Interested in being a Secondary Physics Teacher?

If you have an undergraduate degree in Physics, you may qualify to enter the MAT with a content specialization in physics and you will not need to follow the steps below. However, please follow all previously described application submission steps.
If you have an undergraduate degree in any major other than Physics, you may also qualify to enter the MAT. You will need 30 credit hours of coursework in physics which may qualify you to enter the MAT with a content specialization in Secondary Physics.

You can do a preliminary transcript review yourself by following these steps:

Identify your coursework in physics. Coursework includes the following topics:

• Mechanics
• Electricity and Magnetism
• Optics and Waves: Special Topics in Modern Physics

You may visit the ETS Website link at http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/PRAXIS/pdf/0261.pdf to review description of each topic. This will help you to determine the number of credits and courses you have that could apply to content specialization in Secondary Physics.

You can also do a preliminary transcript review yourself by following these steps:

• Use the chart below, based on National Standards, to determine what courses you have in each of the standard areas.
• Highlight the qualifying courses on your transcript and place the name of the course and the number of credits in the columns.
• Then add up the total number of credits in the right column and read the note at the bottom of the page.
  
  

  Competencies Demonstrated (Based upon the National Standards for Secondary Physics)	Course prefix, number and name ( Ex. Physics 450)	# Credits Place in this Row
  Energy, work and power
  Motion, major forces and momentum
  Newtonian physics with engineering applications
  Conservation mass, momentum, energy and charge
  Physical properties of matter
  Kinetic-molecular motion and atomic models
  Radioactivity, nuclear reactors, fission and fusion
  Wave theory, sound, light, electromagnetic spectrum, optics
  Electricity and magnetism
  Fundamental processes of investigating in physics
  Applications of physics in environmental quality and to personal and community health
  Thermodynamics and energy-matter relationships
  Nuclear physics, angular rotation, momentum centripetal forces and vector analysis
  Quantum mechanics, space-time relationships, special relativity
  Models of nuclear and subatomic structures and behavior
  Light behavior, including wave-particle duality and models
  Electrical phenomena
  Issues related to physics such as disposal of nuclear waste, light pollution, shielding communication systems and weapons development
  Historical development and cosmological perspectives in physics
  How to design, conduct and report research in physics
  Application of physics and engineering in society, business, industry and health fields
  Biology
  Chemistry
  Earth Science and/or Astronomy
  Mathematics and statistical concepts
  	TOTAL CREDITS

You may also visit the website at http://www.nsta.org/pd/ncate/ to review the National Standards for Secondary Physics Teacher.

If you have a total of 30 credits in the right column, you may qualify to enter the MAT with a content specialization in physics. If you have less than 30 credits, you may or may not qualify for this specialization, and/or other preliminary "qualifying courses may be needed. Transcripts missing 3 credits will take special review by a transcript specialist.

If you think you may qualify for the physics specialization, please continue with the application process. If you have a different content specialist interest area, please go back to the FAQ page and click on one of the other content area links.