About the Program

Accredited: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (formerly NCATE)

Enrollment in all teacher education programs follows the guidelines for "Admission to Teacher Education Programs" found in this catalog. Applicants who do not yet meet all admissions criteria should consult with the department.

The English education (7-12) postbaccalaureate teacher certification program leads to eligibility for New York State initial certification to teach English in grades 7-12. This program is designed for students who have earned a baccalaureate degree in English or a related field from an accredited college or university and intend to complete the coursework required for New York State certification to teach English in secondary or middle schools.

After successfully completing the teacher certification program and passing required New York State teacher certification exams, students are eligible to apply for New York State certification through the Teacher Certification Office, Chase Hall 222. No degree or certificate is awarded by Buffalo State.

Students are responsible for any additional certification requirements, including the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills written test for provisional/initial certification, and child abuse certification.

It takes approximately three to four semesters to complete certification requirements at Buffalo State. Students in this program take both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses and are billed appropriately for each level. Graduate-level credits may be applied to a master’s degree at Buffalo State.

Candidates should consult the Teacher Certification website for current seminars and workshops.

Advisement

Each student is assigned an academic adviser.

Financial Assistance: For financial aid purposes, students are considered fifth-year undergraduates, eligible for undergraduate loans.

About the English Department

208 Ketchum Hall
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
Phone: (716) 878-5417
Fax:
https://english.buffalostate.edu/

Admission Requirements

1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) and a major in English (or a related discipline with a minimum of 36 credit hours in English), including courses in Shakespeare, ethnic American literature, young adult literature, and world literature. *1

2. A minimum GPA of 2.75 in English coursework. *1

3. Two years of high school or two semesters of college study in one foreign language. *1 Applicants must verify foreign language study with high school or college transcripts.

4. Coursework in exceptional education and educational technology (3 credit hours each) or demonstrated expertise in these areas. *1

*1 Applicants who do not meet these requirements should apply as a premajor to the postbaccalaureate certificate program.

In addition, all applicants should review the Admission to a Graduate Program section in this catalog.

Program Requirements

Undergraduate-Level Education Courses (15 credit hours)
SPF 403 HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FORCES INFLUENCING SECONDARY EDUCATION 3
EDU 416 TEACHING LITERACY IN MIDDLE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 3
ENG 311 LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND CULTURE IN ENGLISH TEACHING 3
ENG 463 METHODS, MATERIALS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH 6

Graduate-Level Education Courses (9 credit hours)
SPF 500 MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 3
SPF 503 EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGY 3
or SPF 529 ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY
ENG 692 THE TEACHING OF WRITING 3

Student Teaching Courses (12 credit hours)
ENG 464/465 STUDENT TEACHING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH 6

Professional Licensure Disclosure
New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals. For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State. SUNY’s academic programs leading to licensure or certification are carefully designed to meet and exceed these State requirements. This is a role SUNY plays in protecting the public. Other states frequently have their own requirements, so if your goal is to practice in another state, this disclosure will help you check to see what that state requires.

Enrolled students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact their State’s licensure entity using the links provided in the full disclosure document to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.

Review full disclosure and licensure by state (PDF, 132 KB)