Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Elementary Education (K-6), Alternate Route online

Follow your passion into a rewarding career when you pursue your certification and master's degree simultaneously.

Apply by: 8/17/25

Start class: 9/8/25

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Program Overview

Gain advanced credentials online with your MAT in Elementary Education, Alternate Route

$20,610.15 Total Tuition

As few as 24 months Duration

33* Credit Hours

Validate your teaching expertise with the Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Elementary Education (K-6), Alternate Route from William Paterson University online. Courses in this 100 percent online program focus on research-based literacy instruction methods aligned with NJSLS standards for lesson planning and delivery. Through the CAEP-accredited curriculum you will learn how to modify your teaching to meet a range of student needs.

This alternative certification route is for candidates with a Certificate of Eligibility (CE) or Limited CE in Elementary K-6 and a position as an elementary grades teacher of record at a New Jersey school. Apply your learning immediately in your classroom and broaden your skills based on ongoing feedback from our expert faculty. Engage in coursework and seminars designed to help you meet the requirements to obtain your New Jersey teaching certification.

In addition to earning your K-6 certification, you may also pursue a Middle School grades 5-8 subject area endorsement, expanding your teaching credentials and career opportunities. This option is for candidates with a second CE in a Middle School subject area and a job in a 5-8 subject area teaching position. Adding this endorsement allows you to deepen your content expertise and qualify to teach in both elementary and middle school settings, enhancing your versatility as an educator.

As a graduate of this program, you will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of learner development and diverse learning needs
Plan differentiated instruction to address student learning needs
Apply strategies to establish a positive learning environment
Engage in culturally responsive educational practices with diverse learners
Demonstrate knowledge of content, pedagogy, and resources for instruction in elementary classrooms
Plan for research-based literacy instruction to support students’ development in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing text for different purposes
Plan for research-based mathematics instruction to support students’ development in problem-solving, mathematical reasoning, conceptual understanding, and procedural fluency
Develop learning objectives and opportunities that align to learning standards
Engage learners in inquiry-based learning and academic discourse
Analyze and design learner assessments to support learning
Develop success criteria based on learning objectives and engage learners in analyzing their development
Use assessment data to inform instructional practices
Reflect on and analyze teaching effectiveness
Collaborate with families, colleagues, and the professional community
Demonstrate professional ethics and dispositions

Demonstrate knowledge of learner development and diverse learning needs
Plan differentiated instruction to address student learning needs
Apply strategies to establish a positive learning environment
Engage in culturally responsive educational practices with diverse learners
Demonstrate knowledge of content, pedagogy, and resources for instruction in elementary classrooms
Plan for research-based literacy instruction to support students’ development in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing text for different purposes
Plan for research-based mathematics instruction to support students’ development in problem-solving, mathematical reasoning, conceptual understanding, and procedural fluency
Develop learning objectives and opportunities that align to learning standards
Engage learners in inquiry-based learning and academic discourse
Analyze and design learner assessments to support learning
Develop success criteria based on learning objectives and engage learners in analyzing their development
Use assessment data to inform instructional practices
Reflect on and analyze teaching effectiveness
Collaborate with families, colleagues, and the professional community
Demonstrate professional ethics and dispositions

Career opportunities:

Middle School Grade 5-8 Subject Area Teacher
Elementary School Grade K-6 Teacher

Middle School Grade 5-8 Subject Area Teacher
Elementary School Grade K-6 Teacher

Also available:

Not yet working as a teacher, but still want to earn your teaching credentials? Individuals who are new to teaching and not yet working as the teacher of record in a NJ school should pursue our traditional route MAT in Elementary Education program.

$20,610.15 Total Tuition

As few as 24 months Duration

33 Credit Hours

The College of Education at William Paterson University is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

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Call 833-960-0139

Tuition

Check out the affordable tuition for the MAT Elementary Education (Alternate Route) online program

Online education programs from William Paterson University offer affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition. All fees are included in the total tuition.

Program	Per Credit Hour	Per Course	Per Program
MAT in Elementary Education, Alternate Route	$624.55	$1,873.65	$20,610.15

Tuition breakdown:

$20,610.15 Total Tuition

$624.55 Per Credit Hour

Calendar

Create a timeline for your education using these crucial online program dates

William Paterson University online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.

View full calendar +

Now enrolling:

8/17/25 Apply Date

9/8/25 Class Starts

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?

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Admissions

Take the next step toward graduation with our streamlined admission process

At William Paterson University, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the MAT in Elementary Education (K-6), Alternate Route, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them. Review the Program Map to determine eligibility of this program in your state. Not yet working as the teacher of record in the classroom? Consider the MAT in Elementary Education (K-6) traditional route.

The requirements include:

Bachelor’s degree
Position as the teacher of record in a NJ school
Certificate of Eligibility (CE) or Limited Certificate of Eligibility (Limited CE) in NJ
Resume with contact information of two references

Submit online application and $50 application fee

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 60 credits in Liberal Arts

Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher

Passing score on the Praxis Subject Assessment aligned with the student’s desired area of teaching
Resume with names and contact information of two references
Certificate of Eligibility (CE) or Limited Certificate of Eligibility (Limited CE) issued by the state of New Jersey

Special Note: Applicants to the Alternate Route must be working as a teacher of record in a NJ school. Long-term substitute teachers, student aids, or paraprofessionals are not eligible and should consider the MAT Elementary Education (K-6) traditional route.

For students seeking the Middle School Certificate, these additional admission requirements apply:

Undergraduate degree in a liberal arts major, or with a minimum of 60 credits in liberal arts, as well as a minimum of 15 credits in the middle school subject area.*

Certificate of Eligibility (CE) or Limited Certificate of Eligibility in the Middle School Subject Area

Proof of Job or Job Offer as Full Time Teacher of Record in Middle School subject area

*The Middle School Subject Area endorsement requirements include the completion of a course in adolescent development. This course can be completed prior to, or concurrent with, the duration of certification coursework.

Note: Admission is open to NJ residents as well as individuals who plan to become NJ-certified teachers and work in NJ schools.

Official transcripts and other documents should be sent from the granting institutions to:

Email address: [email protected]

Mail address:

Office of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Services
William Paterson University
Morrison Hall 102
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470

Courses

Details on the online Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education (Alternate Route) curriculum

For the MAT in Elementary Education (K-6), Alternate Route online program, you must complete a total of 33 credit hours of core courses.

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Core Courses

CMAT 5150: Educational Perspectives and Practices in Inclusive Environments

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course provides a knowledge base in teacher dispositions, national and state standards, pedagogical content knowledge, and learning theory to provide the framework for lesson plan development, differentiated teaching strategies, family/school connections, learning environment, and classroom management. The influence of cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic diversity upon learning is explored, as are learner characteristics in the social, behavioral, and academic domains. The course will introduce planning, conducting, and assessing learning experiences. It will also cover Autism, Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB), and Child Abuse Recognition.

CMAT 5200: Foundations of Literacy Development

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course will introduce candidates to designing school curricula (goals, method, materials, and assessments) that are flexible enough to accommodate the individual learning needs of all learners within general education classrooms. Using the model of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), candidates will learn to develop curriculum, instruction, assessments, and classroom environments that are accessible and applicable to students, teachers, and parents with differing abilities, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

CMAT 5250: Methods of Teaching English Language Arts in the Elementary Classroom

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

In this course, Teacher Candidates explore methods for assessing learners, planning instruction, and appropriately incorporating technology to teach reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and listening to elementary students. The course includes an overview of selected research-based English language arts instructional approaches and models used in elementary classrooms. Teacher candidates study current research and theoretical rationales for different approaches and examine key components of literacy instruction in the different models. Methods to engage families in home-school literacy practices are included.

CMAT 5300: Interdisciplinary Literacy for Social Justice

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course is designed for pre-service teacher-candidates who are working with or will be working with students in an elementary classroom setting. The course takes an interdisciplinary approach to literacy, focusing on content areas including social studies, science, and the arts. Students explore frameworks for understanding interlocking systems of social oppression, including race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, disability, and others, as these systems relate to teaching and learning in today’s schools. Students actively practice pedagogical approaches that support social justice by developing, implementing, and analyzing curriculum and instruction through a social justice lens.

CMAT 5350: Mathematical Content Knowledge: Teaching Diverse Learners in the Elementary Grades

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this course is to develop teacher candidate competence in planning, conducting, and assessing mathematics learning experiences with children from kindergarten through sixth grade to ensure the success of all children in meeting the standards. The course makes use of relevant readings and video to show the experiences of diverse children to enable teachers to interpret children’s mathematical behavior in meaningful ways. Students explore assessment of, and remediation for difficulties in mathematics. It considers mathematical thinking as part of a developmental process and explores the use of mathematical practices in instruction. The content of the course follows the recommendations for the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, principles and standards for school mathematics developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, (NCTM, 2000, 2002, 2014).

CMAT 5400: Mathematics Pedagogy in the Elementary Classroom

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course focuses on the understanding and application of learning and assessment of mathematics at the elementary school levels, according to the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 2000, 2002, 2014) and New Jersey Learning Standards (2020). Strategies of teaching whole class and small groups hands-on problem solving and posing, integrating mathematics across and within the curriculum, technology applications in mathematics, analysis of current mathematics curriculums and standards, and applications of mathematics in the real world are explored in depth. Candidates’ knowledge, understanding, and application of elementary mathematics curriculum, standards, and technology are expanded by building the underlying mathematical conceptual knowledge of educators, exploring the integration of literacy skills in mathematics and in-depth analysis of student thinking and teacher decisions during planning, implementation and assessment.

CMAT 6330: Teaching, Schools and Communities

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course exposes candidates to diverse approaches to teaching, technology, and learning across communities. Candidates will examine in-school factors (access to passive v. active technology tools; effective learning strategies; homework practices; and assessment norms) and out-of-school factors (communities funds of knowledge, community resources; and children’s activities, schedules and access to supplemental tutoring) across communities. Candidates will analyze how schools may support or counter theories of social reproduction for children from socio-economically and racially privileged/nonprivileged backgrounds. Similarly, candidates will identify specific culturally responsive practices that support students from diverse backgrounds and identities.

CMAT 6430: Research Across Schools and Communities

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this course is to provide a capstone to the Master of Arts in Teaching clinical experience through identifying, planning, and implementing a research project that improves teaching and learning. The course builds upon the initial reflection of effective and inclusive teaching, technology and assessment practices in CMAT 6220. The primary aim of the course is to learn the basic principles of research, identify problems that inhibit/enhance learning, research solutions, and suggest strategies to bring about change. Through an understanding of research methods, candidates will complete a research project related to their school setting with the goal of improving student outcomes.

EDUC 5460: K-6 Alternate Route Seminar and Supervision 1

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course provides supervision for alternate route K-6 teachers of record. Supervision and seminars are designed to assist the alternate route candidate in applying professional knowledge, humanistic practices and reflective thinking to classroom situations. Candidates are observed a minimum of four times by a Clinical Supervisor (university professor) who assists them in developing professional knowledge, including the ability to plan, instruct, assess and reflect on practice using content and skills from all prerequisite courses.  The seminar provides additional support and assistance during the first years of teaching and afford time for discussion of classroom issues such as the context for learning, student factors, characteristics of students, selecting learning segments, assessing student learning, and reflecting on the teaching-learning continuum. Teacher candidates examine the procedures for identifying, assessing, and providing special education services for P-12 students with disabilities. They investigate methods for professional collaboration and co-teaching models which will allow them to support students with disabilities in classrooms. Seminar sessions are held online asynchronously using Blackboard technology. 

EDUC 5560: K-6 Alternate Route Seminar and Supervision 2

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

SPED 6430: Curriculum Design for All Learners

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course will introduce candidates to designing school curricula (goals, method, materials, and assessments) that are flexible enough to accommodate the individual learning needs of all learners within general education classrooms. Using the model of Universal Design for Learning, candidates will learn to develop curriculum, instruction, assessments, and classroom environments that are accessible and applicable to students, teachers, and parents with differing abilities, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

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