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Undergraduate Programs

The School of Education offers New York State initial certification through the following undergraduate programs:

  • Early Childhood and Childhood Education: preparation to teach young children ; B. S. in Education Degree: Certification in Early Childhood and Childhood Education, Birth-Grade 2 and Grade 1- Grade 6 
  • Childhood with Special Education: preparation to teach Grades 1-6 and Special Education in those grades; B.S. in Education Degree: certification in Childhood and Special Education Grades 1-6
  • Adolescence Education: preparation to teach Biology, Chemistry, English, Geological Sciences, Foreign Language (French or Spanish), Mathematics, Physics, Social Studies (Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology); B.A. or B.S. Degree: certification in Adolescence, Grades 7-12. Core education courses for these degrees are taught within the School of Education and the Liberal Arts departments. Candidates in these degree programs are assigned an academic advisor from the appropriate academic department.

Teacher candidates in the elementary-level programs can:

  • Major in Education with a concentration in a Liberal Arts discipline, or
  • Complete a double major in Education and a Liberal Arts discipline with accompanying certification

Adolescence majors complete a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in a Liberal Arts discipline with initial certification requirements.

All elementary programs are organized into a sequence of six blocks of related courses; adolescence programs are organized in a sequence of four blocks of related courses. All teacher candidates must complete 100 hours of field experiences before student teaching. Childhood with Special Education candidates must complete 150 hours of field experiences before student teaching. These field visits allow candidates to gain practical experience in using the knowledge from their coursework to prepare them to become active participants in school classrooms. For additional information regarding programs, consult the Undergraduate Program Requirements , the Dean of Academics Curriculum Advisement Guide Sheets , or access the SUNY Geneseo bulletin at: bulletin.geneseo.edu

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Foreign Language Competency

All initial certification programs require the satisfactory completion of the foreign language requirement. For candidates who entered SUNY Geneseo in 2003 or later, the College language requirement is proficiency through the third semester (201) of a foreign language. The foreign language requirement for certification can be satisfied in any one of the following ways:

  • a grade of C- or better in a foreign language course at the 201 level  or a score on the foreign language placement test that places the student at the 201 level,
  • four units of a foreign language in high school (completion of foreign language sequence through Level IV, one year beyond regents exam) and a grade of 85% or better in the New York State Regents Exam,
  • a score of 4 or better on the advanced placement examination in a foreign language, or
  • equivalent coursework with a minimum grade of C- transferred from another college

American Sign Language proficiency equivalent to 201 levels also can be used to fulfill this requirement for students seeking teacher certification.

Minimum Competence Requirement

Teacher candidates must  maintain a 2.75 cumulative grade point average to continue in a certification program. In addition, a grade of C- or better is required for each of the following courses:

  • Early Childhood and Childhood: INTD 203; EDUC 214 and Eced 351; CURR 213, 316, and Eced 352; ECED 353 and 355; Curr 313, 317, and Educ 326, 354; FORL 101/102/201 (for FORL requirement), MATH 140/141
  • Childhood with Special Education: INTD 203, EDUC 354; CURR 213, 313, 316, 317, 320; SPED 231, 234, 382, 383, and 385; and FORL 101/102/201 (for FORL requirement), MATH 140/141.
  • Adolescence: INTD 203, EDUC 204, EDUC 215, SPED 205, INTD 301, INTD 302 (FREN 320, SPAN 320); and FORL 101/102/201 (for FORL requirement).

Writing Requirement

Candidates in education degree programs meet the College writing requirement by successfully completing EDUC 354, Family and Community, required for all education programs. Adolescence candidates meet the requirement in their major department.