MAT grad program at Duke?

futureteacher · August 1, 2008, 12:18am

Hi all–

I know this forum is primarily undergraduate-focused, but it’s the best of its kind on the internet.

Anyway, I’m considering a handful of schools for their MAT (Masters of Arts in Teaching) program. Many schools offer the MAT degree, as it’s a professional teaching degree, but not many offer exactly what I want (a degree that is a combination of education classes, teacher training and English lit classes). Duke is one of the few schools that does. Additionally, Duke’s excellence in English as well as its small program (and informative website!) make me want to give it a thumbs-up.

Some of you might have no idea that Duke even offers this degree, but I still have a few questions that posters may be able to chime in on.

Do any of you (current students, parents, alumni, etc.) have any insights on this program? Candid thoughts? Anecdotes?

To what extent does the graduate student community at Duke carry the same ethos as the undergraduate students? Do you, as undergraduate students, feel a sense of community with grad students, or are grad students largely removed from Duke spirit and Duke culture?

Have any of you volunteered in Durham schools? What have your experiences been like? Have you run into MAT students in these programs? What were they like?

Any thoughts on the overall quality of life for grad students (think: limited financial resources) living in Durham?

How would you characterize Duke students’ opinions towards Durham residents? (I understand after the lacrosse scandal, this question potentially touches on some ugly issues). I’m more interested in the general feelings and attitudes rather than one incident, though. I’m used to being in “rough” areas-- my undergraduate institution was in a place probably not unlike Durham, and while the school has done much to improve town-gown relations and there are many community service efforts and projects, it seems to me that most students remain still remain ignorant of their less fortunate neighbors.

What would Durham culture (the Durham that’s not Duke) appear like to somebody who is gay, Jewish, and has only lived in large cities in the northeast and midwest? (I’m used to working with underprivileged populations, and I’ve never encountered any extreme antisemitism or homophobia that made me uncomfortable to do my job. I’m a little scared, though, that “the south” is a different place. Please bash me for my ignorance on this one, but it’s a question that needs to be asked).

Are any of you (current students) interested in this program? Why or why not?

Thanks in advance.

leejwwc · August 7, 2008, 9:00pm

I am currently a grad student at a different university but did my undergrad at Duke. A better site for grad-related info is thegradcafe.com or the grad forum here on CC. In answer to some of your questions:

Do any of you (current students, parents, alumni, etc.) have any insights on this program? Candid thoughts? Anecdotes?
Honestly, I don’t know much about the program other than it exists. Duke is one of the few graduate schools that maintains public records of acceptance and matriculation statistics for every program. Here is the link to the MAT program in case you don’t already have it: [url=<a href=“http://www.gradschool.duke.edu/about_us/statistics/admitmat.htm]Duke University Graduate School Admissions and Enrollment Statistics[/url”>http://www.gradschool.duke.edu/about_us/statistics/admitmat.htm]Duke University Graduate School Admissions and Enrollment Statistics[/url</a>].

To what extent does the graduate student community at Duke carry the same ethos as the undergraduate students? Do you, as undergraduate students, feel a sense of community with grad students, or are grad students largely removed from Duke spirit and Duke culture?
I think grad students are, for the most part, removed from much of the undergraduate life of their university, regardless of which university. There is a lot more work, in and out of the classroom, with much less freedom to pursue recreational activities. I’m not sure about the MAT program but I’m assuming you may need to pursue a thesis or at least a capstone project or internship, alongside formal coursework. That is a lot of work for a few semesters.

Have any of you volunteered in Durham schools? What have your experiences been like? Have you run into MAT students in these programs? What were they like?
I’ve volunteered through Project CHILD and Project HOPE (undergraduate volunteer programs in Durham schools and community centers). Experiences were, for the most part, very productive and humbling. There are a mix of student types, but working with some aspiring students made the experiences worth it. I didn’t know any MAT students through these projects.

Any thoughts on the overall quality of life for grad students (think: limited financial resources) living in Durham?
Durham is supposedly very affordable. Rents are cheap, especially if you have a roommate. If you are very financially strapped, there is always the option of living on Duke’s central campus, which may be somewhat awkward since it is an upperclassmen, undergraduate apartment complex.

What would Durham culture (the Durham that’s not Duke) appear like to somebody who is gay, Jewish, and has only lived in large cities in the northeast and midwest? (I’m used to working with underprivileged populations, and I’ve never encountered any extreme antisemitism or homophobia that made me uncomfortable to do my job. I’m a little scared, though, that “the south” is a different place. Please bash me for my ignorance on this one, but it’s a question that needs to be asked).
I don’t think you have anything to worry about here. Before going to Duke, I lived my entire life in a major US city. Durham is definitely a change of pace, but much of the student life I experienced was on campus, which is liberal. Durham (along with Raleigh and CH that make up the Research Triangle) is generally considered amongst the most liberal metro areas in the US south. Durham is not a college town. It has a pretty diverse population - underpriviliged inner-city, wealty suburbs. I think it can provide a very educational setting for someone getting their teaching degree.

SirGecko · August 7, 2008, 10:12pm

I can’t answer all the questions but I’ll do what I can:

To what extent does the graduate student community at Duke carry the same ethos as the undergraduate students? Do you, as undergraduate students, feel a sense of community with grad students, or are grad students largely removed from Duke spirit and Duke culture?

I’d say the depends on the grad student. I think that undergraduates in general think of the grad students as part of Duke but might not interact with them that much. If you are the type of grad student that will be camping out for season tickets then you can’t go wrong with Duke. We always have grad students in the chorale as well and there are grad students involved with RLHS as GR’s. So you can get involved with the general Duke environment if you want.

How would you characterize Duke students’ opinions towards Durham residents?

Not terribly involved. People aren’t malicious towards Durham, they just either don’t have the time or the inclination to do something beyond Duke. (not that I blame them, pretty much everything I do that involves the general Durham population is through a Duke thing like Chorale; people get busy)

What would Durham culture (the Durham that’s not Duke) appear like to somebody who is gay, Jewish, and has only lived in large cities in the northeast and midwest?

My impression is that Durham is actually a pretty good place for gay people. I know that there is a fairly large pride parade each year and I certainly know a few gay students that seemed to really enjoy their time in Durham. Overall I think that you’ll find that in this respect Durham isn’t like the stereotypical “South” that people always seem to purport.

MAT grad program at Duke?

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