Colleges and College Coursework
College coursework is study taken for college credit, completed at or transferred to a degree-granting institution of higher education approved by the New York State Commissioner of Education or a regional accrediting agency. Coursework must be offered for degree credit by the college, whether you obtain the degree or not.泭
Pedagogical coursework must be earned at an institution of higher education with an approved teacher education program that leads to teacher certification in the state in which the college is located.泭
Unacceptable coursework is that which is not credit-bearing or not applicable toward a degree. Examples of unacceptable coursework: professional development courses, continuing education courses, often measured in Continuing Education Units (CEUs), audited courses, and courses that have been waived or for advanced placement (such as high school courses) without credit toward a degree.泭
If you receive a Notice of Unmet Requirements, or view it in your TEACH account in the "Correspondence" section, and have a requirement that is deficient or unmet, the following information can help you determine if a course would be acceptable.
Please note that the Office of Teaching Initiatives, BOCES regional certification offices, and staff at colleges and universities cannot approve coursework prior to the completion of a course.泭You must use the information below to assist you in choosing the appropriate coursework to meet any deficient/unmet certification requirements. Please do not submit requests for prior approval of coursework, as they will not be reviewed.
Understanding the Two Categories of Coursework
Pedagogical coursework can be completed on either the undergraduate or graduate level. Coursework must be earned at an institution of higher education with an approved teacher education program that leads to teacher certification/licensure in the state in which the college is located. For institutions in New York State, view the 泭and search programs leading to teacher certification. For institutions outside New York State, consult the college catalog or that state's education department to verify this. If pedagogical core coursework is taken at a community college or another college that does not offer approved teacher certification programs, coursework is acceptable only if it is accepted in transfer to an institution with an approved teacher education program that leads to teacher certification in the state in which the college is located. Such coursework must be submitted on official transcripts of both colleges attended. Undergraduate pedagogical core coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of C, and graduate coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of B-.
Content core coursework refers to coursework in the specific subject matter of the certificate title sought (e.g., Mathematics, Biology, Spanish). It is the equivalent of a major in that subject area. Coursework in the content core must be completed at an institution that is accredited by an institutional accrediting agency recognized for this purpose by the U.S. Department of Education. Undergraduate content core coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of C, and graduate coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of B-.
Content core coursework includes courses offered by a college department in the same subject area of the certificate sought (e.g., Mathematics Department for mathematics courses), including applied and interdisciplinary courses. However, teaching methods and other pedagogical core courses in a college department in the subject area of the certificate sought would not count towards the content core requirement. Courses that are not offered in a college department in the same subject area of the certificate sought will be considered at the time of the evaluation. Please note that pedagogical courses, including content linking pedagogy courses, do not fulfill the content core coursework requirement.
For example:
- Mathematics.泭Geometry, algebra, and calculus courses are examples of acceptable mathematics courses. Accounting and finance courses are not acceptable mathematics courses. Coursework from any other department (e.g., - Psychology, Business, Education, Statistics outside of the Math dept.) would not be acceptable for Mathematical Processes or content core. Statistics coursework from the Math department or Statistics department are acceptable (up to 6 credits).
- Science.泭Acceptable courses are typically offered by specific science departments (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics). Analytical chemistry, botany, igneous geology, and quantum physics courses are examples of acceptable science courses. Chemical engineering, wildlife management, soil management, materials physics, environmental science, and engineering are not acceptable science courses, for example. Geophysics is acceptable as earth science, but not physics; biochemistry is acceptable as biology, but not chemistry.
If you need to complete coursework in your content area, view the Content Specialty Test frameworks as a guide to acceptable course content. You can find them on the , in the Prepare section, under Test Frameworks. The Content Specialty Test is linked to the New York State Learning Standards, which reflect what is to be taught to PreK-12 students in each of their subjects. Information on the Learning Standards and curriculum resources can be found on the Office of Curriculum and Instruction webpage.
For Content Core coursework, look for courses offered by a college department in the subject area of the certificate sought (e.g., Biology Department, English Department).泭To reduce the chances of taking an unacceptable course, make sure that the course you plan to take counts as a core required course toward a degree in the subject of the certificate you desire. Look for additional information in the requirement description.
Although courses that focus on how to teach (pedagogy) may include some content, such courses do not focus on the content and are therefore not acceptable for content core coursework. Examples of pedagogical courses that would泭not be泭acceptable as content core courses include:
- methods of teaching mathematics
- chemistry curriculum development
- social studies instructional techniques for teaching students with disabilities
- resources for technology teachers
- course design, technology, and engineering for children
NOTE:泭 Information regarding the content core requirement for Professional certification can be found on the Master's Degree Requirement webpage.
Steps for Selecting an Appropriate Course
Carefully read the requirement description for the requirement(s) that you were notified are deficient/unmet. If you are not familiar with how to see this泭information in TEACH, please see泭How to Find a Requirement Description泭泭for detailed instructions. You will see a detailed description of the requirement that you need to meet. The following is an example of a requirement description for mathematics:
- College Coursework
- College coursework is study taken for college credit, completed at or transferred to a degree-granting institution of higher education approved by the New York State Commissioner of Education or an institutional accrediting agency recognized for this purpose by the U.S. Department of Education. Coursework must be offered for degree credit by the college, whether or not you obtain the degree.
- Mathematical Processes
- Acceptable courses are those typically ordered by a mathematics department and are considered core requirements toward a degree in mathematics. This includes courses in mathematical reasoning, quantitative methods, number theory and concepts, algebra, analytic geometry, calculus, geometry, trigonometry, data analysis, probability, and discrete mathematics. Courses in computer science, accounting, finance, and studies in which mathematics is applied to solving problems (e.g., engineering) are not acceptable.
Unacceptable coursework is that which is not credit-bearing or not applicable toward a degree. Examples of unacceptable coursework: professional development courses, continuing education courses, often measured in Continuing Education Units (CEUs), audited courses, and courses that have been waived or for advanced placement (such as high school courses), without credit towards a degree. For detailed information, go to the College Coursework webpage.
Use the requirement description to compare college catalog descriptions. When a requirement specifies a number of semester hours, this means that coursework shown on your transcript(s) must total at least the number of semester hours (S.H.) specified in the requirement. If the requirement does not specify semester hours, any college course that primarily focuses on the competency and that results in college credit applicable toward a degree will satisfy the requirement.
Determine if the college at which you would like to take a course is a degree-granting institution that is accredited by an institutional accrediting agency recognized for this purpose by the U.S. Department of Education.
The college offering coursework must be at a degree-granting institution that is accredited by an institutional accrediting agency recognized for this purpose by the U.S. Department of Education. To determine if an institution meets this condition, refer to the U.S. Department of Education泭 website.
For pedagogical coursework, determine if the college has a state-approved educator preparation program.
- To determine what sort of coursework will satisfy a requirement:
- Check an undergraduate college catalog of a New York State college or university offering an undergraduate educator preparation program leading to the same certificate for which you have applied. You may also check colleges or universities outside New York; however, a New York State college/university with an educator preparation program is more likely to have courses that meet NY requirements.
- Look for the general course-by-course description of the program, which is usually displayed as a list of courses with course number, title, and number of credits.
- Once you find a course that may meet the requirements for your deficiency, compare the course description to the requirement description. If the information is a close match, then the course will likely be acceptable.
- Not every college will offer a course that satisfies every requirement. You may need to search a number of college catalogs to find what you need. The more catalogs you consult the more likely it is that you will find courses that obviously meet the requirement.
- Search for a course using an online search engine (for example, Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc).
- Work with a reference librarian at your local library to help you construct effective online searches for college courses that will match the reference description.
- Do not expect a college official to make a decision for you. They can make suggestions, but you must decide which course is acceptable.
- Make sure that any course chosen conforms to the guidelines offered in the course requirement description and the rest of the guidance shared.
Professional Development Courses
Courses offered for professional development (PD) or for continuing education are not acceptable for certification purposes. All college coursework must be part of or applicable toward a degree program; that is, coursework must appear as a degree credit on an official transcript. This should be verified with the college before you enroll in any course. Some states allow colleges to add PD to an official transcript and do not distinguish between PD and coursework applicable toward a degree. Be very careful if coursework is offered at a discounted cost. This may be an indicator that the course is designed for PD or salary advancement. Life experience credit is not acceptable even if it's listed on a college transcript.
All documents submitted to the Office of Teaching Initiatives (OTI) must include your name as it appears in your TEACH account and either the last four digits of your social security number or your date of birth. Information on how to submit documents can be found on the Submitting Documents webpage.
Other Information
- Educator preparation programs in New York: You may consult the Inventory of Registered Programs to determine which colleges offer appropriate educator preparation programs. Click on Search for Programs Leading to Teacher Certification, click search, then scroll to your certificate title and click submit. The colleges listed offer acceptable coursework in your specialized pedagogical area.
- Union-Sponsored Courses: The (See: Certification) and the offer courses that may satisfy some of your requirements.
- also offers a number of teacher education, content, and liberal arts and science courses.
Examples of acceptable coursework can be found at the Examples of Acceptable Coursework webpage.
The recognizes and grants credit for postsecondary learning undertaken in non-collegiate settings.
An alternative to taking formal coursework would be to demonstrate your knowledge of a subject through obtaining an acceptable score on credit-bearing examinations offered by one of the following organizations:
- Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)
For some languages other than English, individuals who are skilled and proficient in the language may demonstrate their knowledge by completing both the oral and written proficiency portions of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) examination. Candidates can earn 30 semester hours of credit toward the content core by passing both of the following:
- The full Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or (OPIc)
- The full Written Proficiency Test (WPT) or (iWPT), not the Advanced Level Check (AL-C)
The ACTFL standards (passing scores) are listed in the chart below. Information concerning the administration of the examinations can be found at the . A list of language examinations offered by ACTFL is available at:
| ACTFL Standards for LOTE Candidates Chart Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) |
|
|---|---|
| French | Advanced Low |
| German | Advanced Low |
| Hebrew | Intermediate High |
| Italian | Advanced Low |
| Portuguese | Advanced Low |
| Russian | Intermediate High |
| Spanish | Advanced Low |
| Arabic | Intermediate High |
| Mandarin | Intermediate High |
| Japanese | Intermediate High |
| Korean | Intermediate High |
| Written Proficiency Test (WPT) | |
| Category 1-2 languages (Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Haitian Creole, Indonesian, Italian, Malaysian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swahili, and Swedish) | Advanced Low |
| Category 3-4 languages (any language not listed above as Category 1-2) | Intermediate High |
Source: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (2023).
Submitting your ACTFL score reports
Please send a single PDF file - containing your ACTFL exam score report(s) and a copy of your drivers license - to TCERT@nysed.gov.泭In the subject line, please write: ACTFL exam score report.
Content and general core (liberal arts and science) courses may be taken at a community college if they would count toward a degree in the subject of the course. Pedagogical Core (teacher education) courses completed at a New York State Community College will be accepted if the course can be transferred into an approved teacher certification program at an acceptable New York State four-year college.
To determine whether a New York State community college teacher education course is acceptable, refer to the .
New York State Colleges and Universities
- Distance Learning Teacher Preparation Programs
- Information regarding colleges and universities within New York State that have an approved teacher preparation program can be found at Distance Education Programs.
- Distance Learning Courses (Individual) or Coursework to meet Unmet Requirements
- If you plan on taking individual courses at an institution that is located in New York, view the above information on this page to determine what courses would be acceptable.
Institutions Located Outside of New York
The Office of Teaching Initiatives does not endorse, pre-approve, or accredit programs or coursework completed at institutions located outside the State of New York.
- Distance Learning Teacher Preparation Programs
- If you plan on completing a teacher or School Leadership preparation program in a state other than New York, the program must meet the following criteria:
- The institution must be approved by a regional accrediting agency. To determine if a college is accredited, go to the .
- The program must be comparable to New York State requirements for that subject. To view the requirements for New York State certification, go to .
- The program must lead to certification in the state where the Institution's Registrar is located, and Accreditation was granted. Satellite campuses in other states are not applicable. For more information, go to Out-of-State Applicants.
- If you plan on completing a teacher or School Leadership preparation program in a state other than New York, the program must meet the following criteria:
- Distance Learning Courses (non-degree program) or Coursework to meet Unmet Requirements
- If you plan on taking individual courses at an institution that is not located in New York, view the above information on this page to determine what courses would be acceptable.
Colleges
These programs are approved by the 91做厙 and can only be found in NYS. Colleges located outside of NYS or online operating outside of NYS cannot be Approved Educator Preparation Programs.
If you are interested in a college outside of NYS, please consider the following:
Q: Does the program lead to educator licensure in the state is is located?
A: If the answer is no, a degree from there will not be considered toward a certification in NYS. Pedagogical coursework must be earned at an institution of higher education with an approved teacher education program that leads to teacher certification in the state in which the college is located.
B: If the answer is yes, proceed to the next question.
Q: Is the college and program accredited?
A: Yes. If the answer is yes, that the college program you are interested in does lead to educator licensure in the state in which the college is located AND it is accredited, this college may be a viable option.
B: No. If the answer is no, OTI will not accept pedagogy toward your educator certificate from this college.
You must make the determination of which pathway option is right for you.
Your application pathways for certification will be:
- Comparable Program from another U.S. State or Territory
- Enhanced Comparable Program
- Individual Evaluation
Other Resources
- Approved College Program
- New York State Educator Preparation Programs-
- Submitting College Coursework
.
Colleges and universities outside New York State泭 or . Make sure that the college is a degree-granting institution; some institutions listed on these sites are not.
For some pathways to certification (e.g., individual evaluation), coursework must meet a minimum grade requirement. In addition, some pathways require a 2.5 minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA). The minimum grades for coursework and the GPA requirement are described below.
Acceptable Course Grades
- Content Core - Undergraduate coursework must be completed with a grade of "C" or above, and graduate coursework must be completed with a "B-" or above.
- Pedagogical Core - Undergraduate coursework must be completed with a grade of "C" or above, and graduate coursework must be completed with a "B-" or above.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
For certain pathways (e.g., individual evaluation), the candidate must have completed a Bachelor's degree (or a higher degree, such as a Master's degree) with a cumulative 2.5 GPA listed on the official transcript. The GPA cannot be "rounded up" to meet the 2.50 GPA requirement. For example, if the official Bachelor's degree transcript lists a 2.45 cumulative GPA, that is not acceptable for the 2.5 GPA requirement.
If the candidate's cumulative degree GPA was less than 2.5, they cannot complete additional non-degree coursework to raise the cumulative GPA that they earned in their Bachelor's degree program. Instead, they would need to complete a subsequent Bachelor's degree, or a higher degree such as a Master's degree, with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA to meet the requirement.
If the 2.5 GPA requirement is not met, the certificate application will still be evaluated by our staff. Please note that application fees are nonrefundable after the application has been evaluated.
Most colleges credit courses in semester hours. However, some colleges follow a quarter-hour system. A quarter hour is equivalent to 2/3 of one semester hour. A few colleges offer credit as units. Most transcripts explain which system is used on a key located on the back of the transcript. We convert all credit to semester hours for evaluation purposes.