Completion of All Degree and Certification Requirements Prior to Graduation

The undergraduate degree may not be posted nor an official transcript produced without the completion of the relevant teacher certification requirements for the applicable undergraduate degree program. These requirements include, but are not limited to:

• completion of all degree requirements for an approved teacher certification program at SUNY Cortland
• completion of a workshop of three clock hours on the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment. Information about the three-hour workshop is available through the Center for Educational Exchange.
• completion of a workshop of two clock hours on school violence prevention training. Information about the two-hour workshop is available through the Center for Educational Exchange.

Please consult your department with regard to additional specific certification requirements for your program.

Upon completion of all the degree requirements, the two workshops, and any departmental requirements, the graduate will be recommended by SUNY Cortland for certification to the New York State Education Department.

The New York State Education Department requires the following prior to actually awarding the teaching certificate:

• an application for certification to the New York State Education Department
• the payment of the certification application fee to the New York State Education Department
• a criminal background check and fingerprinting. Information about fingerprinting requirements is available at Career Services.
• passing scores on the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W), respective Content Specialty Test (CST), and other appropriate tests in the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations program. Information about and the registration booklet for the NYSTCE are available at Career Services as well as at the Counseling Center.

Criteria for Admission to the Teacher Education Program

Specific criteria exist for admission to each teacher education program. Minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average for admission into undergraduate-level teacher education programs is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; however, some programs require a higher undergraduate grade point average. The department or catalog should be consulted for details. In addition, all applicants for teacher education programs are required to file an Application to the Teacher Education program.

Examinations for Teacher Certificates

A person making application for a New York State teaching certificate will be required to achieve a passing score on the appropriate tests in the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) Program. The department or or catalog should be consulted for details. The NYSTCE information and registration booklet is available at the Counseling Center and Career Services.

Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment

All students seeking teaching certification must complete a minimum of three clock hours of instruction regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment.

This degree and certification requirement can be met by taking designated workshops on child abuse at SUNY Cortland. This requirement also may be met by completing a designated workshop through another New York State Education Department approved provider.

School Violence Prevention Training

All students seeking teaching certification must complete a minimum of two clock hours of instruction regarding school violence prevention training. This degree and certification requirement may be met by taking designated workshops on school violence prevention training at SUNY Cortland. This requirement is mandated as part of the NYS Save Legislation.

The Child Abuse Identification and School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE) workshops must be completed prior to graduation. Workshop dates may be accessed at www.cortland.edu/NCATE or www.cortland.edu/cee on the Web.

Health and Human Development

All students seeking teaching certification must complete a course that includes “human developmental processes and variations, including but not limited to: the impact of culture, heritage, socioeconomic level, personal health and safety, nutrition, past or present abusive or dangerous environment, and factors in the home, school and community on students’ readiness to learn – and skill in applying that understanding to create a safe and nurturing learning environment that is free of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and that fosters the health and learning of all students and the development of a sense of community and respect for one another.” (New York State Department of Education Teacher Education Program Registry, 2000)

This requirement may be met by taking one of the following courses: HLH 110, 199, 265 or 510. Students should consult their academic program/advisor regarding appropriate course selection.

Fingerprinting

All candidates, certified and non-certified, who wish to work in schools in New York State will be subject to fingerprinting regulations and background check prior to employment. Contact Career Services for a fingerprinting packet.

Foreign Language Requirement/SUNY General Education Requirement

All undergraduate students must demonstrate proficiency in foreign language by fulfilling one of the following requirements:

• successful completion of a one-semester college-level foreign language course (101) or the equivalent (e.g., earning CLEP or AP credits) or
• having earned a score of 85 or higher on the New York State Regents examination in a foreign language.

Note: Some individual programs may require additional foreign language credit hours. By virtue of completion of the Cortland foreign language requirement, students will automatically meet the SUNY GE foreign language requirement.

Additional Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Science Candidates

Students enrolled in a B.S. or B.S.Ed. program in the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Professional Studies need only one semester of a foreign language with the exception of speech pathology and audiology majors, who must successfully complete the fourth semester (202) of a college-level foreign language sequence.

Students enrolled in the B.S. program in early childhood, childhood, early childhood and childhood, adolescence education, or special education must

• successfully complete the second semester (102) of a collegelevel foreign language sequence or
• confirm proficiency equivalent to successful completion of the second semester (102) of a college-level foreign language sequence through a testing program approved by the International Communications and Culture Department.

Note: Some departments require specified courses in foreign language in support of their major program requirements in addition to those described above.

Bachelor of Arts Candidates

Students enrolled in a B.A. program must

• successfully complete the fourth semester (202) of a collegelevel foreign language sequence or
• confirm proficiency equivalent to successful completion of the fourth semester (202) of a college-level foreign language sequence through a testing program approved by the International Communications and Culture Department.

Completion of All Degree and Certification Requirements Prior to Graduation

The undergraduate degree may not be posted nor an official transcript produced without the completion of the relevant teacher certification requirements for the applicable undergraduate degree program.

Teaching Certificates after Feb. 2, 2004

The Initial Certificate for teaching will be issued to candidates who complete the requirements of a teacher education program leading to the initial teaching certificate.

In addition to completing program requirements, the applicant for an Initial Certificate must successfully pass three New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE): Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST); Assessment of Teaching Skills – Written (ATS-W); and Content Specialty Test (CST).

The Professional Certificate will be issued to candidates who complete the requirements of a graduate-level teacher education program. Candidates will have five years to complete the master’s degree leading to the Professional Certificate. Consult your department for additional certification changes after Feb. 2, 2004.

Field Experience in Teaching

All teacher education candidates seeking the Initial Certificate are required to successfully complete a minimum of 100 hours of field experience in K-12 schools as part of their professional preparation program prior to student teaching. Arrangements for housing and transportation during all field experiences and student teaching are the responsibility of the candidate.

Job Placement Availability

The New York State Education Department requires publication of statistics regarding labor market and job availability for teachers. These may be accessed at the following Web sites: www.aaee.org for national statistics and www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/sup&dem.html for statewide statistics. Contact specific departments for information regarding Cortland graduates.