Best Master's in Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Programs in 2026

Concordia University-Saint Paul offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with K-6 Licensure, an online program that leads to a Minnesota Initial teaching license for kindergarten through grade 6. Delivered on an accelerated 22-month cohort schedule with a single synchronous session each week, it is clearly shaped for adults balancing work and family who want a predictable, part-time rhythm. The 36-credit curriculum builds toward a 6-credit Clinical Experience and a Professional Foundations K-6 placement, so candidates finish with supervised classroom time rather than coursework alone. Institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the program reads as a structured, licensure-focused entry into elementary teaching for career-changers. Its cohort format keeps students moving together from foundations through student teaching. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas at the master's level, based in Minnesota.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers a Master of Science with a major in Teacher Education and a Practitioner Concentration, a job-embedded pathway that lets candidates earn initial Tennessee licensure while serving as the teacher of record in a partner school. Aimed at high-needs content areas such as math, science, special education, world languages, and ESL, the fully asynchronous online design fits people who are already teaching and cannot step away to student teach. The program spans roughly 30 to 38 credit hours over about two years, and its structure recognizes classroom work as the site where licensure is earned. Alongside the practitioner track, a Student Teaching Concentration with a Deaf Education specialization leads to a Tennessee special education hearing license after a fifteen-week placement. Non-licensure concentrations in Applied Behavior Analysis, Educational Studies, and Instructional Technology round out the degree for educators pursuing other goals. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas at the master's level, based in Tennessee.

The University of Southern California's Rossier School offers a Master of Arts in Teaching designed to move candidates into California classrooms quickly and with a credential recommendation attached. Meeting California Commission on Teacher Credentialing standards, the program leads to a preliminary teaching credential and supports both Multiple Subject elementary and Single Subject tracks in English, mathematics, science, social science, and world languages, with added authorizations such as Education Specialist, Bilingual Spanish, and English Learner. The 11-month, 28-unit format is intensive and clinically driven, integrating student teaching in which candidates take on gradually increasing classroom responsibility under a mentor teacher. An explicit emphasis on placements in high-needs schools signals a mission-oriented program aimed at equity. Merit scholarships of up to $30,000 further position it for candidates committed to teaching where the need is greatest. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in California.

Wilkes University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with Initial Teaching Certification, a 30-credit fully online program that opens a route into the middle-level classroom for aspiring teachers in grades four through eight. Candidates choose a content focus in mathematics, science, social studies, or English and language arts, matching the degree to the subject they intend to teach. The design keeps candidates close to home, with a twelve-week student teaching placement completed in the student's own local school district and no campus travel required. A Pennsylvania intern certification option lets candidates begin teaching under state certification before the degree is finished, and reciprocity supports portability for those who plan to work in other states. The result is a flexible entry pathway shaped for people balancing certification with the realities of where they live and work. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Pennsylvania.

Eastern University offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction with a secondary education concentration, a program that folds teaching certification into the degree so candidates earn both together. Delivered fully online and largely asynchronous, apart from required live sessions in the Student Teaching Seminar, it targets working adults who need to complete preparation on a flexible 12-to-18-month timeline. Concentration options extend well beyond secondary teaching to include PK-4 early childhood, middle-level content areas, special education, world languages, and health and physical education, and candidates are organized into peer cohorts by grade-band specialization. That cohort model, combined with faculty who are practicing teachers and principals, gives the program a grounded, practitioner-led feel. The result reads as a route into the classroom for career changers and aspiring teachers who want certification and a master's degree in a single online pathway. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Pennsylvania.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney offers a fully online Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in Physical Education designed as an advanced degree for practicing K-12 physical education teachers rather than a route to initial licensure. Students choose between a Pedagogy emphasis, covering instruction from the elementary through post-secondary levels, and an Adapted Physical Education emphasis focused on physical activity for individuals with disabilities, particularly school-age learners. The 30-credit program lets candidates complete their studies through a Comprehensive Examination, a Comprehensive Project, or a Thesis, giving both practitioner-minded and research-minded teachers a fitting capstone. Admission asks for a personal statement and a short video on teaching philosophy and technology integration, hinting at a program attentive to how educators reflect on and communicate their craft. It suits current PE teachers seeking to deepen their pedagogy or specialize in adapted instruction. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Nebraska.

CUNY City College offers a Master of Arts or Master of Science in Science Education, a hybrid program that prepares candidates to teach middle and high school science and earn New York State certification. Concentrations span middle school science along with biology, chemistry, earth and atmospheric science, and physics at the 7-12 level, giving science-minded candidates a clear path into a specific certification area. A notable feature is the program's openness to applicants who lack an undergraduate science-education background, positioning it as an entry point for career changers and scientists moving into teaching. Its partnerships with the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Hall of Science ground the coursework in inquiry-based, museum- and field-based learning, an approach that mirrors how science is actually practiced. CCNY's educator preparation is continuously accredited under New York Commissioner's Regulations, and the program leads to state teaching certification in middle and high school science. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in New York.

Lesley University offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in High School Education that prepares candidates to teach a single content area, choosing from eight subjects across grades 8-12, with English, History, and Social Sciences licenses spanning grades 5-12. The program leads to a Massachusetts Initial teaching license, and its low-residency, hybrid structure lets students move through it part-time or full-time depending on their circumstances. What distinguishes it is a guaranteed field placement, arranged either through a Scholar Partner School or a Teacher Residency set in the candidate's own school. That residency option, in particular, reads as a route built for people already working in classrooms who want to earn licensure without stepping away from their jobs. The result is a subject-focused, clinically grounded path into secondary teaching that flexes around a working schedule. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Massachusetts.

Drexel University offers a Master of Science in Teaching, Learning and Curriculum, a hybrid program whose three-track structure makes it adaptable to very different career stages. Track I leads to initial Pennsylvania certification for PreK-4, 4-8, or secondary 7-12 candidates and can be taken online or on campus, while Track III adds a dual secondary or middle-level and PreK-12 special education certification. Track II, by contrast, is a fully online advanced-studies path with no certification, offering nine or more concentrations such as autism spectrum disorders, learning technologies, reading specialist, and TESOL for teachers already in the field. Secondary subject certifications span biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and space science, English, general science, mathematics, physics, and social studies. Running on Drexel's quarter-system calendar, the certification tracks weave supervised field experiences throughout, culminating in full-time student teaching. The program is CAEP accredited at both initial and advanced levels, and its certification tracks lead to Pennsylvania Instructional I licensure. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas at the master's level, based in Pennsylvania.

American College of Education offers a fully online Master of Education aimed squarely at already-licensed educators looking to deepen subject expertise or step into leadership, distinct from the college's separate M.A.T. tracks built for initial licensure. Students assemble a highly customizable course of study by choosing from specializations such as Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Technology, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, STEM Education, Mathematics, Special Education, and Literacy. Multiple start dates throughout the year and a completion timeline as short as twelve months signal a program engineered for busy practitioners advancing on their own schedule. The self-directed specialization model gives working teachers latitude to align the degree with their current role or intended next step. American College of Education is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Indiana.

Bowling Green State University offers a fully online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Teaching, a part-time program shaped around working educators who want to deepen their practice and add targeted endorsements. Its flexibility is deliberate: six annual start dates, seven-week terms during the academic year, and six-week summer terms let teachers fit graduate study around a classroom schedule. Twelve credit hours of electives let candidates build toward Ohio endorsements and certificates ranging from reading and middle childhood generalist to autism spectrum disorders, assistive technology, and workforce development, so the degree can be tailored to a teacher's own goals. The program is grounded in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession, reinforcing its orientation toward practicing professionals. This particular track does not itself lead to initial licensure, and any Ohio endorsements chosen as electives may carry their own prerequisites or exams. The School of Inclusive Teacher Education program is CAEP accredited, with the university institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Ohio.

Rutgers University-Camden offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in secondary content area certification, a program built to move subject-matter graduates into New Jersey classrooms with a full initial teaching credential. Candidates choose a P-12 concentration across a wide spread of fields, from biological science and mathematics to art, music, world languages, and social studies, so the degree serves aspiring teachers in nearly any secondary discipline. What defines the experience is its clinical emphasis: a two-phase progression that pairs Clinical Practice I fieldwork and seminar with a full-semester student teaching placement, layered on top of a 50-hour clinical experience embedded in the foundations coursework. That structure signals a program that treats supervised classroom time as central rather than supplemental. The MAT is CAEP accredited and aligned with New Jersey Professional Standards for Teachers, leading to initial licensure in the chosen subject, typically at the grades 5-12 level. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in New Jersey.

The College of New Jersey offers a five-year Master of Teaching (MAT) in special education paired with secondary subject-area certification, an integrated bachelor's-to-master's pathway aimed at students who commit early to a teaching career. Candidates pursue content certification in English, mathematics, social studies, or biology alongside Teacher of Students with Disabilities certification, graduating prepared to teach both a general-education subject in grades 6-12 and special education across K-12. Spreading the coursework over five years rather than compressing it does more than lighten the load; it opens room for study abroad and other enrichment before the culminating MAT capstone year. That design reads as a program for undergraduates who want breadth and dual credentials without rushing the professional preparation. TCNJ describes its educator programs as fully accredited licensure pathways, with the School of Education referencing CAEP accreditation, and the dual certification broadens graduates' reach across both content and special-education settings. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in New Jersey.

Gordon College offers an online Master of Education with an unusually broad menu of 28 programs, from content fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, English, history, and mathematics to specialized tracks in early childhood with a Montessori option, educational leadership, reading, and moderate disabilities education. The program supports pathways to both initial and professional Massachusetts teacher licensure, with out-of-state options referenced, making it a flexible home for new teachers and practicing educators alike. Its distinguishing mark is accreditation by the International Dyslexia Association, placing Gordon among a select group of U.S. programs recognized for teaching the science of reading, which gives its reading and literacy tracks particular weight. Courses run in a mix of synchronous and asynchronous formats with four start dates a year, easing entry for working adults. The breadth of concentrations and the reading-science credential together read as a program that serves a wide range of teaching goals while staking a clear claim to literacy expertise. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Massachusetts.

Simmons University, a private nonprofit institution in Boston, is listed as offering graduate study in subject-specific teacher education. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Massachusetts.

Merrimack College offers a Master of Education in Middle School (5-8) and High School (8-12) Education that pairs a chosen content area, from biology and physics to English, math, and history, with Massachusetts Initial licensure at the middle or high school level. Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and approved by the state as an Educator Preparation Program, it centers on a 450-hour, 15-week full-time practicum supported by three pre-practicum observations. Built-in MTEL preparation and an SEI endorsement signal that the program is designed to carry candidates all the way to a classroom-ready credential, not just coursework. A tuition-free fellowship option, completed in 13 months through partner districts, makes it especially attractive to career-changers who can commit to an immersive year. With no GRE or GMAT required, the emphasis stays on clinical readiness and subject mastery. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Massachusetts.

Cumberland University offers a Master of Arts in Education built for already-licensed Tennessee teachers who want to add endorsements and sharpen a professional focus rather than enter the profession. The degree runs 30 credit hours and is structured to finish in about twelve months across three semesters, each split into two eight-week terms, a pace suited to educators studying while they teach. Its concentrations reflect distinct career directions, from Athletic Coaching and Physical Education and Physical Activity Leadership to a customizable Professional Studies track that layers on endorsements such as ESL, special education, biology, or mathematics. A comprehensive final examination in the closing semester anchors the program. Teachers seeking initial licensure instead are pointed to Cumberland's separate Master of Arts in Teaching, keeping this degree squarely aimed at advancement for practicing educators. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Tennessee.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University offers an online Master of Arts in Education, Professional Educator's License (M.A.Ed. PEL), a program that pairs a graduate degree with a clear route to Ohio licensure. Candidates select from one of eleven specialized licensure areas and complete 43 credit hours over roughly 22 months, with multiple annual start dates that ease entry for career changers and working adults. The clinical component is substantial: two 75-clock-hour practicums followed by a 12-week student teaching placement, a field-experience load the university notes exceeds Ohio's minimum requirements. That emphasis on supervised practice, delivered in an online format, signals a program aimed at candidates who need flexibility without sacrificing hands-on preparation. Completion leads to an Ohio Professional Educator's License, contingent on background checks, the Ohio Educator Assessments, and a state licensure application. The curriculum is aligned to Ohio Department of Education and Workforce requirements. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Ohio.

Northwest University offers a Master in Teaching that pairs a graduate degree with Washington State teacher certification in a single, tightly scheduled program on its Kirkland campus. The cohort-based evening format, meeting Monday through Thursday from 6:00 to 8:50pm, reads as a design for career-changers and recent graduates who need daytime hours free, and the full-time track can be finished in as little as one year. Candidates prepare for either K-8 elementary teaching or a secondary endorsement in areas such as English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Music, Health and Fitness, ELL, or Special Education. The path culminates in a Washington State Residency Teacher Certificate, supported by 460 hours of student teaching and the required WEST-B and NES/WEST-E endorsement exams. The combination of intensive scheduling and embedded clinical hours makes this a program for those committed to entering classrooms quickly. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Washington.

Hofstra University offers a Master of Science in Education or Master of Arts in secondary education, a hybrid program that lets candidates certify in one of a broad range of subjects while completing graduate study. The concentration list runs unusually wide, covering English language arts, mathematics with a STEM integration track, the sciences, social studies, foreign language, music, fine arts, business education, and family and consumer sciences, so the program accommodates teachers across nearly the full secondary curriculum. Small class sizes and dedicated facilities such as the STEM Studio and Hagedorn Hall shape a hands-on preparation experience, and long-standing Long Island school partnerships supply field placements close to campus. Rolling admissions and the hybrid format add flexibility for candidates balancing other commitments. The program is CAEP accredited, with the School of Education also earning AAQEP accreditation in 2025, and it leads to New York State Initial Teacher Certification in the chosen subject and grade band, with some tracks adding a Work-Based Learning Coordinator credential. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas at the master's level, based in New York.

The University of Colorado Denver offers an online Master of Arts in STEM Education built for teachers who are already in the classroom and want to grow their practice. The 30-credit program lets students concentrate in Mathematics, Math-Science, or Middle School Math, and its Middle School Math track carries an optional endorsement pathway for candidates who can show an existing teaching license. A stated focus on equity and culturally sustaining STEM teaching gives the coursework a clear point of view rather than a purely technical one. Fully online delivery, rolling admissions, and a choice of full-time or part-time enrollment make the program adaptable to a working teacher's schedule. It reads as a professional-growth degree for licensed educators sharpening how they teach mathematics and science. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas in Colorado.

Drake University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that prepares graduates for Iowa licensure to teach middle and high school, grades 5 through 12, across more than thirty endorsement areas including math, science, special education, and ESL. What distinguishes the program is a fork in the road: candidates can follow a Teacher Intern Program, spending a year on coursework before teaching full-time with salary and benefits in the second year, or choose a standard MAT capped by a 14-week mentored student teaching placement. Both pathways include eighty hours of practicum, and evening, weekend, and some synchronous online courses keep the schedule workable for adults balancing jobs. The intern option in particular reads as a program built for people who want to earn while they learn and step quickly into a paid classroom. The result is a flexible, licensure-focused route that meets candidates where their careers already are. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas at the master's level, based in Iowa.

The University of Central Florida offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Teacher Education that carries candidates toward initial Florida certification in a chosen secondary subject, from art and English language arts to mathematics and the sciences. The concentration list spans middle grades and full 6-12 fields, and several tracks run fully online while the program as a whole blends coursework with a two-semester internship guided by a mentor teacher. That internship includes an on-the-job option, which lets candidates who are already teaching earn credentials while employed rather than stepping away from a classroom. A professional portfolio replaces any thesis, and neither a thesis nor the GRE is required, signaling a program built around demonstrated practice rather than research. As a state-approved Educator Preparation Program, it leads to licensure once candidates pass all sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Florida.

Slippery Rock University offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education: English, a 36-credit program that serves two distinct audiences through parallel concentrations. Its Basic Teaching Concentration is aimed at career changers seeking initial Pennsylvania certification to teach secondary English, and it builds in student teaching offered in either fall or spring, while the fully online Advanced Concentration deepens the practice of teachers already certified in English or language arts. That split lets the degree function both as an entry route into the classroom and as an advanced credential for those refining their craft. Graduates of the Basic track may qualify for Pennsylvania secondary English certification, pending transcript review or the state's Content Knowledge Certification Exam. Accredited by CAEP and completable in a single calendar year, the program sits within a family of SRU M.Ed. tracks that apply the same model to history, math, and science. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Pennsylvania.

Georgia College and State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education that leads to Level 5 Georgia educator certification once candidates clear the GACE Ethics and content-area assessments. Prospective teachers choose from grades 6-12 fields such as biology, chemistry, English, history, and mathematics, along with P-12 tracks in art, French, and Spanish, and can enter through either a June-start on-campus cohort or a four-semester online track. Five integrated study strands run through the coursework, weaving technology, classroom inquiry, content applications, literacy, and attention to diversity and exceptionalities into a coherent whole. Online candidates who already hold a provisional certificate may complete fieldwork in their own classrooms, which reads as a deliberate accommodation for people teaching while they credential. The cohort structure and GaPSC Pre-Service Certificate requirement mark this as a guided, certification-driven path into secondary teaching. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific subject areas options in Georgia.