>> The properties of methane oxidation were studied in this research over transition metal containing CeO2 (TM/CeO2, TM=Ni, Co, Cu, Fe) with TM content of 5 wt. % at atmospheric pressure. The characteristics of catalysts were investigated by various characterization techniques, including XRD, GC, SEM and EPMA analyses. The catalytic tests were carried out in a fixed Rmix ratio of 1.5 (CH4/O2) in a fixed-bed reactor operating isothermally at atmospheric pressure. Only the Ni/CeO2 catalysts showed syngas production above 400℃ via typical partial oxidation reaction whereas other catalysts induced complete oxidation resulting in the production of CO2 and H2O in whole reaction temperature range. From the quantitative analysis on carbon deposition after catalytic tests, Cu/CeO2 was found to show the highest resistance on carbon deposition. Therefore Cu can be proposed as an efficient catalyst element which can be combined with a conventional Ni-based SOFC anode to enhance the carbon tolerance.