Oregon State University-Cascades recently announced the approval for the extension of two new graduate programs to the Bend campus; Master of Arts in Teaching Advanced Mathematics and Master of Arts in Teaching Integrated Science.

Lauren Hamlin
The Broadside

Oregon State University-Cascades recently announced the approval for the extension of two new graduate programs to the Bend campus; Master of Arts in Teaching Advanced Mathematics and Master of Arts in Teaching Integrated Science.
The approval process took about two years, according to Dr. Carolyn Platt, secondary MAT advisor and program lead. Faculty members received word of the approval later than expected.
“Because the approval was late, we had a late start for accepting applications,” said Platt.
Students wanting to apply to the program had about a two-week window of opportunity. OSU-Cascades began accepting applications April 9 and all applications were due by April 20.
There were eight applicants, most of whom were students already in an undergraduate program and were being advised by faculty anticipating approval of the new MAT programs.

“We were expecting about six, so that exceeded our expectations,” said Platt. “We’re very excited about the strength and numbers of our applicants.”
Admission in to the MAT program starts with the student gathering all his or her official transcripts and a complete Form B, which shows students’ education history and basic subject matter competency in their field of study, and scheduling an advising appointment with Platt.

“Students who think they might want to become teachers should meet early with advisors to plan out their program study,” said Platt. “We can only admit students in the undergraduate study who have the required competencies.”
Students are required to have a 3.0 minimum grade point average in the last 90 quarter hours of graded undergraduate work and complete, or anticipate completion of a bachelor degree prior to the start of the academic year they are applying for.
The OSU-Cascades MAT Secondary education programs, which are five terms (when done full time, two years when done part time), are taught using a cohort model and are nationally accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
“We find the cohort model to be very valuable,” said Platt.

In a cohort, students attend the same classes throughout the entire length of the program, which is said to help build camaraderie and a cohesive and coherent learning community.
Students in the MAT program will be assigned to a local secondary education school where they will be implementing what they are learning while in the program.
“When a student completes our program, they will have successfully earned a MAT and they will get a teaching initial in their area of study,” said Platt. “So you get two things out of the program, a Masters and a licensure endorsement.”
Plans for the program include moving into a new building and hiring another faculty member for the program.
“We anticipate moving the whole graduate program to the new building,” said Christine Coffin, director of communications at OSU-Cascades. “Classes will start summer term at OSU-Cascades, but by fall they will move to [OSU-Cascades Graduate and Research Center].”
Cost of the building was an initial $3.88 million, funded by Oregon State Legislature approved lottery bonds, contributions from OSU-Cascades, and a donation from supporter Alan Bruckner.
“Right now there are about eight administrative staff who have moved into the new building,” said Coffin.
Renovations for the building include creating six classrooms, three social/behavioral science research labs, one conference room, one work room, and several faculty offices.
“The new faculty member will be working with students looking over their papers,” said Platt. “He or she will teach, coordinate, research…,oversee the licensure for teaching and will be advising.”
The cost of hiring a new advisor will be covered by the students entering the program.
For more information about the MAT programs, contact Carolyn Platt 541-322-3120 or [email protected].

(Contact: [email protected])