Admission Criteria:

There are six admissions criteria for all Master of Arts in Teaching programs:

1. Applicant must have at least a 3.0 GPA in all undergraduate course work
2. Applicant must have at least a 3.0 GPA in an appropriate undergraduate major
3. Applicant's undergraduate major comparable in breadth, depth and rigor to the New Paltz undergraduate major in the same field
4. Applicant's undergraduate course work must include a broad and rigorous general education component
5. Applicant's undergraduate course work must include a foreign language component comparable to that of New Paltz undergraduates (6 credits of a foreign language at a beginning level or 3 credits of a foreign language at an intermediate or advanced level).
6. Applicant's undergraduate course work must include two English composition courses or their equivalent, each with a grade of at least B

Each applicant must also provide three satisfactory letters of recommendation and write a satisfactory statement indicating the reasons he/she wants to become a teacher.

Application Deadlines for the MAT (and MS) programs:
March 1 for Fall applicants and October 1 for Spring applicants.

Program Requirements:

Semester I:

SED540	Graduate Foundations Seminar (1)
EDS539	Social Foundations (3)
EDS730	Adolescent Development (3)
LA&S	Course in Discipline (3)
LA&S	Course in Discipline (3)

Semester II:

SED703	Curriculum & Assessment: Theories & Practice (3)
EDS549	Issues in Literacy for Diverse Learners (3)
SPE565	Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms (3)
SED551	Field Work Level 1 (1)
LA&S	Course in Discipline (3)
LA&S	Course in Discipline (3)

Semester III:

SED___	Discipline Specific Education (3)
SED___	Discipline Specific Methods (3) - FALL ONLY FOR MATH, SCIENCE AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES
SED560	Technology in the Classroom (3)
SED552	Field Work Level 2 (1) - FALL ONLY FOR MATH, SCIENCE AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES
LA&S	Course in Discipline (3)

Semester IV:

SED553	Field Work Level 3 (1)
SED404	Student Teaching 7-9 (6)
SED405	Student Teaching 10-12 (6)
SED406	Student Teaching Seminar (1)

Additional Requirements:

• Culminating assessments are required; e.g., comprehensive examination, teaching portfolio, thesis, etc.
• A requirement in the study of a language other than English must be met. Students with no previous college level language study must complete a two-semester sequence in a language; students who can be placed at an intermediate or advanced level must complete one course. American Sign Language (ASL) is considered a language other than English.
• Students must attend two state-mandated workshops. These workshops can be taken on the SUNY New Paltz campus and are :
  1. Recognizing and reporting symptoms of child abuse
  2. Prevention of school violence (SAVE)
• Students must obtain fingerprint clearance which is coordinated by the Education Advisement Office at SUNY New Paltz in SCB 112 (257-2807).
• Students must have good moral character. (Applicants for certification are asked to provide information about past convictions, misconduct, etc. on the application for a certificate, and the New York State Education Department is authorized to investigate complaints regarding an applicant's past convictions or any acts which raise a reasonable question as to the individual's moral character.)
• Students must receive satisfactory scores on three New York State Examinations: Liberal Arts & Sciences Test (LAST); Assessment of Teaching Skills (ATS-W); and Content Specialty Test (CST). More information on these tests may obtained from http://www.nystce.nesinc.com.
• B or better on all components of the departmental Assessment Exam French/Spanish (two semesters prior to student teaching; repeatable no more than three times) MAT French/Spanish candidates only
• Advanced-Low level or higher on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview French/Spanish (6 months prior to student teaching). MAT French/Spanish candidates only

Although the Student Teaching Office tries to place students for field work and student teaching within an hour's commute from the campus, this might not always be possible.

Students are responsible for their own transportation to field and student-teaching sites.

Upon graduation, students will receive the Master of Arts in Teaching degree. Students will have completed all academic requirements for both initial and professional certification and will be recommended for initial certification. Students may apply for professional certification from the New York State Education Department after they have completed three years satisfactory teaching experience.

For information on obtaining a teaching credential in New York State, please visit the New York State Education Department Web site at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert.