The Education Minor, taken in conjunction with an undergraduate student’s major area of study, is designed to provide insight into careers in various educational fields, as well as an appreciation for the role education plays in society. The Education Minor seeks to instill in students an understanding of and affinity toward education that they can take with them, whether or not the career they choose is directly related to education.

The minor provides a strong foundation for further work in education at the graduate level and pertinent information and experiences that expand the student’s understanding of career opportunities, including classroom teaching, educational and career counseling, educational law, school building, district and business administration, and other potential educational careers in settings in New York, across the U.S., and internationally.

Note: The Department of Teaching, Learning, and Educational Leadership does not offer undergraduate teacher education programs.

Admissions

The Education minor accepts applications during a multi-week admissions period each semester. Students may only apply to the minor during this time. This is a hard deadline, and exceptions are rare.

Applicants to the Education minor must meet all of the following requirements:

• minimum standing of the second semester of your first year, regardless of credit hours
• minimum GPA of 3.0
• possess a strong desire to learn about the field of education

Applicants to the Education Minor must complete the online application form and upload a current resume and one-page cover letter (describing the applicant’s interest in the education profession and personal goals for completing the Education minor) as part of the process.

Requirements for the Education Minor

Note: These courses do not count for New York State teaching certification.

The Education Minor consists of 16 credits at the 300 level or above, with two required courses (EDUC 406 , EDUC 410 ) and eight credits of electives that can be satisfied with upper-level Education Minor courses (one course must be under the EDUC rubric), approved cross-listed classes or internships (i.e., Education Minor classroom assistant and internship). Students must receive at least a grade of C or better in their coursework or a grade of P (pass) in EDUC 491  or EDUC 497 ) to fulfill the requirements for the minor.

1. 10 hours of non-paid volunteer work related to the field of education. Examples include unpaid tutoring, assistance in schools or museum educational work. Students must submit their Volunteer hours through Brightspace in the content folder under the MyOrganizations tab for their hours to count.
2. Attendance at three events hosted by the Education Minor, including one BearChat (required; an exit ticket form will be distributed at the event) and two other events of the student’s choice.

See the TLEL Education Minor website for more information.