Teaching Programs in New York
Earning a teaching degree in New York can prove to be valuable for your future career. After all, New York City boasts the largest public school system in the U.S., with more than 1 million students enrolled in its schools.
With teacher shortages throughout the nation, your ability to find work as a certified teacher after graduation should be quite good. Of course, you have to get the proper education first. As a student in New York, you can do so online in many different academic fields and grade levels.
Below is a list of some of the popular online teaching programs in New York. Explore each one, learn about their unique features, and determine which one is best suited for your specific needs.
Online Teaching Degrees in New York
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online teaching degrees in New York:
- State University of New York-Oswego
- Empire State University
- New York Institute of Technology
- State University of New York Potsdam
- National University
- Grand Canyon University
- St. John’s University
- University of Mount Saint Vincent
- American Public University
- Southern New Hampshire University
State University of New York-Oswego
Bachelor of Science in Health Careers Education
At the State University of New York-Oswego, you can complete a Bachelor of Science in Health Careers Education that allows you to teach students in grades 7-12. In fact, this degree leads to initial and professional certification to teach in your area of health careers education.
This is a transfer-only program, though. You should already have an associate’s degree, certificate, or diploma that qualifies you to work in a health occupation in the state of New York. This program builds on your existing academic and work experience by teaching you the relevant skills required to transition into a career in education.
A total of 31 core requirements are necessary for this program. These courses introduce you to the teaching field by giving you detailed instruction on matters like classroom management, teaching methods, and teaching diverse groups of students. In fact, you’ll take classes addressing these and other issues, such as:
Career and Technical Education Curriculum Development
- Instructional Assessment in Career and Technical Education
- Classroom and Laboratory Organization and Management
- Language Arts and Literacy in Career and Technical Education
Likewise, you’ll take a number of cognate courses that provide you with a solid foundation of human behavior and development. These courses explore topics like Educational Psychology, Introduction to Psychology, and Adolescent Development. You must also take a communications course, like Interpersonal Communication, Critical Thinking and Public Speaking, or Group Interaction and Discussion.
The remaining credits are electives and student teaching experiences. The number of elective courses you need depends on the number of credits you transfer into the program, but you can expect to take no more than 18 elective credits to graduate.
The student teaching experience occurs during the final year of the program. You’ll complete two teaching placements, both of which require 100 or more hours of practica experience. Though the coursework for this degree is completed online, you must participate in student teaching at an approved 7-12 school. SUNY Oswego will work with you to find an appropriate placement that minimizes your commute time.
This program offers a range of benefits that might help you be a more successful student. For example, you’ll take live online classes that allow you to interact with your professor and classmates in real time. Additionally, you’ll have a personal SUNY Oswego concierge who can answer questions and provide assistance if you encounter problems in the university’s online learning environment.
Moreover, your online classes are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus. This means you’ll get the same high-quality education from experienced teachers, rather than taking classes from graduate assistants. Paired with real-world learning opportunities, this ensures you graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain certification and start your teaching career.
You must complete the following steps to apply:
- Submit the application linked above.
- Pay the relevant application fees.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
Bear in mind that you must complete at least thirty credits at SUNY Oswego to graduate, including at least half of the major and concentration requirements. The maximum number of transfer credits allowed is 90.
Empire State University
Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies
The Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies from Empire State University specifically focuses on the processes of teaching and learning. Though this degree does not lead to a teaching certification, it can help you prepare for a non-certified position in a school (e.g., teacher’s aide). Likewise, even if you are a certified teacher, what you learn in this program can help you improve your performance in the classroom. It can also be used to satisfy continuing education requirements and move you up the pay scale.
This 124-credit program is delivered entirely online. There are no student teaching or internship requirements. Instead, you’ll participate in asynchronous online classes that are highly flexible. You can complete your work at your own pace and do so with minimal impact on your work and family lives.
While there are no set class times during which you meet with your professors, you’ll still benefit from learning alongside the same faculty who teach on campus. The faculty are experts in educational studies, and draw on their experience as educational practitioners to help you develop the necessary expertise to be a competent worker in education upon graduation.
To complete this degree, you must take courses that address the essential foundations of educational study. For example, you’ll take coursework focusing on professional standards, such as ethics in teaching, legal issues, and professionalism as it pertains to diversity and inclusion. You’ll also take courses that examine issues like the history of educational technology, schooling in America, and teaching disabled students.
Human development is an important area of study for this degree. You’ll take a number of courses that analyze how children and adolescents develop, including the following:
- Infant and Toddler Development
- Child Development
- Adolescent Development
- Early Childhood Development
- Human Exceptionalities
Some of the classes you’ll take focus on the social contexts of learning. On the one hand, you’ll learn how poverty impacts a child’s ability to learn, especially in their early years of education. You’ll also examine the roles of the family unit and society as a whole in affecting how children learn at school.
You’ll acquire an understanding of curriculum design, instruction, and assessment, too. For example, you’ll take an Early Childhood Curriculum Planning and Assessment class that reviews modern theories of curriculum development. You’ll also take classes that focus on instructional design for specific age groups, such as early infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
The remaining areas of inquiry examine a broad range of topics, including the following:
- Language and Literacy Development
- Learners and Learning
- Uses of Technology
- Diversity
- Methods of Inquiry
You’ll explore these and other areas by looking at current issues and problems in the U.S. educational system. Recent innovations in education will also be discussed, as will relevant educational research. As a result of this, you’ll emerge from this program with a deep understanding of the philosophical, historical, political, and sociological perspectives of education.
The undergraduate application for admission to Empire State University is available online. You are required to meet the following criteria to apply:
Provide proof of completing high school, be that an official diploma or official equivalency scores.
- Pay a $50 orientation fee.
- Have an associate’s degree (or at least 50-60 completed college credits) with a 2.5 cumulative GPA or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a 500-word essay explaining why you wish to enroll in this program.
Letters of recommendation are optional but strongly recommended.
New York Institute of Technology
Master of Science in Early Childhood Education
New York Institute of Technology’s Master of Science in Early Childhood Education is an experiential program with online coursework and in-person student teaching requirements that fully prepare you to advance your career as an early childhood teacher. You’ll gain valuable knowledge of teaching practices while also completing the requirements needed to qualify for a New York State initial/professional certification in early childhood education.
As such, this program is ideal if you’re currently a teacher and want to move into an early childhood education role. However, you don’t have to be a teacher to enroll in this program; instead, you can gain all the experience necessary to start a new career as a teacher.
This 39-credit program is divided into four areas of study: pedagogy, technology, literacy, and content. The pedagogy component focuses on issues like the philosophy of education, curriculum design and development, and diversity issues in education. Meanwhile, the technology core includes coursework in Institutes in Education, in which you examine current issues related to educational technology and its place in the modern classroom.
You must complete two courses within the literacy core: Theory and Practice of Literacy Instruction and Diagnosis and Remediation of Literacy Disorders. The theory course explores the principles of language and literacy development. You’ll learn various methods for teaching literacy to students with diverse needs and abilities, while also participating in literacy research to enhance your understanding of this field.
The diagnosis course takes a different view. You’ll analyze various literacy disorders that manifest in early childhood and middle childhood. You’ll examine the causes of these issues, factors that exacerbate these issues, and explore effective research-based strategies for addressing literacy disorders in a school environment.
There are four classes within the content core portion of this degree:
- English Language Arts and Technology
- Social Studies and Technology
- Math, Science, and Technology I
- Math, Science, and Technology II
In each class, you’ll learn content-specific knowledge, such as the national and state standards relating to each content area. For example, the English Language Arts and Technology class explores various elements of English, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Furthermore, you’ll learn how to address these topics by integrating technology into your instruction.
Each of these classes also looks at effective research-based practices to improve content-area understanding. Going back to the English Language Arts and Technology example, you’ll learn how to harness the power of technology to assist you in assessing student progress in reading, writing, and other forms of communication.
These classes are much more than online studies, though. In each instance, you’ll complete a field experience in each of the four content areas. During that time, you’ll implement technology in your teaching and use it as a tool for improving instructional delivery and assessment.
The final component of this program is a six-credit supervised student teaching experience. As is common for teacher education programs, you’ll complete your student teaching during the final semester of the program. During that time, you’ll gain experience teaching in a real-world classroom while also gaining valuable insights from a mentor teacher. You’re also required to participate in weekly seminars during which you get extra instruction and feedback from your professors.
You can apply to New York Tech’s graduate school at any time. To do so, you must first meet the following requirements:
- Pay a $50 application fee.
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Your major must be in one of the following: English, biology, chemistry, life science, physics, math, economics, history, or psychology. Your degree must also include a general education in key liberal arts and sciences fields, such as humanities, foreign language, written analysis, and artistic expression, to name a few.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a personal statement in which you explain why you want to become an early childhood teacher.
- Provide two letters of recommendation.
- Provide a copy of your initial teaching certification (if applicable).
- Submit an immunization form.
- Participate in an interview with the program chair.
State University of New York Potsdam
Master of Science in Teaching
The Master of Science in Teaching from SUNY Potsdam focuses specifically on adolescence education in science. This 100 percent online program leads to certification as a science teacher in grades 7-12. In fact, you’ll be able to teach earth science, chemistry, biology, or physics upon completing this program and earning your certification.
A total of 50 credits are necessary to graduate from this program. The bulk of those credits are content and required courses focusing on specific educational issues. For example, you’ll take Reading in Middle and Secondary School as well as Writing in Middle and Secondary School to prepare you to integrate these activities into the science curriculum. You’ll also take a Science Curriculum, Programs, and Standards class that provides you with insights into devising standards-based learning for your students that is both challenging and enriching.
Naturally, you’ll take other courses focusing on educational issues such as Classroom Management, Special Education, and School Health. Likewise, a course specifically addressing Science Education Instruction in Secondary School is required. This course is necessary because of the significant differences in children’s academic abilities in middle school versus high school.
Additional coursework is required to prepare you to use technology in the classroom. For example, you’ll take Issues in Science, Technology, and Society, which examines relevant technology advancements that can be used to enhance your instruction of science topics. Likewise, you’ll explore current issues in science and technology and their effects on society at large.
An interesting required course is Secondary Science Teaching Research. This class explores research issues in science, including current issues and trends impacting science education and local school issues. This class requires you to devise a research proposal that examines national science research issues and how those issues play out in local schools.
You must also complete 17 credits of student teaching. This part of the program includes several components. On the one hand, you must complete 12 credits of student teaching in grades 7-12. On the other hand, you’re required to participate in an ongoing seminar in which you learn about policies and practices in education throughout your student teaching placement. The final student teaching credits are a culminating project in which you reflect on what you’ve learned and how you have implemented that learning in the classroom.
If you’re seeking certification for the first time, you’ll also need to take a three-credit course on Learning and Development in Adolescence. This class examines principles and theories of learning and human development, and requires you to devise strategies for implementing that knowledge in your instructional designs.
The graduate application for admission to SUNY Potsdam is available online. The following admissions requirements apply:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in your last 60 credits of study.
National University
Online Bachelor of Arts in Social Science
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from National University emphasizes teaching and learning in a single subject. By completing this program, you’ll be prepared for a career teaching social studies at the middle school or high school level in New York.
To graduate, you must complete 180 quarter credits, which typically requires four years of full-time study. During this time, you’ll take general coursework, major coursework, and teacher education courses.
The general education component includes studies across a variety of fields, such as math, science, and social science. Once you complete these courses, you’ll move on to major-area topics, including U.S. History I and II, World Civilizations I and II, and Introduction to Politics. Additional foundational courses include the following:
- American Politics
- Geography
- Principles of Macroeconomics
- Principles of Microeconomics
As you advance through the program, you’ll take upper-level courses that address specific social science fields. For example, The Ancient World explores human history from 10,000 B.C.E. to 500 B.C.E., covering the development of agriculture, complex societies, and the Aegean civilization.
Another upper-level course, The Modern World – 1500-Present, examines global changes over the past 700 years. Topics include colonial expansion, the Industrial Revolution, global wars, and the post-Cold War era.
Additional upper-level studies cover:
- American Colonial Experience
- Historical Theories and Methods
- U.S. Between Wars, 1865-1917
- U.S. Since World War I
You’ll also complete a capstone research project. This involves composing a research paper to expand your understanding of a specific historical topic.
The teacher education portion of this program begins with foundational courses that focus on the American educational system. These courses explore factors affecting a child’s learning, such as social, psychological, and economic influences. You’ll also study key learning theories, human development, and strategies for incorporating these concepts into lesson planning and teaching.
Additional teacher education courses address literacy, language development, and curriculum design. You’ll learn to create short-term and long-term curricula, align instruction and assessments with content standards, and apply California Common Core standards using evidence-based practices.
The final part of the program is the student teaching experience. This occurs in a K-12 classroom in an approved school. You’ll complete at least 600 instructional hours over 16-18 weeks of full-time teaching. A veteran teacher will guide you throughout this experience.
You can apply for this program online. Ensure you meet the following requirements before applying:
- Complete the application (no application fee required).
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
- Provide official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
National University simplifies the application process by allowing you to apply year-round. Once you apply, the admissions team will guide you through the steps to help you enroll quickly.