Chairperson: Craig Hill, Ed.D.
Professors: Erdmann, Ed.D.; Hill, Ed.D.; Associate Professors: Black, Ph.D.; DaBoll-Lavoie, Ph.D.; Fenwick, Ed.D.; Francis, Ed.D.; Swartz, Ph.D.; Assistant Professors: Contopidis, Ph.D.; Dev, Ph.D.; Dye, Ed.D.; Jamanis, Ph.D.; Jones, Ph.D.; McGough, Ph.D.; McPhail, Ph.D.; Niemi, Ph.D.; Schaff, Ph.D. Tell, Ph.D.; Wieczorek, Ph.D.; Instructors: Friedberg, M.S.; Postler, M.S. Ed.; Russell, M.S.; Skvorak, M.S. Ed.; Widay, M.S. Ed.
The School of Education offers undergraduate programs at the initial level and extend preparation at the graduate level in selected fields of teacher education. The teacher preparation programs offered at Nazareth College are tied to New York State teacher certification areas. School of Education programs are innovative and dynamic. Program curricula are determined by internal and external standards, and are presented in a carefully designed sequence allowing for cross-course and cross-program connections. Program faculty members are committed to preparing all teachers to work with diverse groups of students.
The overarching mission of the School of Education is to prepare teachers who are educated in the liberal arts and committed to a life guided by intellectual, moral, and ethical values. To carry out its mission, the School of Education and related education programs at Nazareth College make the following claims:
Teachers prepared at Nazareth College:
- are competent in the subject matter that they will teach and are knowledgeable about the corresponding NYS standards and standards of their respective professional organizations.
- have gained a liberal education and demonstrate competence with the tools of the liberal arts (e.g., critical thinking, aesthetic appreciation, intellectual curiosity, engagement with moral/ethical issues)
- have the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to teach all children in varying educational contexts (e.g., in urban/suburban/rural schools; in inclusive/self-contained classrooms; via multiple pedagogical approaches).
- are advocates for the profession as well as for the children and families with whom they work.
- demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
- demonstrate the ability and willingness to critically reflect on their own beliefs and practices.
- are caring and committed professionals.
- understand that schooling is a social construction affected by cultural, historical, and political forces.
WE PREPARE TEACHERS WHO ARE COMPETENT, CARING, AND QUALIFIED.
Certification Programs
The School of Education supports six undergraduate teacher certification programs and nine program option areas at the graduate level. The six undergraduate programs are as follows:
1) Inclusive Education (Initial Quad Certification)
Four Certifications:
- Childhood Education Grades 1-6
- Teaching Students with Disabilities at the Childhood Level, Grades 1-6 (these traditionally have been known as Elementary Education and Special Education)
- Middle Childhood Education (Grades 5-9)
- Teaching Students with Disabilities at the Middle Childhood (Grades 5-9) (these traditionally have been known as Middle School Education and Special Education).
Academic Major in the Liberal Arts (Content Specialist in Middle Schools):
- Biology
- English
- History
- Languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish
- Mathematics
Other Majors in the Liberal Arts: (Generalist in Middle Schools):
- American Studies
- Economics
- International Studies
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Social Science
- Sociology
- Theatre Arts
2) Initial certification in Adolescence Education with an option for certification for students with disabilities, Grades 7-12 (traditionally known as Secondary Education and Special Education) is available in the following academic subjects:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- English
- History (Social Studies)
- Languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish
- Mathematics
- Theatre/English
Additional initial certifications are available in the following areas and are supported through different divisions within the college:
3) Business and Marketing Education (Grades K-12); School of Management
4) Speech-Language Disabilities (Birth-12); School of Health & Human Services
5) Art Education (Birth 12); College of Arts & Sciences
6) Music Education (Birth-12); College of Arts & Sciences
Requirements for Admission
Admission requirements for Art Education, Music Education and Speech-Language Disabilities refer to each of these departments.
For all other teacher certification programs students self select for admittance into programs. Students can self-select at anytime, from their initial application to Nazareth College through their sophomore year. Students need to maintain a 2.7 cumulative GPA to remain in teacher education programs. If a student has lower than a 2.7 GPA, or if they have completed fewer than 45 credit hours, they are conditionally accepted. In order to move into the student teaching semester, students must have joint approval of their major department and the School of Education. This approval is obtained through the Student Teaching Application which is completed in the beginning of the junior year. Approval is based on GPA, content knowledge, and satisfactory progress in their degree programs.
Requirements for New York Initial Teacher Certification:
All teacher candidates must successfully complete the following to meet the requirements for New York teacher certification:
- Successful completion of academic and education programs with a GPA of 2.7 or higher.
- All education course work completed with a grade of C or higher.
- New York State Teacher Certification Examinations passed
- A minimum of three exams need to be passed:
- Liberal Arts and Science Test (LAST);
- Written Assessment of Teaching Skills (ATS-W);
- Content Specialty Test (CST), (not required for Speech Language Disabilities, Initial Certification)
See www.naz.edu/dept/education/cert/ for details and timelines for these exams
- Fingerprinting and Criminal History Search for New York State Education Department
- Completed application and appropriate fees to New York State Education Department
- Successful completion of EDU 475 Workshop, offered by the School of Education and described below.
Current issues and changes related to New York Teacher certification requirements are available at www.naz.edu/dept/education/cert/index.html.