The School of Education and Human Sciences prepares qualified professionals to become teachers, school administrators and innovative thinkers.
Program Options
Currently students have a choice among the following options:
- Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning in Primary Education
- Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning in Secondary Education
- Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (M.A.T.L)
The Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (M.A.T.L.) is a 36-credit program designed to prepare qualified professionals for a career in education at the primary, secondary, or tertiary level. The program will provide individuals with various educational backgrounds the opportunity to complete rigorous coursework to develop their knowledge base according to their professional aspiration. Knowledge development can be promoted by connecting teaching and learning to some theoretical perspectives. Therefore, students’ approaches to learning, a constructivist theoretical framework, along with critical pedagogy, will be used to guide teaching and learning throughout the program.
Teaching and learning will focus on the development of intellectual and linguistic competencies. Such competencies will allow students to access relevant information in more than one language to formulate their own views about various phenomena. Course materials will be presented in English and French. The program will be delivered in a format that provides for flexibility in classroom attendance. All coursework will be submitted online for feedback and grading. The overall approach to teaching and learning will allow for the achievement of the program’s mission and goals.
Mission Statement
The mission of the M.A.T.L. program is to promote the quality of teaching and learning by preparing educators to undertake quality teaching for effective learning at the primary, secondary, or tertiary level in public or private institutions. Students in the program will receive educational guidance to complete rigorous coursework to support their academic and professional endeavor. Educational guidance will focus on competencies related to academic literacy, concept learning/content knowledge, scientific inquiry, interdisciplinary perspectives, leadership, and critical thinking.
Program Learning Goals
The goals of the M.A.T.L. program are to prepare critical thinkers and life-long learners (a) to assume responsibilities in improving the quality of education in their communities, (b) to continue to pursue higher learning,(c) to engage in knowledge construction or development,(d) to take on leadership roles and responsibilities in their communities, and (e) to engage in critical thinking. These goals are described below to provide further insights to educational stakeholders.
Learning Goal 1: Acquire advanced knowledge in education to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Students will use textbooks and research articles to learn about fundamental educational concepts to address various issues related to teaching and learning at any level of education.
Learning Goal 2: Pursue higher learning in education to support their educational preparation. Students will engage in rigorous work to complete their master thesis or project, which will form the foundation for their doctorate studies.
Learning Goal 3: Engage in knowledge development and publication. Students will engage in and conduct independently scientific research for knowledge development. In addition, they will learn about the process of getting their research studies published in academic journals to promote the quality of education.
Learning Goal 4:Prepare to be leaders in their communities. Students will develop their knowledge in educational leadership roles at the school and organizational levels to promote the quality of education.
Learning Goal 5: Engage in critical thinking. Students will learn to process information, events, process, and products presented in any medium by asking relevant questions to improve their understanding.
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduates of the program will achieve the following learning outcomes:
Academic Literacy
Students will develop an understanding of fundamental concepts related to important themes in their courses; demonstrate their level of competence in critical thinking by relating concepts and coursework in their concentration to solve complex educational problems or to answer relevant questions to knowledge development.
Scientific Inquiry
Students will develop an understanding of the research process; demonstrate mastery of the fundamental concepts in research; develop skills in critiquing, evaluating, and using research articles to support their learning; develop the ability to engage in research to develop knowledge.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Students will develop an understanding of the relationship among various courses in their concentration; demonstrate the ability to use academic literacy and research skills to construct new knowledge for problem-solving in their communities.
Leadership
Students will demonstrate their ability to develop a professional plan for leadership roles at the school level in their communities.
Critical Thinking Ability
Students will demonstrate an understanding of critical pedagogy and their ability to critically interrogate ideas, events, phenomena, ideologies, texts, discourses, processes, and products presented in any form to discover their deep meaning.
Program Admission Guidelines
The graduate school of education at the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes, Haiti is using an open approach to education by admitting students to the program based on a wide range of criteria. In general, students will be required to complete a bachelor’s degree to be considered for admission. However, students with completed coursework without an awarded degree will be considered as well under certain conditions.
For example, if student did not complete the final paper or memoire for graduation, she/he will be considered for admission to the program on a conditional basis. She/ he will have to complete successfully the graduate core courses and write a knowledge integration paper before having the status of graduate student at the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes. Therefore, students will need to take the following steps to get admitted:
Submit an application to the graduate school of education Provide an official transcript of all completed undergraduate and graduate coursework Provide proof of identity and residency for tuition calculation Write a statement of personal educational philosophy and goals. This essay must include an overview of your educational experience from childhood to present, your perception of the current state of education, your philosophy of education, and your goals in pursuing an advanced degree in education. An applicant can be considered for admission without an awarded undergraduate degree by sending a petition to the graduate school. If the petition is accepted, the student will be admitted under a “conditional basis” as explained above. The student must explain why she/he was not able to complete the final paper or memoire to receive the degree. After receiving all required documents, the graduate school will inform the applicant by email of the decision made. Once admitted to the program, the office of graduate studies will inform the applicant of the steps necessary to complete the admission process.
Academic Requirement
Students will require to complete at least 36 graduate credits to be awarded a Master of Art in Teaching and Learning degree (MATL). They must obtain at least a B for each graduate course. After completing all courses, students must pass a comprehensive examination before starting their master project. Students will have up to four years to complete their master program, and any time extension must be petitioned to the Dean of graduate studies. Students must adhere to the academic integrity standards, and repeating violations of these standards will be a ground for dismissal from graduate studies at the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes.
Plan of Study
Students will be able to complete the Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning in one of the three concentrations below:
- Teaching in Fundamental level
- Teaching in Secondary level
- Teaching in Higher Education
“At AUC, we prepare the next generation of Haitian teachers, one student at a time”
