School of Education

Department of Secondary Education

Undergraduate Program

The Undergraduate Secondary Education Competency Based Teacher Education Program
Outline of Education Course Requirements for 7-12 Initial Certification

Admission Requirements to the Program

Admission Requirements to Student Teach

  • 2.5 overall GPA*
  • 2.75 GPA in Pedagogical Core*
  • Satisfactory Program Portfolio
  • 2.5 GPA in Content Core
  • Grade of B or better in Methods Course
  • Approval of Coordinator and Chair
  • 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) for French/Spanish candidates only
  • Advanced-Low level or higher on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview French/Spanish (6 months prior to student teaching). For French/Spanish candidates only

*These requirements are baseline only. Education program enrollments can be more competitive, depending on the number of applicants.

REQUIRED COURSES

First Semester in Program/Second Semester Sophomore Year (7 credits)

EDS340 Sociological & Philosophical Foundations 3
EDS372 Developing Adolescent 3
SED354 Foundations Seminar (should be taken during the first semester in the program) 1

Second Semester in Program/First Semester Junior Year (6 credits)

EDS383 Intro to Literacy for Diverse Learners 3
SPE385 Differentiating Instruction in the Secondary School 3

Third Semester in Program/Second Semester Junior Year (4 credits)

SED453 Intro Curriculum and Assessment 3
SED353 Field Work #1 1

Fourth Semester in Program/First Semester Senior Year (7 credits)

SED356 Computers in Classroom 3

Discipline Specific Methods - one of the following taken the semester immediately before student teaching:

SED370 Teaching English in the Secondary School 3
SED371 Teaching French in the Secondary School 3
SED373 Teaching Social Studies in the Secondary School 3
SED374 Teaching Science in the Secondary School 3
SED375 Teaching Math in the Secondary School 3
SED381 Teaching Spanish in the Secondary School 3
SED391 Teaching German in the Secondary School 3
SED350 Field Work #2 1

Fifth Semester in Program/Second Semester Senior Year (14 credits)

SED407 Field Work #3 1
SED404 Student Teaching in the Middle School 6
SED405 Student Teaching in the Senior High School 6
SED406 Student Teaching Seminar 1

Required Couplings:

  • Intro Curriculum & Assessment and Field Work #1
  • Methods, Computers and Field Work #2
  • Student Teaching, Student Teaching Seminar and Field Work #3

Recommended Couplings:

  • Sociological & Phil Foundations and Developing Adolescent
  • Literacy & Learning and Differentiating Instruction

New York State Certification Examinations: Liberal Arts & Sciences Test (LAST) and Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W) and Content Specialty Test.

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.

A state-mandated workshop in recognizing and reporting symptoms of child abuse and state-mandated workshop on violence is required for all students.

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.

Undergraduate Specializations