Your Academic Pathway

Your Master’s Degree

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As a Fellow, you will earn a master’s degree designed to prepare you to become an effective, impact-ready educator while you are teaching. 

A Master’s Degree With a Career in Mind

A core part of the City Teaching Alliance experience is earning your master’s degree while you teach. This is not learning removed from practice. It is an integrated experience that connects academic preparation, clinical learning, individualized feedback, certification progress, and career support.

Let’s break down how the university partner matching process works!

A University Partner matched to your region and content area
  • During enrollment, we match candidates with a university partner based on factors such as your location and content area.
  • This approach helps ensure that your academic pathway aligns with the requirements of your placement and the work you will do in the classroom,
Your preparation is designed by City Teaching Alliance
  • City Teaching Alliance designs your academic experience, so your University Partner match does not change the quality or structure of your preparation.
  • Across every partnership, Fellows receive a consistent, rigorous experience designed to help them become effective, impact-ready educators.
  • You will connect graduate-level learning to classroom practice while receiving the coaching, mentorship, certification support, and care-centered resources that define the City Teaching Alliance Signature Model.
Graduate learning designed for the real work of teaching
  • Your master’s-degree experience is designed to strengthen the knowledge, habits, and professional judgment educators need to serve students well and keep growing throughout their careers.
  • Prepare for the content area, grade level, and certification requirements connected to your pathway.
  • Bring what you are learning into your classroom practice—and bring real questions from your classroom back into your academic work
Instructional Practice & Inclusive Learning Environments
  • Build the skills to plan, teach, assess, reflect, and respond to student learning.
  • Develop the knowledge and practices needed to create learning spaces where students with diverse strengths, experiences, and needs can thrive.
  • Cultivate the reflective practice, leadership capacity, and commitment to continuous improvement that career educators need.

Why Should Teachers Pursue a Master’s Degree?

Earning a Master’s degree not only enhances your expertise but also deepens your ability to create inclusive and effective learning environments. This advanced training prepares educators to address unique student needs to accelerate student achievement.

We offer three specialized pathways tailored to your chosen subject and grade level:

  • Elementary Education and Special Education
  • Secondary English, Language Arts, and Special Education
  • Secondary Mathematics and Special Education

While each pathway features courses that align with your program of study, there are also courses that every educator will take. Let’s break down what each semester will look like as a City Teaching Alliance educator!

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FAQ

See frequently asked questions related to getting your Masters.
Will I choose my University Partner?

City Teaching Alliance matches candidates with a University Partner during enrollment based on factors such as location and content area. Our team will explain the process and your academic pathway as you move through enrollment.

Will the University Partner change the quality of my preparation?

No. City Teaching Alliance designs the academic experience, so the quality and structure of your preparation remain consistent across every partnership.

What will I study?

Your graduate learning is designed to strengthen instructional practice, support diverse learners, build content- and grade-level expertise, and connect theory to the daily work of teaching. Specific program-of-study details vary based on your location, content area, and university partner.

How much will it cost to obtain my Master’s?

Tuition cost varies based on your program’s partnership with a leading local university. Please connect with a team member to discuss your options.

Are there opportunities to offset or reduce what I would owe for the master’s?

Among the opportunities available, you can take advantage of the TEACH Grant and the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award, pending renewal in 2025. The TEACH Grant provides up to $3,772 annually towards your graduate school tuition, totaling over $7,500.

As a City Teaching Alliance-endorsed AmeriCorps participant, you may qualify for two Segal awards, each up to $7,395 per year, totaling over $14,000 over two years, which you can apply towards your student loan repayment.

A Commitment to Excellence

While course titles may vary slightly year-to-year, every educator in our program benefits from a comprehensive, best-in-class curriculum. Our team is ready to help you understand and navigate the options available to you as you move through the enrollment process.

Ready to see how a Master’s degree for teachers can empower you to create an impactful learning environment for every student? Click the button below and get in touch with a member of our team or take this quiz to see if teaching is for you! 

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