Changing a life forever is the daily work of a teacher.
At CNU, you can earn a BAEd in Elementary Education or, with our five-year plan, you can earn your bachelor’s degree and, then, in the final year, complete graduate-level professional courses leading to the Master of Arts degree (MAT) in your chosen endorsement (biology 6-12, chemistry 6-12, elementary PK-6, English 6-12, English as a second language PK-12, history/social science 6-12, mathematics 6-12, music choral PK-12, music instrumental PK-12, physics 6-12, Spanish PK-12, or visual art PK-12. Both the undergraduate and graduate MAT program include a 14-week teaching internship, which is required for a Commonwealth of Virginia teaching license. If you already have a bachelor's degree, you can also complete the MAT in one to one-and-a-half years.
What you’ll learn
- How to plan, deliver and assess instruction to meet state and district objectives.
- How to build a nurturing learning environment.
- How to be a professional through your interaction with students, their families and other educators.
We'll be there with you.
Advisers work closely with you from your first day on campus to map your education studies.
Our partnership with award-winning Newport News Public Schools opens the doors to valuable experiences close to campus. You can tutor in Newport News schools while enrolled in the Teacher Preparation Program and even get paid for substitute teaching. The Teacher Preparation Program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and 48 additional states accept the Virginia teaching license.
My experience in the MAT program prepared me to work with diverse learners from all over the world and to respect their diversity by being culturally responsive in my instruction.
Hannah Park '19
As a teacher, there is no one set way to do things, and failure is a part of the equation to success. The MAT program provided me the foundation to understand, learn from and adapt to the failure. Teaching is not something you do; it is something you work hard to achieve.
Richard Long '19
I always appreciated how my teachers made learning fun while holding us to a high standard.
Lindsey Pantele '09, MAT '10
I love watching my students have those ‘ah-ha’ moments where you can see a light bulb go off. It’s an honor to be able to watch these kids grow and know that I am a special part of that growth.
Stephanie Spiroff '15
What I love most about teaching is the deep-rooted connections that you make with the kids – the feeling that you get when the kids trust you and see you as more than just an authority figure, but as one of the most important people in their life.
Michael Bigelow '12
