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

Early Childhood Ed (Birth-Grade 2) and Childhood Ed (Grades 1-6), B.A. Dual Certification Program in


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Professor Fromberg, Adviser

Undergraduate Teacher Preparation for Early Childhood (Birth-Grade 2) and Childhood Education (Grades 1-6)


The undergraduate dual certification program in early childhood education and childhood education leads toward New York state initial teacher certification, valid for early childhood education (birth-grade 2) and childhood education (grades 1-6). Students combine major study in a liberal arts or sciences area with a co-major in early childhood education and childhood education. The program is designed to blend on-campus preparation with field experiences in a variety of school settings, culminating in full-time student teaching. Literacy, multicultural education, and information technology are integrated throughout all aspects of the program. The program conforms to the standards and guidelines of the New York State Learning Standards for Early Childhood Education and Childhood Education.

Program Requirements: B.A. Dual Certification Program in Early Childhood Education and Childhood Education and a Liberal Arts Co-major


Students select a B.A. degree program from Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (excluding fine arts, dance, drama, music and speech-language-hearing sciences) or a B.A. degree program in Speech Communication and Rhetorical Studies from the School of Communication. After completing 45 semester hours of college course work, students choose the dual certification program as a co-major. Hofstra’s undergraduate dual certification program is a New York state-registered program. Students who successfully complete the program and who obtain passing scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) will qualify for New York State Initial Teaching Certification.

Admission Criteria for the Dual Certification Program


After completing 45 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences college course work, students may apply for admission to the School of Education, Health and Human Services through the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership in Hagedorn Hall. Admission to a B.A. 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;
  • An overall GPA of 2.75 or higher on all course work;
  • A GPA of 2.75 or higher in liberal arts and sciences course work;
  • 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 with the Program Director.

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.

Required Course Work


The Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership strongly recommends emphasis on course work dealing with multi-cultural issues and social contexts of education. In order to ensure that prospective teachers have a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences, all students in the B. A. degree programs with co-majors in the dual certification program must complete course work from each of the content areas below. When programs are planned carefully, these requirements may be satisfied while completing the Hofstra Distribution. Specific courses and minimum credits required for prospective teachers are indicated.

Whereas satisfaction of the Hofstra Distribution may require more credits in the indicated areas than those stipulated below, the designated courses within the following areas must be included in the B.A. degree program of the dual certification co-major.

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

Artistic Expression/Humanities - Semester Hours: 3


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

Communication - Semester Hours: 3


Information Retrieval - Semester Hours: 0-3


Historical/Social Science Concepts - 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 - Semester Hours: 0-12


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 - Semester Hours: 3


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

Mathematical Processes - Semester Hours: 3


Any MATH courses listed under the Mathematics/Computer Science division of the Hofstra distribution  .

Written Analysis and Expression - Semester Hours: 6


WSC 1 , 2  and a passing score on the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Examination (Students transferring from other institutions must pass the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Exam).
 

Transfer Students


Transfer students must plan their courses of study carefully with an academic adviser to assess that their progress will fulfill both the University and the New York State Education Department requirements.

Pedagogical Core Requirements:


Program Requirements:


Students receiving a grade lower than C- in a professional education course must repeat the course and receive a grade of C- or higher in order to remain in the program.

Student Teaching Prerequisites


Program Phases 1 and 2 must be completed prior to student teaching. Application forms for student teaching are available in the Office of Field Placement and are due by May 1 for the succeeding spring semester and February 15 for the succeeding fall semester. Admission criteria for student teaching are as follows:

  1. a cumulative GPA of 2.75 on overall course work;
  2. a GPA of 2.5 of higher in liberal arts and sciences course work;
  3. a grade of C- or higher in each ELED course completed;
  4. no unresolved INC grades in professional education course work.
     

Graduation Requirements:


Graduation from the program requires:

  1. completion of all graduation requirements for the appropriate B.A. degree in the liberal arts and sciences;
  2. completion of all course requirements for the co-major in the dual certification program;
  3. the successful completion of at least 134 semester hours. (Military Science courses may not be counted toward this total semester hour requirement);
  4. completion of at least 93 semester hours in liberal arts and sciences course work (FDED 111, 112, 115, and 127 may be counted toward this requirement.);
  5. a minimum GPA of 2.75 in overall course work;
  6. a minimum GPA of 2.5 in liberal arts and sciences course work;
  7. professional education course work GPA of 2.75;
  8. an electronic portfolio illustrating the student’s education course work and professional accomplishments.

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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