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 - FALL ONLY 3
SED373 Teaching Social Studies in the Secondary School 3
SED374 Teaching Science in the Secondary School - FALL ONLY 3
SED375 Teaching Math in the Secondary School - FALL ONLY 3
SED381 Teaching Spanish in the Secondary School - FALL ONLY 3
SED391 Teaching German in the Secondary School - FALL ONLY 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

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.

Students are responsible for their owm transportation to field and student teaching placements and must be prepared to commute up to 45 miles, one way, to these placements. 

Undergraduate Specializations

Additional Requirements:

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

Two State-Mandated Workshops:

1. Recognizing and reporting symptoms of child abuse and
2. Prevention of school violence (S.A.V.E.)

You are advised to complete these workshops as soon as possible after you are admitted to the program.

State-mandated fingerprinting should be done as soon as possible after you are admitted to the program. You can pick up a fingerprinting packet in the South Classroom Building, room 112.

Students must have good moral character. (Applicants for admission 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 which raise a reasonable question as to the individual's moral character.)