0 Houghton MAT in secondary education student pointing at world political map as they teach in class.

Houghton University Launches Online Master’s Program to Prepare Christian Teachers for Todayโ€™s Classrooms

January 21, 2025

Houghton University is expanding pathways to the classroom with a new fully online Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Adolescent Education program. Designed for career-changers and recent graduates with a bachelor’s degree in a variety of K-12 subject areas, this flexible program enables professionals to earn New York State teaching certification while continuing their professional work. As schools today face unprecedented challenges and teacher shortages, the M.A.T. degree strengthens Houghton’s commitment to preparing Christian educators and is further supported by a recent transformative $3 million gift to establish the Ellen F. Donley Dean of Education and Behavioral Science.

Program Overview


30-39 Credits

Leading to certification in grades 7-12

12 Months

Time to completion with full-time study

Fully Online

With local student teaching placement

Multiple Start Dates

Beginning fall 2025

$575

Per credit hour

“This new M.A.T. program builds upon Houghton’s century-long legacy of preparing exceptional educators for Christian, public and private school classrooms,” said Houghton President Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. “The need has never been greater for teachers who are grounded in their Christian faith, well-prepared to meet the complex needs of an increasingly diverse population of students, and who serve students and families with compassion and integrity. While there continues to be a teacher shortage in some areas, children donโ€™t need just any teachers. Children need teachers grounded in truth and love, who will do whatever it takes to provide an extraordinary education for their students. Houghton continues to prepare those teachers for New York, the Northeast, Canada and the world.”

The program leads to both initial and professional New York State certification, combining research-based coursework with hands-on classroom experience in students’ local communities. Participants will develop expertise in content-specific teaching methods while learning to create dynamic learning environments for adolescent learners.

Prepared for Todayโ€™s Classroom

โ€œHoughton prepared me to become the best teacher I can be, both academically and spiritually,โ€ said Sarah (Wade โ€™12) Moore, just one of more than 850 Houghton alumni teaching in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ontario. Now the health and science middle school teacher at Central Christian Academy, one of Houghtonโ€™s partner schools, Moore embodies the integration of faith and learning in every classroom interaction. โ€œIt provided me with a strong educational foundation while also strengthening my faith, allowing me to integrate both into my teaching. Now, as I teach at a Christian school, Iโ€™m able to openly incorporate my faith into the classroom. Even during my time in public schools, where I couldnโ€™t directly teach about God, Houghton prepared me to love my students and their families with Christ-like compassion.โ€

“The paramount quality I look for in our educators is caring for our kids,” said Chad Groff ’92, who has served as superintendent of Canaseraga Central School District for the past decade and is one of six Houghton alumni currently serving as school superintendents in New York and Pennsylvania. “I believe Houghton fosters and reflects the love of Christ and can have an impact on how a teacher in training approaches their vocation as a teacher.”

Groff experienced this firsthand as a student through his professors and coach, Doug Burke, who modeled servant leadership. “I have carried this forward as a superintendent,” continued Groff. “I always try to keep servant leadership in the forefront of how I do school life with my staff and students.”

Meeting a Growing Need

The need for qualified teachers has never been more urgent. In New York State, about 35% of all teachers will be eligible to retire within the next five years and, before the pandemic, the state projected a need for 180,000 new teachers within a decade.

“The launch of this online M.A.T. program couldn’t be more timely,” noted Provost David Davies. “As schools face increasing challenges in recruiting qualified teachers, Houghton’s distinctive program offers an academically rigorous education grounded in a Christ-centered perspective, preparing educators who are both technically proficient and deeply committed to their students’ success.โ€

In response to this critical need, Houghton remains steadfast in its commitment to graduating Christ-centered teachers equipped to live out their faith in the classroom, educating the next generation with excellence for the glory of God. The M.A.T. program is now accepting applications for its inaugural cohort beginning this fall.

Houghton Teachers in the Region

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