Admission Requirements

Applications for admission to a master of science in education program in the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership are made to the Graduate Admissions Office. Admission is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria, including the following:

1. A completed application form to the master’s program.
2. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 in each of two categories:
   1. Overall undergraduate course work,
   2. Course work in the content area in which certification will be sought.
3. Completion of General Education Core requirements for teacher education programs.
4. A written personal statement of professional intent and rationale.
5. Two letters of reference that address the applicant’s potential to succeed in the teaching profession and in graduate course work.
6. A bachelor’s degree with a major (or equivalent) in the content area of science education in which certification will be sought (for exceptions see Science Content Requirements on the following page).

The department understands that any single criterion may not reliably predict a candidate’s potential for success in a graduate program. Consequently, candidates are welcome to apply if they do not meet one of the criteria but feel that other aspects of their experience may compensate.

General Education Core Requirements

In order to ensure that prospective teachers have a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences, all students must have completed undergraduate course work from each of the content areas below.

1.   Artistic Expression/Humanities, 3 s.h.
2.   Communication, 3 s.h.
3.   Information Retrieval, (0-3 s.h.; can be satisfied with passing score on exam)
4.   Historical and Social Science Concepts, 3 s.h.
5.   Language other than English, (0-3 s.h.; depending on placement)
6.   Scientific Processes, 3 s.h.
7.   Mathematical Processes, 3 s.h.
8.   Written Analysis and Expression, 6 s.h.

Please note that programs may have general education requirements that exceed the minimum registered with the state. Degrees will not be conferred unless all general education core deficiencies have been met.

Science Content Requirements

Students admitted to the master of science in education program in science education should possess a bachelor’s degree in the certification content area sought or a minimum of 36 s.h. in college-level course work in the content area of certification, distributed over specified categories (see below).

Candidates who do not possess a bachelor’s degree in their chosen science certification area, but who have succeeded in completing a majority of the required content courses with a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher, may apply for admission to the master of science in education program. Upon matriculation in the program, candidates may continue to complete the required contend courses while they are completing the requirements for the master’s program. Prior to conferral of the master of science in education degree, transcripts must indicate successful completion of all required course work in the area in which certification will be sought.

The following sections delineate the science content requirements for those seeking certification in either biology, chemistry, or physics. Courses for certification in general science are required of all students in the science education program at Hofstra University.

General Science (required of all students seeking certification in any of the sciences) (24 s.h.):

general chemistry, 6 s.h.
general physics, 6 s.h.
geology (earth science), 6 s.h.
calculus based mathematics, 3 s.h.
statistics, 3 s.h.

Note: Biology major only:
    calculus-based mathematics, 6 s.h. or
    calculus-based mathematics, 3 s.h. and
    biostatistics or any other course work in statistics, 3 s.h.

Biology (required of all students seeking certification in biology) (30 s.h.):

general biology, 6 s.h.
genetics, 3 s.h.
comparative anatomy, 3 s.h.
general ecology, 3 s.h.
invertebrate zoology, 3 s.h.
plant physiology, 3 s.h.
biology electives, course work in related content area (with advisement), 9 s.h.

Chemistry (required of all students seeking certification in bhemistry (30 s.h.):

inorganic chemistry, 6 s.h.
organic chemistry, 6 s.h.
quantitative analysis, 3 s.h.
physical chemistry, 3 s.h.
chemistry electives, course work in related content area (with advisement), 12 s.h.

Geology (required of all students seeking certification in earth science) (30 s.h.):

physical geological science, 3 s.h.
historical geological science, 3 s.h.
earth science, 6 s.h.
geology electives, course work in related content area (with advisement), 18 s.h.

Physics (required of all students seeking certification in physics) (30 s.h.):

general physics, 3 s.h.
electricity and magnetism, 3 s.h.
modern physics, 6 s.h.
optics, 3 s.h.
thermodynamics, 3 s.h.
mechanics, 3 s.h.
quantum mechanics, 3 s.h.
physics electives, course work in related content areas (with advisement), 6 s.h.

If one or more of the above content areas are missing from any student’s transcript, those content areas must be completed prior to completion of the master of science in education degree. Of these 36 s.h., six may be taken at the graduate level and counted toward the M.S. in Education.

Where academic subject matter deficiencies in the candidate’s chosen science certification area are so great as to prevent completion of requisite work within the 37 s.h. master’s program, additional course work may be required. Matriculated students must complete a minimum of 28 s.h. of the master of science in education program in residence at Hofstra. No more than 9 s.h. may be transferred into the program. Student Teaching may be used to meet the 28 s.h. residency.

A maximum of 12 s.h. of graduate course work leading toward the master of science in education degree may be completed prior to matriculation in the program. To register for courses in the program other than SED 205, 213, or 264, a student must (1) be matriculated in the program, or (2) have written permission of the course instructor or departmental chairperson prior to the beginning of the course.

Program Requirements - Semester Hours: 37

Field Experience Prior to Student Teaching

At least one field placement must be in a district identified as high-needs by the New York State Education Department. All field experiences are incorporated into course curricula. Students enrolled in SPED 201/264 are placed in educational settings to work with students who have special-needs or disabilities. A minimum of 100 clock hours of participation/observation is required prior to student teaching. Placements are arranged by the Office of Field Placement. Departmental policy is to place prospective teachers in districts other than those in which they currently reside or in schools that they attended.

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

• LYST 209 - 10-hour field placement in varied settings, grades 7-12 or
• LYST 215A - 10-hour field placement in varied settings, grades 7-12 or
• LYST 217A - 10-hour field placement in varied settings, grades 7-12
• SED 264 - 20-hour field placement in a high-needs district, grades 7-12
• SED 293L - 50- hour field placement, grades 7-12
• SPED 201 - 20-hour field placement in settings with special-needs students, grades 7-12 or
• SPED 264 - 20-hour field placement in settings with special-needs students, grades 7-12

Student Teaching Prerequisites

Students will qualify for admission to Student Teaching, SED 217, when they have satisfied the following requirements:

1. Completion of SED 205, 213, 264, 293; LYST 215, 217, 225; SPED 201, 264.
2. A grade point average of 3.0 or higher in overall graduate course work.

Application forms are available from the Office of Field Placement. Applications are due on May 1 for the succeeding spring semester and February 15 for the succeeding fall semester.

Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of all General Education Core requirements.
2. Completion of all science content requirements with no grades lower than C- and a minimum science GPA of 2.75.
3. Completion of the 37 s.h. course requirement in the M.S. in Education program with no fewer than 31 s.h. in residence.
4. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in overall graduate course work and no grades lower than B in required professional education courses.
5. An electronic portfolio, illustrating the student’s education course work, program objectives and professional accomplishments.
6. All course work taken in satisfaction of the degree requirements must have been completed within a five-year period.

Teacher Certification Requirements

Upon successful completion of a school-based program, students will be eligible to apply for the University’s recommendation for New York state certification. The state requires applicants to have passing scores on each of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE): the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W), and the appropriate Content Specialty Tests (CSTs). The state will not issue certification to individuals not receiving passing scores on all New York examinations.

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. Candidates for certification in New York state must also demonstrate satisfactory performance on the requisite state assessment. No degrees will be conferred without the completion of all of these requirements. Please contact the Office of Certification and Educational Support Services for information regarding fingerprinting, examinations and seminars.

Footnotes

*Course requires participation/observation in designated schools.