Adolescence Education, Grades 7-12 (Initial Preparation), MAT

Location(s): University Downtown Center

The mission of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership (TLEL) is to prepare exceptional teachers, school leaders and scholars; to conduct innovative and relevant educational research to solve important problems in education; and to engage in collaborative, creative partnerships that contribute to improving educational practice in communities, schools, the nation and the world. Our program prepares high-quality teachers and school leaders across curricula, age spans and diverse learning environments. Faculty provide high-quality programming using a variety of research-based, innovative teaching tools and techniques, including clinically rich experiences for students at all levels.

Our faculty, staff and students create and sustain a collaborative environment where ideas are valued and respected, and where successes are celebrated. Faculty and staff have ongoing collaborative partnerships with other campus departments, as well as local, regional, national and international organizations, agencies and schools.

The following degree programs are offered for the MAT: biology, chemistry, earth science, English, mathematics, physics, and social studies.

Admission Requirements

Admissions are on a rolling basis. The MAT Adolescence Education programs admit students during the fall semester for a three-semester program or during the spring for a four-semester program. All students wishing to be considered for a graduate assistantship (or other funding opportunities) must express their interest by February 1.

In addition to the requirements listed on the Graduate School website, TLEL applicants must provide the following credentials. For specific details, visit the TLEL Admissions website:

A bachelor’s degree OR equivalent of the 30-credit major in the discipline including a variety of arts and science coursework
A minimum of two letters of recommendation that can attest to the applicant’s potential to be an effective teacher and to successfully complete graduate study (one should come from a professor in your undergraduate major/subject content area)
Personal Statement (see below for more information)
Résumé: including current employment, previous professional education experience (including student internships), volunteer work and other experiences with children and youth.

Personal Statement (2-3 pages):

Collectively, faculty members from the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership identified the Professional Dispositions they see as essential to the development of an effective educator or educational leader. These Professional Dispositions include a readiness to:

Demonstrate a commitment to learning and diversity;
Build rapport and serve as a strong role model to peers, colleagues and learners;
Display effective communication skills (oral and written) in all settings; and
Demonstrate professional competence and conduct.

For the personal statement, applicants should describe how one or more of these professional dispositions has (a) influenced the decision to become a discipline-specific, grade 7-12 teacher and/or (b) will contribute to the individual’s effectiveness as a teacher. Applicants should approach this by telling a story about an incident or event from personal experience that illustrates that particular characteristic.

The personal statement will be evaluated by faculty and staff members on the basis of how well the applicant addressed the prompt and the skill at organizing, developing and conveying, in standard written English, an event or story that illustrates how the applicant has demonstrated (or perhaps observed) the characteristic.

Applicants should be sure the response directly addresses the prompt. Personal statements should be a minimum of 500-750 words (approximately two to three pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, size 12, 1” margins). Personal statements must be uploaded directly into the Binghamton University application system and are not mailed or emailed to a faculty or staff member.

Program Requirements

Course Requirements

Students pursuing the MAT in Adolescence Education, Grades 7-12 must complete 33-35 graduate-level credits, which include:

A. Education Courses

SPED 500 - Sped Content Area Teacher
LTRC 519 - Disciplinary Literacy
SEC 500 - Foundations Of Secondary Educ
SEC 502 - ESL For Content Area Teachers
SEC 510 - Adol Dev & Cult Respon Pract
SEC 593 Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations in:

English
Social Studies
Mathematics
Science

SEC 594 Curriculum and Teaching in:

English
Social Studies
Mathematics
Science

B. Subject Area Courses*

Two graduate-level content courses determined with advisor (3-4 credits each)

C. Supervised Internship**

Professional Dispositions Policy

As a professional school, the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership (TLEL) at Binghamton University is dedicated to preparing teachers and scholars who are well-grounded in their discipline and in research-informed, standards-aligned pedagogical practice. Whether in coursework or while engaged in fieldwork in school and community settings, the TLEL faculty members expect all teacher candidates and program participants to demonstrate the professional dispositions expected of an educator.
Faculty members developed the TLEL Professional Dispositions, supplementing the Ethics and Integrity Policies and Procedures, which applies to all students taking courses within the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA). All candidates in the initial program must receive a rating of “Meets Expectations” in each area of professional disposition for admission and advancement.

For the full professional dispositions policy, visit the TLEL Resources webpage.

Clinical Education Requirement and Policy

Throughout their preparation, candidates from both the initial and advanced preparation programs must complete clinical experiences. These clinical experiences provide candidates with opportunities to apply instructional and leadership techniques learned in coursework in a classroom, school or community setting.

Candidates from initial preparation programs complete both early field experiences and a culminating full-time, smester-long supervised internship experience.

Candidates, in coordination with their cooperating teacher, establish a field education schedule for each semester. In an emergency, if a candidate cannot attend, the missed day must be rescheduled with their cooperating teacher within three calendar days. Additionally, candidates should contact their University supervisor, advisor and Clinical education office to inform them of their absence(s).
Advancement in certification programs is contingent upon multiple factors, including meeting required attendance expectations.

For further information and the full fieldwork policy, please visit the TLEL Field Education webpage.

Additional Certification Requirements

Binghamton University confers master’s degrees, not teacher certification. In New York state, only the State Education Department can grant teacher certification. Teacher certification conveys that the applicant is prepared to teach a particular subject at the prescribed grade level, having fulfilled all education, experience and examination requirements, including knowledge and skills to address state learning standards. Binghamton University teacher education programs are designed to give students the coursework and field experiences to meet these requirements.

Programs leading to New York state certification in teaching and educational leadership include key assessments to gauge candidate readiness to meet professional standards. These occur throughout a candidates’ program during coursework and fieldwork opportunities. A candidate must achieve an adequate score on all required key assessments to continue to progress in their program. If a candidate fails to meet expectations on a key assessment, a plan for improvement may be required or a candidate may be in jeopardy of severance from a program. In some instances, failure to meet expectations in field experiences, on key assessments or with professional dispositions may lead to dismissal from TLEL programs. Additional information regarding key assessments is provided within course syllabi and on the department website.

TEACH System: Register with TEACH, the system that the New York State Education Department uses to process applications for teacher certification. TEACH also records fulfillment of all other New York state requirements for teacher certification.

Fingerprinting: Submit fingerprints following guidelines established by NYSED.

Workshops: Complete workshops in Child Abuse Identification, School Violence Prevention (Project SAVE) and Dignity for All Students Act (DASA).

New York State Examinations: Pass New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCEs) required for certification. It is best to take each examination after completing relevant coursework.

Taskstream: Candidates enrolled in teacher preparation programs in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership, will be required to enroll in Taskstream, a software data management system. Consult the department for more information.

Additional Information about the Program:

Students enrolled in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership’s teacher preparation programs must earn at least a B- in all courses to progress to subsequent semesters. Students are required to maintain at least a B (3.0) cumulative grade point average in all graduate credit coursework presented for the degree per Graduate School policy.

Binghamton University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. For programs leading to certification in New York state, the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership received accreditation from the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).

Felony Statement:
Candidates should be aware that some states, including New York, may restrict or deny professional licensure for people with felony convictions, misdemeanor convictions or actions taken against them by a professional organization. Binghamton University’s Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership cannot guarantee licensure upon completion of the program.
In addition, candidates in teacher and educational leader preparation programs must complete field experiences, including internships, in schools or other educational settings. For placement into field experiences, candidates are required to provide personal information, fingerprints and may be subject to a criminal background check. Candidates admitted into the program are not guaranteed a field placement or internship placement as schools, districts and other educational settings have the right to refuse placement based on information collected during any background check or from the candidate’s own disclosure.
Candidates with such situation(s) should consult the state’s certification board and the program coordinator before submitting an application for admission.

For more information on the MAT academic program, please refer to the TLEL department website for more information. To apply to the MAT academic program, please visit the University Admissions website.