Undergraduate Studies Catalog (1997-1999)

SUNY Brockport offers undergraduate teacher preparation for students seeking a career in the teaching profession. Students complete a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in one of the academic majors, in conjunction with a teacher education program leading to certification. Each program provides opportunities for early participation, observation, or tutoring experiences, and culminates in a teaching experience in an area public school.

Graduates of SUNY Brockport are, in the broad sense, liberally educated persons with in-depth knowledge in the area of their academic majors.* Those who complete one of the College's teacher preparation programs are, in addition, provided with the skills that are necessary to foster learning in an often culturally, socially and intellectually diverse group of students.

Teacher Certification

Students who complete a degree from SUNY Brockport that includes an approved program of teacher preparation for certification are eligible for the College's recommendation for a teaching credential.

Approved programs satisfy New York state academic requirements and, under the terms of the Interstate

* Please note that neither education nor teacher preparation are majors at SUNY Brockport; students preparing for a teaching career will complete both an academic major and an appropriate teacher preparation program.

Agreement, the academic requirements for an initial certificate in many other states. The Application for Certificate should be filed with the College's Office of Certification and Licensure during the semester in which the student is completing degree requirements.

The New York State Education Department requires that all candidates for a provisional elementary (PreK-6) or for a secondary (7-12) teaching certificate achieve satisfactory scores on the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) and the Assessment of Teaching Skills - Written (ATS-W) of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations.

For permanent elementary or secondary certification, the state requires completion of a master's degree, appropriate professional experience, and satisfactory scores on the Content Specialty Test (CST) and the Assessment of Teaching Skills - Performance (ATS-P) of the New York State Teaching Certification Examinations.

Candidates for certification as teachers of health (K-12) or teachers of physical education (K-12) must obtain satisfactory scores on either the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations or the National Teacher Examinations Core Battery Tests.

Information regarding New York state certification policies and procedures may be obtained from the SUNY Brockport Office of Certification and Licensure.

Three forms of teaching certificates are issued by the New York State Education Department. The initial form of certificate is the Certificate of Qualification, which indicates that the holder has satisfied the requirements for provisional certification, provides to school districts evidence of eligibility for employment, and legalizes service as a substitute teacher. The Certificate of Qualification is valid for five years if the holder does not accept a New York state public school contract within that time. At the time of public school employment, or prior to its expiration date, the Certificate of Qualification must be returned to the New York State Education Department for a five-year Provisional Certificate. A Permanent Certificate requires completion of a functionally related master's degree, appropriate professional experience and qualifying scores on the NYSTCE.

Teacher Certification Programs

The BA/BS Elementary Teacher, PreK-6/Certification Programs include an approved academic major selected from among 21 traditional academic disciplines and two interdisciplinary majors. The professional education sequence consists of Developmental Psychology; Self, School and Society; Elementary School Observation; Understanding the Exceptional Learner; Literacy I; Dimensions of Teaching; Literacy II; Applications of Teaching; Drug Education for Teachers; Practicum in Elementary Education; and a Professional Development Seminar.

A student who is pursuing elementary certification may extend that certificate to Bilingual Education and thus be prepared to teach in either a monolingual or a bilingual Spanish-English elementary school classroom. The certification program includes a major in Spanish with a concentration in bilingual-multicultural studies, a practicum experience in a bilingual setting, and satisfactory completion of language proficiency examinations in both English and Spanish.

The BA Social Studies, 7-12 Certification Program includes a major in history, an interdisciplinary minor in social sciences, and a professional education sequence consisting of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Introduction to Teaching Secondary Social Studies; Methods of Teaching Secondary Social Studies; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Social Studies.

The BA/BS English, 7-12 Certification Programs include a major in English and a professional education sequence consisting of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Introduction to Teaching Secondary English; Methods of Teaching Secondary English; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary English.

The BA/BS Mathematics, 7-12 Certification Programs include a major in mathematics and a professional education sequence consisting of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Introduction to Teaching Secondary Mathematics; Methods of Teaching Secondary Mathematics; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Mathematics.

The BA/BS Biology and General Science, 7-12 Certification Programs include a major in biology and a minor in one other science (chemistry is recommended). Students also will need to complete two courses with a laboratory in each of the remaining two sciences. The professional education sequence consists of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Methods of Teaching Secondary Science; Biology Lab Methods and Materials; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Science.

The BA/BS Chemistry and General Science, 7-12 Certification Programs include a major in chemistry, two courses, each with laboratory, in the other three sciences (biology, earth sciences, and physics), and a minor in one of the other sciences (biology, earth sciences, or physics). Students also need to complete two courses with a laboratory in each of the remaining two sciences. The professional education sequence consists of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Practical Chemistry Lab Pedagogy; Methods of Teaching Secondary Science; Laboratory Science Safety; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Science Teaching.

The BA/BS Earth Sciences and General Science, 7-12 Certification Programs include a major in earth sciences and a minor in one other science. Students also will need to complete two courses with a laboratory in each of the remaining two sciences. The professional education sequence consists of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Methods of Teaching Secondary Sciences; Earth Science Lab Methods and Materials; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Science.

The BA/BS Physics and General Science, 7-12 Certification Programs include a major in physics and a minor in one other science. Students also will need to complete two courses with a laboratory in each of the remaining two sciences. The professional education sequence consists of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Methods of Teaching Secondary Science; Physics Lab Methods and Materials; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Science.

The BA in French, 7-12 Certification Programs include a major in French, demonstration of language proficiency, and a professional education sequence consisting of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Introduction to Teaching Secondary Foreign Languages; Methods of Teaching Secondary Foreign Languages; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Foreign Languages.

The BA in Spanish, 7-12 Certification Program includes a major in Spanish, demonstration of language proficiency, and a professional education sequence consisting of: Self, School and Society; Adolescence; Drug Education for Teachers; Introduction to Teaching Secondary Foreign Languages; Methods of Teaching Secondary Foreign Languages; and Practicum and Seminar in Secondary Foreign Languages.

A Bilingual Education Extension to an academic subject, 7-12, to physical education or to health education requires completion of a minor in Spanish (Track Two), interdisciplinary concentration in bilingual-multicultural studies, a practicum in a bilingual setting, and satisfactory completion of language proficiency examinations in both Spanish and English.

The BA/BS Health Teacher, K-12 Program includes a health science major specifically designed for health educators; plus Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and Developmental Psychology. The professional education sequence consists of: Foundations of Health Education, Health Education Methods, Counseling Strategies in Health Education, Health Education Program Planning and Evaluation, Experiential Health Education, and Practicum in School Health Education.

The BA/BS Physical Education, K-12 Program consists of a major including courses in historical, psychological, sociocultural, philosophic, physiological, and kinesiological perspectives of sport, and competence in the activity areas; plus First Aid; Drug Education for Teachers; and Human Growth and Development. The professional sequence consists of Physical Education Curriculum; Secondary Methods; Measurement and Evaluation; Elementary Methods; Adapted Physical Education; Coaching Seminar; and Student Teaching/Coaching Practicum.