Education

Undergraduate 

A career in education can be immensely rewarding, offering the dedicated professional many opportunities to make a lifelong, positive impact on the lives of children and young people. Alfred University has a long tradition of preparing candidates of excellence for positions teaching in public and private schools in our region, and across the world. 

Housed in the Division of Education is a major in Early Childhood/Childhood Education and minors in Adolescent, Visual Arts, and Business Education. Students enrolled
in these programs receive an integrated blend of professional course work and field-based opportunities, and fulfill requirements for Initial Certification in New York State. Various Adolescent content certifications (Grades 7-12) are available including Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Mathematics, Physics, Social Studies, and Spanish with an option to add Middle Childhood (Grades 5-9) certification with additional coursework and field experiences. Refer to the Graduate School Catalog for information on graduate programs offered by the Division of Education. 

Successful completion of either the major or minor programs leads to initial certification as a New York State teacher (with reciprocity among 48 other states). 

Additional Program Requirements for All Programs leading to New York State Teacher Certification 

Examinations:

• Content Specialty Test (CST)
  • The appropriate Content Specialty Test(s) for the appropriate developmental level(s) and certification area(s)
  • Must pass before applying for a teaching certificate
• Educating All Students (EAS)
  • Must pass before applying for a teaching certificate
• auTPA:
  • Completed during the student teaching semester
  • Must pass before a student will be recommended for certification

New York State Mandated Workshops:

All students must complete state-required workshops in Child Abuse Identification and Reporting, School Violence Prevention and Intervention, and Training in Harassment, Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Discrimination in Schools: Prevention and Intervention (Dignity for All Students). The SAVE workshop is provided within EDUC 231 every semester and the DASA workshop is offered online every semester. The Child Abuse Identification and Reporting class is not offered for undergraduates at AU, but it can be taken online through NYSED. 

Fingerprinting/Background Check: 

NYS requires candidates applying for Initial (first) certification to complete a fingerprinting/background check. Students will need to have fingerprinting completed for the Practicum/Fieldwork semester in order to comply with school district policies. Fingerprinting information can be obtained from the Division of Education office.

Graduate 

Division of Education 

The faculty members in the teacher education programs are active researchers dedicated to excellence in training and practice. With expertise in inclusive education, disabilities, literacy learning, development of critical thinking skills, and teaching with technology, education faculty are active in professional associations and scholarship. Successfully funded external grants have centered on inclusive education and case study teaching approaches.