Admission Critera for the Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in TESOL

Applications for admission to the C.A.S. TESOL Program in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching are made to the Graduate Admissions Office. Students who do not fully meet admission requirements may be required to complete prerequisite courses concurrently with completion of the Certification Program requirements. Admission is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria, including the following:

1. Possession of a Master’s or higher degree in education.
2. New York State certification in an area other than TESOL (provisional, permanent, initial or professional).
3. An overall GPA of 2.75 or higher in all course work.
4. Two letters of reference addressing the applicant’s potential to succeed in the teaching profession and in the program course work.
5. Interview with the director of the TESOL Program.
6. A written personal statement of professional intent or rationale.
7. 12 semester hours of foreign language study or demonstrated proficiency in a second language.
8. Students who hold provisional or permanent certification must also complete General Education and Content core requirements.

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

General Education Core/Content Requirements

Students must satisfy a specified set of General Education Core/Content requirements. These include course work in each of the following areas:

1. Artistic Expression
2. Communication
3. Information Retrieval
4. Historical and Social Science Concepts
5. Philosophy
6. Humanities
7. Language Other Than English (12 s.h. or demonstrated proficiency)
8. Scientific Processes
9. Mathematical Processes
10. Literature, Written Analysis, and Expression (6 s.h.)
11. Cross-cultural Appreciation

Typically, students satisfy these requirements while completing their undergraduate degree programs. However, if one or more of these requirements have not been met, they must be completed prior to conferral of the M.S. in Education degree.

Program Requirements - Semester Hours: 15

Field Experiences Prior to Student Teaching

A minimum of 50 clock hours of participation/observation is required prior to practicum. At least one field placement must be in a district identified as high needs by New York State Education Department. All field experiences are incorporated into the course curricula. Placements are arranged by the Office of Field Placement. Department policy is to place prospective teachers in districts other than those in which they reside or in schools that they attended.

Participation/observation field experiences in designated schools are required in each of the following courses:

• ELED 225 - Teaching English as a Second Language Credits: 3 s.h.

• 25 hours in settings with English Language Learners with special needs (grades K-6)

• SED 267 - Teaching English to Adolescent and Adult Speakers of Other Languages Credits: 3 s.h.

• 25 hours in settings with English Language Learners in high-needs schools (grades 7-12)

Practicum

Graduation Requirements

1. Satisfaction of all outstanding General Education Core and Content Requirements by those students who hold provisional or permanent certification;
2. Completion of all course work for the Certification Program with an overall GPA of 3.0; no grades below B in required courses;
3. Completion of the 15 s.h. course requirements in the Certification Program with no fewer than 12 s.h. in residence;
4. Completion of a portfolio illustrating the student’s educational and professional accomplishments;
5. All course work taken in satisfaction of the degree requirements must have been completed within a 3-year period.

Teacher Certification Requirements

Footnotes