The SUNY New Paltz secondary science and mathematics teacher preparation programs welcomes your interest in becoming an effective facilitator of learning as a science and/or mathematics teacher. What better way to engage and excite students about careers in math and science than through your efforts as an engaging, student-oriented educator.
Our secondary education programs in the sciences and mathematics prepare you to become an inquiry-based, hands-on/minds-on facilitator of effective learning through modeling best practice, critically developed course requirements and offerings to bring about understandings in education and adolescence schema, innovative discussion, practical application of theory, peer-reviewed critiques of lesson presentations and field experiences in the schools.
The Secondary Education Teacher Preparation Programs in the sciences and mathematics offered at SUNY New Paltz include:
Undergraduate Degree programs
The Undergraduate Secondary Education Competency Based Teacher Education Program
Outline of Education Course Requirements for 7-12 Initial Certification:
Admission Requirements to the Program (prior to applying)
- 2.75 GPA in at least 24 credits in college course work
- Grade of B or better in both Freshman Composition Courses
- Completion of all 100 and 200 level math, chemistry and physics course requirements
- Complete the undergraduate program application (hotlink here to the application)
- Review of application occurs at the Secondary Education Department level
Admission Requirements to Student Teach
- 2.5 overall GPA*
- 2.75 GPA in Pedagogical Core*
- Satisfactory Programmatic Portfolio
- 6 Credits of a foreign language elementary level, or 3 credits at the intermediate level
- 2.5 GPA in Content Core (biology, Earth science, chemistry, physics, or mathematics)
- Grade of B or better in Methods Course (teaching science or math in secondary schools)
- Completion of all content coursework
- Abuse and Violence workshops mandated by the state
- Fingerprints are successfully processed
- Approval of Coordinator and Chair
*These requirements are baseline only. Education program enrollments can be more competitive, depending on the number of applicants.
Graduate degree Programs
MSEd and MAT Degrees in Biology are being offered at this time.
MSEd Program in Biology
MAT Program in Biology
The Mission of the New Paltz School of Education
The secondary education courses, in line with the goals of the School of Education and Art Education, are designed to prepare caring, critical, and reflective professionals who are academically strong, pedagogically skilled, and responsive to the needs of our diverse society. We seek to create classrooms where all students learn in meaningful ways. Our work is grounded in the following values and commitments, which we strive to nurture in ourselves as in our candidates: Inquiry and Intellectual growth, Professionalism, Appreciation of human diversity, Advocacy for students and Democratic citizenship.
Values and Commitments
To bridge the gap between foundations, theory, and practicing methods of pedagogy, you will develop:
-Inquiry and Intellectual Growth
(1) An understanding of the definition of curriculum, (2) an understanding of the scope, sequence, and components of curriculum, (3) and a knowledge of the major curricular theorists and curricular philosophies in order to broaden perspective of possibility.
-Appreciation of Diversity
(4) A disposition that legitimizes differing cultures, languages and ethnicities in your classroom and an understanding of how tolerance can be fostered.
-Professionalism
(5) A foundation of the tenets of effective student learning and assessment, (6) an understanding of how theory bridges to practice especially in relation to your Fieldwork experiences, (7) an exposure to instructional technologies.
-Advocacy and Democratic Citizenship
(8) The development of a lifelong critical and reflective stance towards your own teaching and the trends in your field, (9) a commitment to defining the curriculum in service to the individual student, (10) An understanding of how teacher identity contributes to advocacy.
