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If you’re already in a teaching or education profession and planning to pursue your MEd or MAT degree, there generally isn’t a lot of extra work you’ll need to do before applying.
Because of how state teaching licensing works, most programs won’t require that you take an additional exam like the GRE before applying for a Master’s program.
Of course, there may be some exceptions to this rule. But in an analysis of available online MEd and MAT programs, including the USC Rossier School of Education, South New Hampshire State (SNHU) MEd degree programs, and Concordia Online MEd programs, it appears that most schools won’t require additional testing beyond those likely required in obtaining your teaching license.
That said, there are two main exams that generally come into play within the education field.
1. The PRAXIS Exams
Many states will require teachers to take at least the PRAXIS I. If not, at least the PRAXIS II subject tests in order to obtain their teaching license.
These exams test your knowledge and understanding of specific subjects. They also test your comprehension of teaching strategies and practices. Many MEd and MAT programs will require you to have passed the necessary PRAXIS exams. Additionally, you need a current license to teach within your state.
2. C-BASE Exam
The C-BASE exam is a broad general knowledge test. It’s meant to measure the level of subject mastery of an undergraduate student. It’s sort of like the ACT, SAT, or GRE. But it’s often used as a measure of competency. It’s targeted towards general education elementary or middle-school teachers who are expected to know and understand multiple subjects.
Many graduate education degree programs will also accept the C-BASE exam in lieu of a PRAXIS score. In that scenario, the student has not taken the PRAXIS exam or it is otherwise not applicable.
A note about state-specific exams
Some states require teachers to take a state-specific exam rather than a national one in order to obtain a teaching license.
One drawback to online education is that your national MEd or MAT program won’t recognize these exams. That means that you may need to take the PRAXIS or C-BASE exam in the case that you didn’t take it before starting your career.
