Middle School (grades 5-9) Initial Certification Program. M.S. degree

The M.S. program in Mathematics Education offers students a rigorous course of instruction both in Mathematics content and in teaching Mathematics in grades 5-9, including both mathematics and pedagogical course work, and practical experience that lead to initial certification to teach in New York State. This is a 34-credit program and it is usually completed in approximately 2 years.

Eligibility and Admission Requirements:

  • BA/BS degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of a minimum of 3.0;
  • A minimum of 12 credits in College level mathematics approved by an advisor, including at least 3 credits in Calculus. A transcript review will determine how many additional credits are needed to qualify for certification;
  • A general education core in the liberal arts and sciences to include: artistic expression, communication, information retrieval, concepts in history and social sciences, humanities, a language other than English, scientific and mathematical processes, and written analysis and expression;
  • Two letters of recommendation; 

Coursework and Fieldwork Information
The program welcomes working adults and teachers currently holding positions in public, charter or independent schools who wish to receive initial certification by NY State. All classes are offered once per week (usually for 2.5 hours) during the evening, starting at 4:50 PM. Some courses are offered in hybrid on online format. However, all candidates are required to complete fieldwork, currently set at a minimum of 100 hours in a New York public school. Fieldwork hours are associated with select courses and are expected to be completed concurrently with the course. Finally, during their last semester candidates are expected to complete their Teaching Practicum (“student teaching”) which is a full-time graded practicum in a school under the supervision of an accomplished teacher. Candidates who currently hold a position in a school may request to complete their teaching practicum in their own classrooms.

Coursework in the School of Education:
EDUC 7500A Adolescent Learning and Development (3cr, 15 hrs fw)
EDSE 2800E Contemporary Topics In Mathematics Education(3 cr, 15 hrs fw)
SPED 5200K Introduction to Inclusive Practices in Adolescent STEM Classrooms
(3 cr, 30 hrs fw)
EDSE 6100E Methods for Teaching Secondary Mathematics (4 cr, 30 hrs fw)
EDSE 6400E Curriculum Development in Secondary School (4 cr, 30 hrs fw)

Mathematics Coursework:
MATHE 4600C Introduction to Mathematical Thinking (3 cr)
MATHE 4700C Modeling with Algebraic and Trigonometric Functions (3 cr)
MATHE 4900C Fundamental Ideas of Calculus (3 cr)

Teaching Practicum (to be taken concurrently after all other courses are completed):
EDSE 7600G Teaching Practicum in the Secondary School (3 cr)
EDSE 7603G Seminar in Teaching Secondary School (2 cr)
EDUC 1900G Child Abuse & Health Seminar (0 cr)

Capstone Research Course:
EDSE 7200I Action Research in Mathematics Education (3 cr)

Additional Elective Mathematics Courses (if needed to satisfy certification requirements):
MATHE 6300 Mathematical Problem Solving
MATHE 1000E History of Mathematics
MATHE 4800C Foundations of Geometry
MATHE 2700C Number Theory
MATHE 5000C Data Analysis Probability and Statistics

Certification Requirements
The program satisfies the requirements for a New York Initial Certificate for teaching mathematics in Grades 5-9, pending: 

  • Earning a passing score on the CST (004) Mathematics Exam; 
  • Earning a passing score on the EAS Exam;
  • Completing 30 Credits of College Mathematics Courses (to be done through transcript review). If the candidate does not have the required credits they will be asked to take additional courses as electives; and 
  • Demonstrate understanding of the following areas: algebra, geometry, number theory, discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, calculus, mathematical logic and proof, problem solving, mathematical communication, connections and applications of mathematics, research based instructional and assessment strategies, the use of technology in the mathematics classroom, the ability to meet the needs of diverse learners, and the ability to teach problem solving, prior to graduation from the program.  Candidates may demonstrate this knowledge base by completing coursework at the undergraduate or graduate level in the content or education area, or in the presentation of a portfolio of work demonstrating the attainment of this knowledge base; and 
  • Demonstrating satisfactory performance in courses and the student internship. 

Last Updated: 01/12/2024 11:05