The MST Adolescence Education Program for teaching English is designed to meet the teacher certification regulations of the New York State Education Department, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards, the standards of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), as well as Advisory Board recommendations and alumni feedback. This program is nationally recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The program leads to Initial/Professional Adolescence Education, English (Grades 7-12) certification.

Requirements for Admission

General Graduate Admission Requirements  Additional Admission Requirements  

1. This program is intended for candidates who do not hold a teaching certificate and seek to earn certification for teaching English in Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12). A bachelor’s degree in any subject area is accepted, however additional coursework may be required, and will vary depending on the student’s specific major.
2. An undergraduate major comparable to a SUNY Potsdam undergraduate major in Literature/Writing (a minimum of 36 credits, excluding freshman composition), as well as six credits of a foreign language, is required for admission. A review of the candidate’s transcript will determine the need for completion of any content core courses.
3. A minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 (A-4.0) in the most recent 60 semester hours of graduate study.
4. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 in the English major.
5. Submission of an official GRE exam (other standardized exams may be accepted on a case by case basis).
6. Submission of three professional letters of recommendation with cover sheets from persons who can provide information about the academic and teaching potential of the applicant (e.g., former or current professors, school administrator, or other professional references).

A student who does not satisfy one or more of the above may, in some cases, be conditionally admitted.

Additional Degree Information

All degree candidates are required to successfully complete a Culminating Experience in the School of Education and Professional Studies designed to synthesize their academic experiences. In this program, GRED 671 - Developing a Professional Teaching Portfolio  will fulfill the Culminating Experience requirement.

Candidates will be required to complete all New York State teaching requirements to earn initial certification. This will include completion of @HLTH 530 - School Health (CA, SAVE, DASA)  (3 credits) and achieving passing scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Exams. These are subject to change.

Student progress is carefully monitored throughout the program based on demonstration of appropriate knowledge, skills and dispositions. Students are provided with information on program expectations in their first semester. Students not making satisfactory progress will be counseled by their adviser and may be dropped from the program.