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Applying to the Program

Undergraduates: 

In all programs, undergraduates must major in the subject in which certification is being sought. Undergraduates must apply for admission to the teacher education program even if they have already been admitted to the University.

Undergraduates should apply no later than spring of their sophomore year (or the fifth semester before their anticipated date of graduation) to ensure that they progress smoothly through the program. Students interested in gaining admission to one of the teacher education programs must complete an application, including a well-written 500-750 word essay based on concepts identified in the Themes & Pathways articulated in the D-TALE conceptual framework. Additional instructions regarding admissions essay content can be found in the D-TALE Application Form. Applications should be submitted to the director of the program to which admission is being sought, and applicants must meet with the program director to discuss their application and to review program requirements. A 3.0 cumulative average is required by the New York State Education Department for admittance to any teaching certification program. 

Upon acceptance to the Teacher Preparation Program, the undergraduate student candidate is required to do the following:

  1. Process a "Change of Major" Form adding Teacher Preparation to his/her academic program plan.
  2. This form must be signed by the following three individuals prior to being submitted to the Office of the Registrar for official processing: (1) Major Program Advisor, (2) Teacher Preparation Program Director, and (3) Director of University Teacher Certification.
  3. Upon obtaining these (3) signatures, it is the student's responsibility to deliver the department approved form to the Registrar's Office for official processing to the academic record.
  4. It is the student's responsibility to double check his/her Degree Audit & Unofficial Academic Transcript via their SOLAR Account or in-person at the Registrar's Office. This is to ensure that his/her program has been updated to include the declared TP option. If the update to the record is not reflected, the student must communicate with the Registrar's Office to ensure that the record is updated and noted on the student's official record beforethe degree is completed and awarded.
  5. If the student fails to deliver and ensure the processing of their TP Declaration as part of their degree program with the Registrar's Office, the process is not complete nor official. The declaration is not considered official until it is processed to the student's academic record in the Registrar's Office.

VERY IMPORTANT POINT: If the student is awarded his/her degree without the TP declaration officially noted on his/her academic transcript, the awarded degree CANNOT and WILL NOT be amended to include the TP option.


Graduates: 

Individuals holding an undergraduate degree must apply to the School of Professional Development for admission to the appropriate Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. Applications should be submitted early in the semester before anticipated commencement of study. Students interested in the graduate program in TESOL should apply to the Department of Linguistics through the Graduate School. Applicants to the MAT programs must have an undergraduate major in the field or a course of study equivalent to such a major and must have taken the Graduate Record Exam (GRE; general test, not subject test), within the last 5 years.

At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, students must be admitted to the program before they will be permitted to register for the core pedagogy courses. Many programs have additional application requirements that are detailed below.

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