For highly motivated future teachers, this program leads to dual New York State Initial Teaching Certification in an Adolescence Education content field (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, French, Mathematics, Social Studies/History, or Spanish) along with Students with Disabilities, both grades 7-12. Candidates achieve their Bachelor’s Degree (BA or BS) in their content field and become eligible for teaching certification by completing pedagogical coursework and student teaching at the Masters’ level.

Candidates begin their 36 credit MAT (Masters of Arts in Teaching) program during their undergraduate senior year by taking 12 credits. The remaining 24 credits of the Master’s program are taken in the following sequence: 6 credits of graduate work through a hybrid delivery system in the summer following undergraduate graduation, 12 credits in an on-ground setting for the fall semester, and 6 credits of full-time student teaching the following spring. A candidate’s undergraduate performance is formally reviewed for the MAT program in spring of their junior year.

The Dual Degree BA - BS/ MAT program is a cohort-based program and is structured for candidates who graduate with their B.A. or B. S. degree in spring.

The Education Department at Marist College is accredited and registered in New York State as an approved teacher preparation program.

ACCEPTANCE TO THE PROGRAM

Those seeking Adolescence Education teaching certification in an academic major content field are assigned an education advisor as well as a content faculty advisor. The candidate is to meet with both advisors to design their program of study and ensure that they will meet the requirements for Formal Review of Progress in their junior year, based on the following minimum guidelines:

• Complete an application form
• Have a minimum overall 3.0 GPA for undergraduate studies prior to taking the MAT courses
• Successful demonstrate positive dispositions for teaching in both classroom as well as fieldwork contexts

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

A candidate must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. If at any time the candidate’s GPA falls below 3.0, the candidate will be notified of his/her being subject to academic review. Academic review will result in assignment of probationary status or dismissal. A candidate on probation is expected to take immediate steps to raise their GPA. This can be done by (1) earning enough grades of B+ or A, or (2) retaking the course(s) in which low grades were earned and achieving a B or better. NOTE: while a grade of B in any subsequent course may raise a GPA that is below 3.0, it may not by itself be sufficient to raise the GPA to 3.0 or above. A candidate is allowed up to 12 credit hours of work to raise his or her GPA above 3.0 after being placed on probation. If after attempting 12 credit hours the GPA has not been raised to 3.0, the candidate will be dismissed from the program.

In addition, if a candidate earns any grades below B- in the Master of Arts in Teaching program, they will be subject to review by the teacher education faculty and placed on academic probation or dismissed from the program. One grade of C+ will be accepted by the program, on probationary status. If the candidate earns a second grade below B-, they will be permitted to re-take the course one time. Candidates who do not re-take the designated course or who do not achieve a grade of B- or better in the course are subject to dismissal from the program. Candidates who earn a third grade below B- will be dismissed from the program.

Candidates are expected to demonstrate appropriate professional dispositions in coursework and fieldwork throughout their program as follows:

• Responsibility
• Integrity
• Enthusiasm
• Communication
• Reflection

Any behaviors that are in obvious deviation from the teacher candidate dispositions stated above may result in assignment of probationary status or dismissal. Any candidate who does not demonstrate the dispositions necessary to assume the responsibilities of a classroom teacher will be subject to review by the teacher education faculty and may be placed on probation or dismissed from the program. The candidate will be informed of any decision or recommendation by the teacher education faculty.

NEW YORK STATE CERTIFICATION

A candidate must successfully complete the Dual Degree BA - BS/MAT program in order to be eligible for initial teaching certification in both their content field and in Students with Disabilities (both grades 7 - 12). In addition to successfully completing the BA - BS/MAT academic program, the candidate must also pass required New York State assessments and mandated workshops (Dignity for All Students Act, Violence Prevention, Child Abuse, Autism).

CERTIFICATION DISCLOSURE

Marist’s graduate education programs are designed to prepare candidates for certification in New York State and are aligned with the certification requirements in the state of New York. Marist College cannot guarantee that these programs will meet the requirements for initial or professional certification in any other state. It is the candidate’s responsibility to research and determine the certification requirements in any other state in which they plan to apply for initial or professional teaching certification. It is also the candidate’s responsibility to determine if the Marist College graduate education programs meet the requirements for certification in states other than New York.

ACCREDITATION

The Education Department at Marist College is accredited and registered in New York State as an approved provider of teacher preparation programs. Marist College is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality and Educator Preparation (AAQEP). Marist is working toward accreditation of its educator preparation programs under the AAQEP standards with an anticipated Quality Assurance Review in Fall 2023.