All undergraduate majors except for selected studies in education meet the academic requirements for at least one New York State initial teacher certification.
Many of our master’s degrees and CAS programs that lead to New York State certification are open to students with no previous study in education, while some require previous certification. Many of these programs require liberal arts distribution courses as prerequisites; whether or not these need to be taken before admission varies by program. See the Admissions page under each program for more on liberal arts distribution courses, liberal arts concentrations, and other specific admissions requirements.
All of our master’s programs that lead to initial/professional or just professional certification can also be used to meet the master’s degree requirement for professional certification in any other existing initial certification areas.
For more information contact:
| Undergraduate Program | Graduates meet academic requirements for |
|---|---|
| Inclusive Childhood Education, B.S. | Initial certification Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and Students with Disabilities (All Grades). |
| Inclusive Adolescent Education, B.S. | Initial certification Grades 7-12 Content Area (English, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies) and Students with Disabilities (All Grades) |
| Music Education, B.Mus. | Initial certification in Music (All Grades) |
| Master’s Program | Required Undergraduate or Content Area Background | Required Existing New York State Certification | Graduates meet academic requirements for New York State: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts Education (PreK-Grade 12), M.S. | Major or minimum 30 credits of studio and/or design, art history, and contemporary arts survey courses. | Not required. Must have NO existing Visual Arts certification. | Initial and Professional certification in Visual Arts (all grades). |
| Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), M.S. | Liberal arts major or concentration (consult with department). | Not required. Must have NO existing Childhood Education (grades 1-6). | Initial and Professional certification in Childhood Education (grades 1-6) |
| Early Childhood Special Education (Birth-Grade 2), M.S. | Liberal arts major or concentration (consult with department). | Not required. Must have NO existing Students with Disabilities (birth-grade 2) certification, but Early Childhood (birth-grade 2) is accepted. | Initial and Professional certification in both Early Childhood Education (birth-grade 2) & Students with Disabilities (birth-grade 2) |
| English Education (Grades 7-12), M.S. | Major or 30 undergraduate credits in English and writing intensive coursework (including specific content) | Not required. Must have NO existing English Language Arts certification. | Initial and Professional certification in English Language Arts (grades 7-12). |
| Inclusive Special Education (Grades 1-6), M.S. | Presumed completed for initial certification. | Initial certification in Childhood Education (grades 1-6). | Initial and Professional certification in Students with Disabilities (grades 1-6). |
| Inclusive Special Education (Grades 7-12 Generalist), M.S. | Liberal arts major or concentration (consult with department). | Not required. | Initial and Professional certification in Students with Disabilities (grades 7-12). |
| Literacy Education (Birth-Grade 12), M.S. | Presumed completed for initial certification. | Initial certification in any teaching area. | Initial and Professional Certification in Literacy (Birth-Grade 6 and Grades 5-12). |
| Mathematics Education (Grades 7-12), M.S. | Major or 33 undergraduate credits in mathematics (including specific content). | Not required. Must have NO existing Mathematics certification. | Initial and Professional certification in Mathematics (grades 7-12). |
| Music Education: Preparation (PreK-Grade 12), M.S. | Degree with an accredited major in music. | Not required. Must have NO existing music certification. | Initial and professional certification in Music (all grades). |
| Music Education: Professional (PreK-Grade 12), M.Mus. | Presumed completed for initial certification. | Initial certification in Music (all grades). | Professional certification in Music (all grades). |
| School Counseling (P-12), M.S. ** The CAS in School Counseling leads to provisional / permanent certification. |
Relevant work experience. required. | Not required. | Initial and Professional certification as a School Counselor. |
| Science Education (Grades 7-12), M.S. | Major or 30 undergraduate credits in science content area (including specific content; see program page for subject specific majors). | Not required. Must have NO existing Science certification. | Initial and Professional certification in biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, or Physics (grades 7-12). |
| Social Studies Education (Grades 7-12), M.S. | Major or 39 credits in history or social sciences area. | Not required. Must have NO existing Social Studies certification. | Initial and Professional certification in Social Studies (grades 7-12). |
| CAS Program | Content Area Background | Existing NYS Certification | Graduates meet academic requirements for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Leadership, CAS | Master’s degree. | Not required. | Initial and professional certification as a School Building Leader; Professional certification as a School District Leader. |
| School Counseling, CAS ** The M.S. in School Counseling leads to initial / professional certification. |
Master’s degree (or concurrent enrollment) in a counseling field | Not required. Provisional certification as a School Counselor is accepted. | Provisional certification as a School Counselor if not already attained; Permanent certification as a School Counselor. |