For pre-service teachers seeking initial K-12 certification.
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* For details about rolling deadlines, visit our admission deadlines page.
Educational Technology Specialist K-12 Certification: For Non-Certified Teachers (TETS-INIT)
This Master of Arts degree program leads to an initial K-12 teaching certificate in New York State as an Educational Technology Specialist. This program is designed for individuals who do not hold any current teaching certifications. Candidates are prepared to take on a variety of roles in schools, including but not limited to: coaching and supporting K-12 teachers in the design and implementation of technology-related curriculum and projects, designing and leading professional development sessions, working directly with students in STEM or STEAM Labs, as well as supporting schools in developing and implementing classes related to coding and computational thinking. Completing the program requires 38 points, and involves two semesters fieldwork/observation (a year-long total of 100 hours) and student teaching (a year-long total of 200 hours or 40 days of student teaching.
Master of Arts (38 points required)
The M.A. program for Educational Technology Specialist K-12 Certification: TETS Track, is a 38-point program. There are two tracks for the overall program: one for students who hold an existing teaching certification and one for students who do not. The TETS track is for those who do not hold any current teaching certifications. Students in this track come from a variety of backgrounds. Some may be career changers seeking to work with technology in schools and others may have teaching experience but no certification. This M.A. program provides classroom experience: students complete two semesters of “practica,” one spent in elementary classrooms (K-6) and the other spent in secondary grades (7-12).
The program follows the International Standards for Technology Education (ISTE) Standards for Coaches and offers courses related to teaching and learning with technology through different perspectives: cognitive, social, cultural, and applied practice. Students are also encouraged to take courses related to the learning sciences, educational policy, and use of assistive technologies in special education. Each student’s program is different, depending upon students’ professional goals and interests. Students attend most courses face-to-face, but some of the courses are offered online.
Students can complete the program full-time in two years but have the option to go part-time, as many of the students work during the day. In the second year students register for “practica" during both the Fall and Spring semesters in the program. Completing the program requires 38 points, and involves two semesters fieldwork/observation (a year-long total of 100 hours) and student teaching (a year-long total of 200 hours or 40 days of student teaching. Students are strongly encouraged to make themselves available full-time for student teaching, but it is possible to complete student teaching part-time. Additional information regarding student teaching requirements are below.
Students must take coursework totaling 38 points. The following are required:
Required Courses (18 points)
Required Courses Outside of Department (9 points)
Required Practica (6 points)
Electives (5 points)
All elective courses must be approved in consultation with the faculty program advisor. Weekend workshops and skills courses do not meet this requirement.
Breadth Requirement: (6 points, minimum)
All students must complete a minimum of 6 points at Teachers College outside of the Communication, Media and Learning Technologies Design Program (that is, courses with a prefix other than MSTU). Typically, this requirement is already met when taking required courses outside of the department (see above).
Student Teaching and Fieldwork Requirements:
Students are required to complete two semesters of practicum (MSTU 4700) which includes fieldwork and student teaching. Practicum in the Fall semesters focus on elementary student teaching (grades K-6), and practicum in the Spring semesters focus on secondary student teaching (grades 7-12). Each practicum consists of at least 50 hours of observation and at least 100 hours (or 20 days) of student teaching, for a year-long total of at least 100 hours of fieldwork and at least 200 hours (or 40 days) of observation across the two semesters.
Fieldwork consists of observing a variety of activities relating to the role of an Educational Technology Specialist: observing students at work using technology, observing technology coordinators providing support to teachers, and observing technology-related professional development sessions. Students may also observe technology integrators planning with teachers, facilitating the use of a makerspace or teaching coding and computational thinking.
Student Teaching placements will, for the most part, occur in local schools that partner with our program. Cooperating teachers may be technology coaches, technology integrators, directors of technology, or tech-savvy classroom teachers. Students already working full-time in the role of an Educational Technology Specialist, who would like to use their employment to fulfill student teaching requirements, must receive approval under guidelines set forth by the College and Office of Teacher Education.
Additional Requirements for Certification:
Students may obtain the Educational Technology Specialist K-12 Certification by fulfilling New York State Education Department (NYSED) teacher certification requirements:
Transcripts will be reviewed as part of the admissions process. Students will be notified by the Office of Teacher Education if any courses are required to meet this requirement.
When the M.A. degree is awarded; file an Institutional Recommendation Data Form with the Office of Teacher Education.
Requirements for NYS certification are subject to change. Please check the Office of Teacher Education and NYSED website for additional information.
Integrative M.A. Project
Candidates for the M.A. degree will prepare a final integrative project. The project may vary considerably from candidate to candidate, depending on her or his particular interests. In general, all projects will share these characteristics: