Mar 28, 2024  
2011-2012 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2011-2012 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership


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Associate Professor Fusco, Chairperson

Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership Programs 

Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership Courses 

Areas of specialization are early childhood, elementary, and secondary education; and programs in dance, fine arts, and music, all grades.

Five-Year Option
Education students interested in completing both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees within a five-year period should see their academic adviser in the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership. Qualifying students interested in pursuing this possibility should seek appropriate advisement during their freshman year.

Elementary and Early Childhood Education
Administered by the Department of Teaching, Literacy and Leadership.

Associate Professor Fusco, Chairperson

Professors Fromberg; Associate Professors Brooks, Davey, Elijah, Joseph, Kaufman, Libresco, Smith; Assistant Professors Jurasaite-Harbison, Plonczak, Stemn.

Secondary Education
Associate Professor Fusco, Chairperson

Professors Murphy, Singer, Whitton; Associate Professors Brooks, Gordon, Stacki, Torff, Zwirn; Assistant Professor Munn-Joseph

Undergraduate Programs

Secondary education programs administered under the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership prepare teachers of the academic subjects normally taught in grades 7-12, as well as for the subjects of art, business, dance and music. Students who plan to teach physical education or health education should enroll in the Department of Health Professions and Kinesiology. Students who plan to teach English, languages other than English, mathematics, science, or social studies at the secondary level (7-12) should select a B.A. degree program and a major in the same subject area; those who plan to teach business should select a B.B.A.degree program and a major in the same subject area. During the second semester of the sophomore year (a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work), students should choose an area of secondary education as a co-major. Students interested in teaching art, dance or music should select a B.S. in Education degree program, specializing in the same subject area (see program requirements for these B.S. in Education degrees listed separately below).

Secondary education programs are designed to blend on campus preparation with field experiences in a variety of school settings including high needs schools. Field work will culminate in full-time student teaching. Literacy, multicultural education, and information technology are integrated throughout all aspects of the programs. Hofstra’s undergraduate programs in secondary education are New York State registered programs. Students who successfully complete one of these programs and who obtain passing scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) will qualify for initial New York State Certification. See the School of Education, Health and Human Services for additional information regarding teacher certification.

Admission Criteria for Secondary Education Programs
During the second semester of the sophomore year (having completed a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work), students should apply for admission to the School of Education, Health and Human Services through the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership. Admission into a B.A. degree program or a B.S. in Education degree program in the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria, including the following:

  • A passing score on the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Exam.
  • A GPA of 2.75 or higher on all course work.
  • A GPA of 2.75 or higher in the subject area in which certification will be sought.
  • Two letters of reference addressing the applicant’s potential to succeed in the teaching profession.
  • A written personal statement of professional intent and rationale.
  • An interview, audition, and/or portfolio may be required in some programs (see academic advisers in the area in which certification will be sought).

The department understands that any single criterion may not reliably predict a student’s potential for success in the program. Students may consider applying even if they fail to meet one of the criteria but feel that other aspects of their experience might compensate.

After being accepted into the School of Education, Health and Human Services, students must declare an education co-major by submitting a Change of Major Form to the Office of Academic Records. This form must be signed by program advisers for each major area.


Secondary Education Shared Cores


Secondary Education, Required Course Work for B.A. Degree Programs Within


In order to ensure that prospective teachers have a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences, all students in B.A. degree programs with co-majors in secondary education must satisfactorily complete the Hofstra Distribution Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements. Students completing B.S.Ed. degrees to be certified in dance, fine arts, or music education, or the B.B.A. in business education, should see specific requirements for these programs listed separately below. Additional requirements are listed in each certification area.

Areas to be included in partial fulfillment of the Hofstra Distribution and University requirements as well as the New York State Education Department requirements:

 

Artistic Expression/Humanities - Total Semester Hours: 3


Any LT or AA course listed under the Humanities Division of the Hofstra distribution .

Communication - Total Semester Hours: 3


Information Retrieval - Total Semester Hours: 0-3


Historical/Social Science Concepts - Total Semester Hours: 6


Include at least one HIST course listed under the Social Science Division of the Hofstra distribution  (prerequisite to ELED 126A ).
 

Language Other Than English - Total Semester Hours: 0-3


Completion of 3 s.h. in a language other than English, or placement at level 2 or above. American Sign Language, ASL 191 , may be used to satisfy this requirement but does not carry liberal arts credit.

Scientific Processes - Total Semester Hours: 3-4


Any NS course listed under the Natural Sciences Division of the Hofstra Distribution  .

 

Mathematical Processes - Total Semester Hours: 3


Any MATH course listed under the Mathematics/Computer Science Division of the Hofstra Distribution .

Written Analysis and Expression - Total Semester Hours: 6


  • Semester Hours: 3-4
  • Semester Hours: 3
  • and a passing score on the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Examination (Students transferring from other institutions must pass the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Exam.) Transfer students must plan their courses of study carefully with an academic adviser to assure that their programs will fulfill both the University and New York State Education Department requirements.

Required Professional Education Courses


Beyond the completion of all major requirements for the B.A. or B.B.A. degree in the subject area in which certification will be sought, the co-major in an area of secondary education requires the completion of at least 31 semester hours in education course work. The following is the basic structure of secondary education programs specializing in the teaching of English, languages other than English, mathematics, science or social studies. Students completing a B.S. in Education degree to be certified in dance, the visual arts or music should see specific course requirements listed separately below.

General Methods Courses - Total Semester Hours: 6


Student Teaching and Co-requisite Seminars - Total Semester Hours: 9


Note


Students who have more credits than they need to fulfill the bachelor’s degree requirements may take secondary education graduate courses for graduate credit, up to 9 semester hours, with permission. (See “Graduate Courses Taken by Undergraduates.”)

* (Footnote)


* Courses requiring a field placement. See course description for additional information. Students must provide transportation to and from field placements.

Student Teaching Prerequisites


After completing at least 19 semester hours of professional education course work, including the special methods course(s), and an adviser audit of content area course work, students may apply for admission to student teaching. Application forms may be obtained from the Office of Field Placement. Applications for Fall student teaching are due February 15; applications for Spring student teaching are due May 1 of the previous year. Admission criteria are as follows:

  1. a cumulative GPA of 2.75 on overall course work or permission of adviser;
  2. ** no grades lower than C- or unresolved INCs in professional education course work; and
  3. a GPA of 2.5 or higher in course work in the major area in which certification will be sought.
     

 

** (Footnote)


**Other courses may be required for certain majors. Students receiving a grade lower than C- on a professional education course must retake the course and receive a grade of C or higher in order to remain in the program.

Graduation Requirements for Secondary Education Programs


Graduation from an undergraduate secondary education program requires:

  1. completion of all graduation requirements for the appropriate bachelor’s degree in the major content area in which certification will be sought;
  2. completion of all course requirements for the co-major in the concentration area within secondary education (not applicable for B.S. in Education degrees);
  3. ** no grades lower than C- or unresolved INCs in professional education course work;
  4. a minimum GPA of 2.75 in overall course work;
  5. a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the major area in which certification will be sought;
  6. an electronic portfolio, illustrating the student’s education course work and professional accomplishments.
     

** (Footnote)


**Other courses may be required for certain majors. Students receiving a grade lower than C- on a professional education course must retake the course and receive a grade of C or higher in order to remain in the program.

Teacher Certification Requirements


Upon the successful completion of a Hofstra state-approved teacher education program, students are eligible for the University’s recommendation for New York state certification. A request for recommendation must be submitted to the Office of Certification and Educational Support Services the semester in which the student is graduating. Students who apply directly to New York state for certification are responsible for learning about and satisfying the certification requirements set by the state. It should be noted that such requirements may differ from those in Hofstra’s registered programs.

All prospective early childhood (Birth-Grade 2), elementary (Grades 1-6) and secondary (Grades 7-12), special subject teachers and educational leaders are required to pass the New York State Teachers Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) administered by Pearson Education, for state certification requirements. Students should consult with the Office of Certification and Educational Support Services regarding the appropriate examinations for their area of study. Beginning in May 2013 graduating students will be required to pass new Performance Assessments and revised Content Specialty Tests.

It is strongly recommended that students complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) prior to student teaching, and the Assessment of Teaching Skills Written (ATS-W) and the Content Specialty Test (CST) during student teaching. Students not receiving passing scores on these examinations will not be eligible for certification.

In addition to fulfilling the required courses of study, the Commissioner’s Regulations mandate that all prospective teachers, pupil personnel and education leaders receive instructions regarding:

  1. Identification of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
  2. Fire and Arson Prevention
  3. School Violence Prevention and Intervention
  4. Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Abuse
  5. Highway and School Safety/Prevention of Child Abduction

New York state legislation also requires all persons seeking certification as special education teachers or school administrators working in special education to have training in the area of children with autism. All of these requirements must be completed before the conferral of the degree and recommendation for certification.

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