EECE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the requirements for the Elementary and Early Childhood Education major?

At the undergraduate level, we offer NYS Initial Certification for Grades 1-6.

You must follow the EECE Liberal Arts and Sciences Area Requirements (LASAR), select a co-major along with your Elementary Education major, and successfully complete the EECE prerequisite courses.   The Early Childhood Program B-2 Certification is only offered at the Masters level.

Are there any co-majors that are not acceptable?      

Accounting and other Teacher Education Programs

What is the minimum GPA required for admission into the program?

A cumulative GPA of 2.75 is required at the time of application to the EECE program

How many credits is the bachelor's degree?

120 credits

How many credits is the education major?

Including all of the prerequisite courses, it is 45 credits.

When do I apply?

You should apply to the Professional Sequence of the program when the following requirements have been met:

• Completion of the Elementary Education LASAR requirements with a grade of C or higher. You must have at least one B in each core curriculum area: Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and Science.
• No more than 9 credits remaining in the co-major
• Completion of the education prerequisite courses (EECE 201, EECE 310,   and EECE 340, Math 119, and Music 261)
• Successful completion of 100 hours of work with children
• 2.75 G.P.A.

For the Fall semester, the due date for filing the application is March 15th.   For the Spring semester, the due date for filing the application is October 15th.

Where can I obtain an application?

Pick up an application in the Elementary Education office, Powdermaker 054, or download it from our website

http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/EECE/undergrad/undergforms.html

Who gets the application when completed?

Deliver the form to the EECE department in Powdermaker Hall, Room 054. It will be given to our Advisement Team for review to assure that all of the requirements for entrance into the Professional Sequence of the program have been met.

How will I be notified as to whether or not I am accepted into the program?

You will receive a letter in the mail stating your acceptance.   If you were not accepted, a letter will be sent detailing the reasons.

What do I do if I am a Transfer Student?

Fill out a Transfer Student Application.   The College Admissions Office will evaluate the application.

I have taken education courses at another college.   How can I find out if they will be accepted by Queens College?

Meet with an education advisor, making sure to bring along the catalog of the college where you completed your education courses.   Your advisor will review the description of the course and, if it matches Queens College's description, the advisor will sign a course transfer form.

What if I have had some math or music education courses at another college?

Follow the same directions as above.

Do I take education courses immediately?

Once you reach Upper Sophomore status , you may register for the prerequisite courses (EECE 201, EECE 310 and EECE 340) as you are taking courses towards your co-major.   You do not need permission from the department to register for these courses.

What do I need to Student Teach?

Before you can Student Teach, you need to spend 100 hours in paid or volunteer experiences with groups of at least 5 children. 100 hours needs to be completed before acceptance into the program. You may use public or private schools, after school programs, religious schools, camps, hospitals, or libraries. To verify the experiences and hours, you must complete the ¡§100 Hours¡¨ form available in the Education office or on our website. http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/EECE/undergrad/undergforms.html

Your supervisor must sign and stamp the form with an official seal. You also need a medical examination and a TB test.   Forms are available in the Education Office.   For other questions about Student Teaching, see the Director of Field Placement, Eileen Bowen, Powdermaker Hall, Room 054V.

Who can I speak to about the education program?

See Clarice Wasserman in Powdermaker Hall, Room 100A.   She will explain the program and its requirements to you. If needed, she will also provide you with a list of advisors and their schedules so that you may make an appointment to meet with one of them.

What are the seminars required for certification?

To date, you will need to complete seminars in Child Abuse Identification and Reporting, Substance Abuse, and School Violence Prevention and Internvention.   To obtain information on these seminars, visit the Continuing Education Office in Kiely Hall, Room 111.   The fee for each seminar is $35.00 when you present your Queens College I.D.   

What tests are required for certification?

The Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W) and the Content Specialty Test (CST).

Where can I go to have my questions about certification answered?

The Certification Office is located in the basement of Delany Building, Room G-10.

Can I take Education courses during the summer?

 Yes. Visit the department website for schedule of classes.

Are Education courses offered in the evening?

The prerequisite courses at the undergraduate level include sections beginning at 4:30 p.m. The courses in the Professional Sequence are not offered in the evening.

Is the Childhood, grades 1-6 , program a full-time program?

Students who are accepted to the EECE program commit to 3 semesters of EECE sequential coursework. Semesters 2 and 3 are considered fulltime semesters in EECE.

Can I choose the school where I will student teach?

No. The Field Placement Director will assign you to a faculty member who has an established relationship with a particular school.   All schools are located in Queens.

If a student has received a bachelor's degree in education, how many credits are required for the Master's Program in education?

The Master's degree for students who hold teaching certification requires 39 credits. The G.P.A. requirement for admission is 3.0. The program consists of two tracks

1. Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2)
2. Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) with specializations in Children's Literature, Educating Diverse Populations, Instructional Technology, Language and Literacy Studies, Mathematics and Science Education on the 1-6 grade level.  

I have completed 100 credits and I have almost completed my liberal arts major.   What is the best way for me to get certified as an elementary school teacher?

The undergraduate major is 39 credits and the minimum for a bachelor's degree is 120 credits.   If you complete the bachelor's degree with a co-major in elementary education, you may graduate with more than 120 credits.

An alternative to this would be to complete your liberal arts bachelor's degree and obtain certification at the graduate level.    The Elementary and Early Childhood Education Department offers a Masters of Arts in Teaching Program (MAT) for students who have graduated with majors in a Liberal Arts and Sciences area other than education. The G.P.A. requirement for admission is 3.0. The program consists of two tracks - Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2) or Elementary Education (Grades 1-6). This program provides the required curriculum courses and student teaching (30 credits) for initial certification and an additional 15 credits to complete the Master's degree program. These 45 credits, combined with the completion of seminars in Child Abuse Identification and Reporting, Substance Abuse, and School Violence Prevention and Intervention as well as the LAST, ATS-W and CST exams, allow you to obtain a Professional Teaching Certificate after two successful years of teaching.

Can I teach with my B.A. degree while enrolling in the MAT program?