This coursework-based advanced degree prepares students by providing them with relevant classes in learning theories, instructional strategies, assessment modes, and technology/media methods. An internship and teaching assistantship round out a curriculum that includes input from educational psychology.
This program is nationally recognized with condition by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
This program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
More Information
Do you want to teach Spanish at the high school level? Would you like to bolster your own language abilities? If so, you might love our Teaching Spanish degree.
Our program will provide you with a pathway for secondary education certification in Arizona while allowing you to improve your abilities in Spanish. You will gain a professional foundation in teaching and pedagogy, literature and culture, and linguistics to prepare you to excel in a rapidly changing classroom with an increasing number of bilingual and heritage language speakers. You may also apply the theories and strategies you learn to teach lower-division Spanish classes.
To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements.
Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following course(s):
| Minimum Units for Completion | 43 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
| Arizona Certification/Endorsement | Prepares student for Arizona Certification and/or Endorsement. |
| Foreign Language | A foreign language is required. |
| Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching | Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching is required. |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
Purpose Statement
The M.A.T. Spanish Education allows candidates to obtain an Arizona Secondary Teaching Certificate in Spanish. Candidates take graduate courses (46 hours) in Spanish linguistics, literature, second language acquisition theory, and foreign language methods, as well as required courses in professional education (including educational psychology and Structured English Immersion). The linguistics courses foster abilities and knowledge about language (phonology, syntax, morphology, pragmatics) as well as sociocultural knowledge. Literature courses foster aesthetic awareness as well as Peninsular and Latin American history and culture. Our foreign-language methods courses are taught by aculty actively involved in research on foreign-language pedagogy and second-language acquisition. Candidates must complete Methods of Spanish Instruction to develop skills in current teaching strategies and approaches. They must also complete Curriculum Design to develop an entire curricula based on best practices and standards. Additionally, candidates complete Media and Technology in Spanish Language Instruction to develop in-depth understanding of the current theories (e.g., psycholinguistic, cognitive) of second and foreign-language acquisition.
To develop expertise in technology-enhanced instruction and use of technology in their own teaching, we require candiates to complete Media and Technology in Spanish Language Instruction, which fosters teachers' abilities to effectively create, utilize, and assess video, technology and other media for L2 classroom use. Candidates receive preparation in assessment and data literacy through SPA 511 Methods of Spanish Instruction and are summatively assessed through Student Teaching. Field experience (SPA 601) and capstone experiences (ECI 595) allow candidates to integrate theory and practice learned in their
coursework into instruction in applied secondary settings.
It is important to note that, while the program seeks to offer initial certification, candidates are expected to meet certain content area standards at the moment that they begin the program. Most candidates entering the program will have a bachelors in Spanish or a related major. Candidates entering the program are expected to have the oral proficiency that undergraduate teaching candidates must demonstrate at "the end of their programs. This program purports to provide such a path to certification and professional preparation by challenging candidates to gain an in-depth understanding of the language and culture of Spanish and modern foreign-language teaching practices through courses offered exclusively in Spanish. Additionally, while most candidates enroll in the program with extensive study or residency abroad experience, we offer two incentives for study abroad during the summer between their first and second years: (1) Candidates may compete
for a teaching position scholarship in our NAU Costa Rica program (San José, Costa Rica); (2) Candidate may compete for a $5000 scholarship to study in Spain.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Take the following 43 units:
Content/Spanish Requirements (22 units)
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.