Social Studies 7-12

• Possess a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university. The bachelor’s degree can be in history, any social science, or include an undergraduate record of 30 social studies credits with a minimum of 21 of the credits in history, and the remainder from the social sciences.

• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in the undergraduate work.

• If conditionally accepted, must earn minimum 3.0 in courses designated by the Program Coordinator.

• If conditionally accepted, meet conditions, starting in the first semester and finishing in no more than three consecutive semesters.

• Evidence of having completed a course in Special Education (ESC 463 or the equivalent). Students who have not taken this course as an undergraduate must take course as part of their graduate program in Sequences 1 through 3.

• Candidates must schedule an interview with the Social Studies Program Coordinator that includes a transcript review.

• Two letters of recommendation.

• 500-word application essay on interest in the program as it relates to long-term career goals.

• For Sequence 2 only, present evidence of meeting the following: core requirements in educational psychology, educational foundations, literacy, technology, and special education, including supervised field experiences.

• For Sequence 5 only, submit passing scores on the New York State Content Specialty Tests (CSTs) in Social Studies and Students with Disabilities.

Candidates with an undergraduate degree in history, any of the social sciences or a 30 credit concentration in social studies who lack core education requirements and seek initial certification in Social Studies Education grades 7-12. Non-history and non-social science undergraduate majors may qualify for this sequence with the required pre-requisites.

Candidates with an undergraduate degree in history, any of the social sciences or a 30 credit concentration in social studies who previously completed an education minor or equivalent education courses and are seeking initial certification in Social Studies Education grades 7-12.

Candidates with an undergraduate degree in history or a social science, who lack core education requirements and seek initial certification in Social Studies Education grades 7-12.

Candidates with an undergraduate degree in history or a social science, who lack core education requirements and seek initial certification in Social Studies Education and Students with Disabilities (SWD) grades 7-12.

Candidates with an undergraduate degree in history or a social science, who lack core education requirements and seek initial certification in Social Studies Education and Students with Disabilities (SWD) grades 7-12.

After fulfilling the Sequences 1 through 5 degree requirements including New York State distribution requirements in social studies, candidates are recommended for initial certification in Social Studies Education 7- 12. To be eligible for certification in New York State, the candidate’s TEACH account must include (a) an application for the Initial Social Studies (Grades 7-12) certificate through the Approved Teacher Preparation Program pathway (b) the Lehman College recommendation; (c) passing scores on the following New York State examinations: Educating All Students (EAS), and Social Studies CST; and (d) the completed fingerprinting clearance. Please see adviser for more information.

In addition to the requirements above, Sequence 4 and 5 candidates will also need to complete (a) an application for the Initial Students with Disabilities Generalist 7-12 certificate through the Approved Teacher Preparation Program pathway (b) the Lehman College recommendation; and (c) passing scores on the Special Education Content Specialty Test.

In order to qualify for Professional Certification in Social Studies Education 7-12, in addition to the Master's degree, teachers must complete one year of mentored, full-time teaching and two years of fulltime teaching in a public or private school, which serves grades 7- 12, and must meet any additional New York State requirements.

Qualified Social Studies Education 7-12 candidates may also apply to one of the following Advanced Certificates:
(1) Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL P-12), and become ESOL-certified upon successful completion of that program of study or the Advanced Certificate;
(2) Advanced Certificate: Middle Childhood Extension, Grades 5-6, and extend their certification to the lower grades; or
(3) Advanced Certificate: Bilingual Extension, and become certified to teach social studies in the native language as well as English.