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: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adolescent Education, M.S. | Undergraduate major or 30 undergraduate credits in a specific content area (see program for options). | Not required. Must have NO existing subject area certification. | Initial certification in Adolescent Education in a specific content area (see program for options). |
| Childhood Education, M.S. | Undergraduate liberal arts major or concentration. | Not required. Must have NO existing Childhood Education (grades 1-6) certification. | Initial certification in Childhood Education (grades 1-6). |
| Inclusive Special Education (Initial), M.S. | Undergraduate liberal arts major or concentration. | Not required. Must have NO existing Students with Disabilities certification. | Initial and certification in Students with Disabilities All Grades (K-12). |
| Inclusive Special Education (Professional), M.S. | Undergraduate liberal arts major or concentration. | Initial certification in Students with Disabilities All Grades (K-12). | Professional certification in Students with Disabilities All Grades (K-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). |
| 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. | Relevant work experience. | Not required. | Initial and Professional certification as a School Counselor. |
| 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. |