Application Checklist: Master of Arts in Teaching

The application will ask for your personal information and you can attach your Portfolio, Personal Essay, and current Résumé (or Curriculum Vitae) before submission. We also ask for your recommenders’ contact information so they can submit their endorsement for you. Lastly, you will need to pay a $70 application fee to finalize your submission.

After submission, you can use the Applicant Portal to upload your college transcripts, track your admission progress, and make an enrollment decision. We require all materials on the application checklist to begin reviewing your application.

We offer application fee waivers when needed. Please be in touch with us at GraduateAdmissions@meca.edu for instructions to receive a fee waiver.

Please submit 10–20 digital images of work, or up to 15 minutes of video.

A strong portfolio should be properly documented to succinctly convey your studio practice and include detail shots as necessary. Also, your portfolio must showcase proficiency in two or more mediums.

We encourage submitting your most recent work to demonstrate your skills and interests at the time of application.

The Personal Essay is an opportunity to convey your interest in the MAT program. All prompts are required to complete your submission:

• Outline your interest in our MAT program. Why are you pursuing an MAT and why now? How is MECA&D a good fit for you, and how do you see yourself being a strong addition to the cohort?
• Describe your creative practice in the context of your portfolio and program application. Why are you showing us this body of work? What art historical connections can you identify in your portfolio, and how might your relationship with your studio practice translate into teaching in the art classroom?
• Share your goals for graduate studies. What do you want to achieve during your time in our MAT program? What are your career goals after graduate school? How can our community and network help you reach your goals?

A strong essay shows understanding of the relationship between your personal journey, your creative vision, and your artistic goals.

Please use your resume or curriculum vitae (CV) to highlight your experiences and achievements beyond your essay and your portfolio. Upload your document as a PDF in the application portal.

Instead of writing letters of recommendation, your recommenders will complete a digital Endorsement Form. The form will ask your recommenders to address qualities that a strong art educator should possess:

• Passion for the visual world;
• Capacity for innovation and intuition;
• Willingness to foster respectful critique; and
• Ability to reflect on challenging situations.

In the application, you will be asked to provide contact information for two recommenders, and we will send each of them an email invitation to submit their Endorsement Forms. At least one of your recommenders should be an instructor, professor, or in the field of art or education.

You may submit your application before your letters of recommendation are submitted, but your application will not be complete without them. Please follow up with your recommenders and track their submission status in the Applicant Portal.

All applicants should either hold a BFA or BA in Studio Art, or meet our alternate prerequisites (see “all other degree holders” for more information). We also ask you to have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above from previous and current degrees.

Maine College of Art & Design alumni can request a transcript transfer from the Registrar office via email at registrar@meca.edu.

You can upload unofficial transcripts after submitting your application or request official transcripts to be delivered electronically to GraduateAdmissions@meca.edu. Official transcripts are only required at the time of enrollment.

BFA or BA in Studio Art degree holders

Your academic history satisfies our prerequisites.

All other degree holders

You are alternatively qualified for our MAT program by meeting the following prerequisites:

1. 6 earned credits in Art History.
2. Completing the Praxis Art: Content Knowledge (5134) test with a passing score of 158 or higher.

We offer conditional acceptances on a case-by-case basis, leaving adequate time to meet our alternate prerequisites ahead of our program start date.

Undergraduate seniors

All of the above prerequisites apply to you and you must complete your undergraduate studies with an expected graduation date ahead of our program start date. We reserve the right to rescind your offer of admission if you fail to meet the GPA requirement upon completion of your undergraduate studies.

International applicants are asked to submit additional materials in order to be offered admission. See Requirements for International MAT Applicants.

We encourage international applicants and applicants who are studying abroad from their home institution to apply by this deadline.

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After the Application Deadline, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as space permits.

The program begins with a student orientation and classes begin on the same day.

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