Direct admission to the dual-degree program (B.A. and M.S.Ed.)

Students entering Hofstra as incoming freshmen may apply for direct admission to the dual-degree program. Applicants must have a combined SAT score of 1170 (in critical reading and mathematics) or an ACT score of 25 and an overall high-school GPA of 3.5 (or placement in the top 15 percent of their high school graduating class) in order to be considered for admission. Students admitted directly to the dual-degree program as incoming first-year students will be admitted automatically to M.S. Ed. In Secondary Special Education Generalist program, provided that they attain the minimum requirements noted below.

1. Achieve an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.0 in Psychology courses at the time of entry into the M.S.Ed. program, or upon completion of 90 semester hours of course work toward their B.A. degree;
2. 3 s.h. of SPED undergraduate prerequisites;
3. Two letters of reference;
4. Personal essay outlining professional goals and objectives;
5. Interview; and
6. Fulfillment of all the undergraduate degree requirements with the exception of the s.h. and major requirements;

Students who fall below the minimum requirements as stated above for first-year direct admission may be dropped from the direct admission dual-degree program, and lose their guaranteed slot, but may reapply to the dual-degree program as juniors, or may apply to the M.S.Ed. in Special Education program through the regular graduate admissions process upon completion of the baccalaureate degree.

Admission to the dual-degree program for current Hofstra students

Applicants must have an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.0 in Psychology courses in order to be considered for admission. To maintain eligibility for graduate school matriculation at the end of the junior year, students admitted to this program must have completed:

1. A minimum of 97 s.h. of undergraduate courses (at least 96 s.h. in liberal arts courses with an overall GPA of 3.0, including a minimum of 12 s.h. in liberal arts electives outside the Department of Psychology);
2. All University requirements, including WSC 001  and 002 ;
3. All requirements for the B.A., including distribution and language requirements;
4. All requirements for the Psychology major as specified below, with a Psychology GPA of 3.0.

Undergraduate students must apply and be accepted into the M.S.Ed. Secondary Special Education Generalist program before being allowed to take graduate courses as part of their undergraduate program. Students should apply to the graduate program, indicating the desired option, through the Graduate Admissions Office. Students expecting to begin their studies in September should apply by March 1 of that year.

B.A. in Psychology Degree Requirements

Students admitted to this dual degree program will receive a B.A. in Psychology upon completion of the following requirements:

1. All B.A. requirements described in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section  of the online Bulletin. In particular: Successful completion of a total of 124 s.h., including 109 s.h. of undergraduate course work (105 s.h. must be in liberal arts courses, including 21 s.h. in liberal arts electives outside the Department of Psychology) and 15 s.h. of M.S.Ed. in Secondary Special Education Generalist graduate course work;
2. The specific major requirements described in the B.A. major in Psychology  section of this Bulletin, with the exception of substitutions that have been approved for this dual-degree program.

M.S.Ed. in Secondary Special Education Generalist Degree Requirements

Students admitted to the graduate portion of the dual degree program will receive an M.S.Ed. in Secondary Special Education Generalist upon successful completion of the following requirements:

1. Completion of 19 s.h. of Special Education course work;
2. Completion of 3 s.h. of Field Experience;
3. Completion of 3 s.h. of Practicum
4. Successful completion of SPED 310.
5. Completion of all required education law seminars including training in the area of children with autism.

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. Individuals 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), childhood (Grades 1-6), adolescent (Grades 7-12) and special subject, students with disabilities, gifted, TESOL, bilingual, literacy, speech and language disabilities teachers, as well as school leadership candidates, are required to pass the New York State 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 1, 2014, will be required to take certain new exams. Candidates who graduate and apply for certification on or before April 30, 2014, but do not meet all the requirements for an initial certificate on or before April 30, 2014, will also be required to pass the new exams. Candidates will not be permitted to mix and match examinations from the old and new tests. Please contact the Office of Educational Support Services at Hofstra University at 516-463-5747 or consult the state website.

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
6. Training in Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Prevention and Intervention required under the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

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.

Forms for applying for certification can be found at the Office of Educational Support Services Web page under the certification tab.

Fingerprinting
Chapter 180 of the Laws of 2000, the Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE), requires that applicants for teaching and administrative and pupil services personnel certification and perspective employees of covered schools (school districts, charter schools and BOCES) must undergo fingerprint supported criminal history background check. However, many school districts and institutions across the metropolitan New York area are now requiring that all student teachers, observers, interns or externs receive fingerprint clearance before they are placed in educational settings that are required for this degree program. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for fingerprint clearance upon acceptance to the program. Fingerprinting can be completed through Hofstra University using LIVESCAN technology, arranged by the Office of Educational Support Services each semester. You may contact us at 516-463-5747 or visit Hagedorn Hall, Room 129. You may also register online. Fingerprint clearance is also required for New York state certification.