Admission Requirements

1. B.A. or B.S. degree, with minimum G.P.A. of 3.0.
2. Two letters of recommendation.
3. Possession of a New York state initial or provisional teaching certificate in early childhood or childhood education (See Note (c) below).
4. Interview with faculty members in literacy studies and special education.
5. A written statement of purpose is required for special education.

Note:
(a) Graduate students who enter a program of study on a non-matriculated basis are limited to a maximum of 12 semester hours of course work.
(b) A maximum of 6 semester hours of advanced standing may be accepted for relevant graduate course work taken elsewhere.
(c) Students who have initial/provisional certification in an area of study other than those listed above in #3 should speak to the department adviser.

Program Requirements

Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of a minimum of 26 semester hours in prescribed Literacy Studies courses and a minimum of 25 to 28 semester hours in Special Education with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 for all courses.
2. Completion of a minimum of 50 hours of field experiences in Literacy Studies within school, family, or community settings, including at least 30 practicum hours completed at the Saltzman Reading/Writing/Learning Clinic and supervised student teaching in Special Education under advisement of the Director of Special Education.
   
3. Successful presentation of a learning portfolio to faculty and peers in Literacy Studies and successful completion of a comprehensive examination in Special Education.
4. Completion of all program prerequisites.

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.