Undergraduate Teacher Preparation for Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)

The undergraduate elementary education program leads toward New York state initial teacher certification in childhood education (grades 1-6). The elementary education 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 with the standards and guidelines of the Association for Childhood Education International and with the New York State Learning Standards for Childhood Education.

Program Requirements

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 a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work, students choose elementary education as a co-major. Hofstra’s undergraduate program in elementary education is a New York state-registered program. Students who successfully complete this program and who obtain passing scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) will qualify for New York State initial teacher certification.

Admission Criteria for the Elementary Education Program

After completing a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work, students may apply for admission to the School of Education through the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership. Admission into 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 or, for students who entered New College for Interdisciplinary Studies prior to fall 2006, completion of the New College for Interdisciplinary Studies Writing Program. 

• An overall GPA of 2.75 or higher in overall course work and 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.

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 elementary education  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 elementary education major.

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

Included Areas

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

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 for Elementary Education

• ELED 041 - Mathematics Concepts for Elementary School Teachers Semester Hours: 2

• or a passing score on the Departmental Mathematics Proficiency Exam (Both ELED 41 and the exam may only be taken once), 0-2 s.h.

• ELED 104A - Educational Computing Issues, Trends and Practices Semester Hours: 1
• ELED 111A - Children’s Movement and Rhythmic Activities for the Classroom Teacher Semester Hours: 1
• ELED 122 - Art in the Elementary School Semester Hours: 1
• FDED 111 - The American School Semester Hours: 3
• FDED 127 - Introduction to Philosophy of Education Semester Hours: 3
• SPED 101 - Inclusion: Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers, and K-6 Children Semester Hours: 3

Student Teaching Prerequisites for the Program

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 or higher in liberal arts and sciences course work;
3. a grade of C- or higher in each ELED course completed and
4. no unresolved INC grades in professional education course work.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation from this 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 elementary education program;
3. successful completion of at least 131 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 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; and
7. 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 Educational Support Services the semester in which the student is graduating. There will be opportunities to attend a certification workshop during the student’s final semester, to receive all the necessary information regarding applying for certification. 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), secondary (Grades 7-12) and special subject teachers as well as educational leaders are required to pass the New York State Teachers Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) administered by National Evaluation Systems, Inc., for state certification requirements. Students should consult with the Office of Educational Support Services regarding the appropriate examinations for their area of study.

We anticipate that teacher and school building leader candidates applying for certification on or after May 1st, 2014, will be required to take certain new exams. At the February 2012 meeting, the New York State Board of Regents approved a change to the implementation schedule for the new testing requirements for the initial certification of teachers and school building leaders. Please contact the office of Educational Support Services at Hofstra University at (516) 463-5747 or consult the state website.

For candidates graduating prior to May 2013, 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 in special education, speech and language disabilities or school administrators working in special education, to have training in the area of children with autism.

Hofstra University offers the above listed educational law seminars through the Office of Educational Support Services. All of these seminars must be completed before the conferral of the degree and recommendation for certification.