and 1/3 people wanting to get into PhD programs. 

[lylecrocodile]

I'm currently in a MA in history program that has many teachers and soon to be teachers enrolled. The history department also heads the social studies credential program making it relatively easy for students to earn both their MA in history (direct engagement with the field) and their teaching credentials (to better prepare them as teachers). I would look into specific programs because I think it's definitely possible to get an MA over a MAT and still plan on teaching.