School of Education

Pamela Michel, Interim Dean
201 Culkin Hall • 315-312-2102
www.oswego.edu/education

In 1861, Edward Austin Sheldon founded what would become SUNY Oswego as the first urban teacher training program in the United States. Today, the School of Education carries on Sheldon’s concern for authentic learning and social justice through an emphasis on knowledge, practice, reflection, collaboration, and leadership in all our programs.

Bachelor of Science degree programs for teacher preparation are offered in the areas of Adolescence Education, Childhood Education, Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL), Technology Education and Vocational Teacher Preparation. Graduate programs are offered in the areas of Childhood Education, Literacy Education, Adolescence Education, Childhood Special Education, Art Education, Mathematics Education, Chemistry Education, Technology Education, Vocational Teacher Preparation, Educational Leadership, School Psychology and Counseling Services.

The School of Education also offers a variety of programs in the allied professions, including Bachelor of Science degrees in Technology Management and Wellness Management; academic minors in Athletic Training and Health Science; and a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling.

National Accreditation of School of Education Programs

The School of Education at SUNY Oswego is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs, advanced educator preparation programs, and all allied majors and programs housed in the School of Education.

NCATE accreditation is the standard of excellence in teacher education, verifying that our programs produce competent, caring, and qualified teachers and other professional school personnel who can help all students learn.

New York State Teacher Certification

The Adolescence Education, Agricultural Education, Business & Marketing Education, Childhood Education, Family and Consumer Science Education, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Technology Education programs are registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED); they lead to eligibility for initial certification. The Health Career Education, Technical Education, and Trade Education programs, housed in the VTP Department, are also registered by NYSED; they lead to eligibility for initial and professional certification.

In accordance with the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), the New York State Education Department requires that all candidates enrolled in teacher certification, pupil personnel services, and educational leadership preparation programs complete six hours of training in harassment, bullying, and discrimination prevention and intervention, at least 3 hours of which must be face-to-face. This requirement is effective for all candidates graduating after December 30, 2013 or who are applying for certification after December 30, 2013, including those who already hold an initial certificate, and are applying either for their Professional Certificate in the same area or an additional certificate. The School of Education, in conjunction with the Division of Extended Learning, offers this training periodically throughout the academic year. Candidates should contact their home department for more information.

A candidate who completes all the degree requirements of one of these programs fulfills the academic requirements for the appropriate certification. However, NYSED has additional requirements for all certifications, including appropriate scores on New York State Teacher Certification Exam(s), U.S. citizenship or visa eligibility to work in the U.S., good moral character (confirmed by a criminal background check), and timely application. Complete information is available from the NYSED (www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/). Scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) reported for Oswego’s program completers is available at www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/TitleIIData/.

School of Education Policies

The following policies apply to undergraduate programs in the School of Education. A complete description of policies are found in the School of Education Handbook at www.oswego.edu/academics/colleges_and_departments/education/handbook.html:

• Undergraduate candidates are required to purchase and use the electronic assessment software approved by the School of Education when they are informed by the department. To maximize the benefit of this requirement, candidates are advised to take their methods and student teaching/internship courses in successive semesters, if possible.
• All teacher education field placements are arranged by the Field Placement Office within the appropriate program’s service region. Candidates must provide their own reliable transportation to and from placements. Travel times are generally within 60 minutes for pre-student teaching placements and may be up to 90 minutes for student teaching placements.