The Troops to Teacher (TTT) program was established in 1994 by the U. S. Department of Defense in response to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and is managed by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES). The purpose of TTT is to assist eligible military personnel to transition to a new career as public school teachers in "high-need" schools. Pending availability of funds, financial assistance may be provided to eligible individuals as stipends up to $5K to help pay for teacher certification costs or as bonuses of $10K to teach in schools serving a high percentage of students from low-income families. Participants who accept the Stipend or Bonus must agree to teach for three years in schools that serve students from low-income families in accordance with the authorizing legislation. For more information, see www.ProudToServeAgain.com, phone toll free to 1-800-231-6242, or email ttt@voled.doded.mil.

Through the Troops to Teacher Program, individuals may apply to the University of the Cumberlands' Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program, which is designed for qualified individuals who have graduated from an accredited institution of higher learning with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale but who do not have initial certification or teaching licensure. Candidates must have an official transcript on file with the University's Registrar's Office and be accepted by the Graduate Admissions Committee for entry. The MAT requires 39 - 42 credit hours, depending upon the program of study. Program options for the MAT include: