Center of Pedagogy

Teacher Education Program

Graduate Programs

Initial Instructional Certification Programs
Application and Admissions Requirements
Certification
Portrait of a Teacher
Additional and Advanced Certificates
Retention in the Program
Sample Program for Subject Certifications
Sample Program for Early Childhood or Elementary Education
Pre-Admit Application
Information Sessions

A student with a baccalaureate degree may pursue an initial New Jersey teaching certificate at MSU, Fully certified teachers may obtain additional teaching field endorsements or advanced certification at MSU. The Center of Pedagogy's Teacher Education Program oversees graduate programs at the university that lead to initial teacher certification. The Teacher Education Program also oversees the Teacher of Students with Disabilities program. All other programs - i.e., those leading to additional/advanced certification - are handled by the College of Education and Human Services and the Graduate School.

To learn more about certification programs offered under the Teacher Education Program, we invite you to attend an information session. Click here to view dates. For information regarding the Ed.D. in Pedagogy, see Doctoral Programs.

Montclair State's Teacher Education Program has a number of distinctive features. The Center of Pedagogy oversees teacher education functions including a network of partner schools which provides real world settings for students to complete their field experiences with a programmatic emphasis on teaching for critical thinking. The Program was awarded the Christa McAuliffe Showcase for Excellence award by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for its collaboration with public schools and in 2002 was awarded the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education Best Practice Award in Support of Diversity. It is a member of the National Network for Educational Renewal and the Teachers for a New Era. The commitment of the faculty in the Teacher Education Program is to the enculturation of students into a political and social democracy, the moral dimensions of teaching, as well as competence and knowledge both in pedagogy and the content to be taught.

Requirements for certification are subject to change by the New Jersey Department of Education regulation and university policy. Students should consult with their advisors on a regular basis.

Initial Instructional Certification Programs

At Montclair State University, those who hold a bachelor's or master's degree and who wish to gain their first teaching certificate are offered two graduate programs:

A. Post-baccalaureate Initial Instructional Certification Program - In this program, students who have strong academic preparation in the subject they wish to teach are required to complete approximately 30 semester hours of professional education courses and field work including student teaching. After filing an application to the program, candidates' academic backgrounds are assessed by faculty; additional course work in the subject they wish to teach may be required. These courses may be taken concurrently with the course work in professional education, but must be completed prior to student teaching.

B. Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Program - Students who wish to obtain a master's degree and teacher certification simultaneously may consider this program, which requires additional graduate level courses. By carefully planning their schedules, students in the M.A.T. program may be able to obtain certification before the completion of the master's degree (this is not an option for students pursuing Early Childhood or Elementary certifications).

Application and Admissions Requirements

Candidates for admission to the Post Baccalaureate and M.A.T. programs must file an Application for Graduate/Post Baccalaureate Admission to the Graduate School, including all supporting materials, by February 15 to be considered for Summer/Fall admission or by September 15 for Spring admission. An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 overall for the Post Baccalaureate certification program and 2.70 overall for the MAT program is required. A higher GPA in the teaching field major may be required by some departments. Qualifying scores on the general Graduate Record Exam are required for the MAT program.

In addition, applicants to the M.A.T. and Post Baccalaureate Programs are required to take the appropriate Praxis II Subject Assessment test, prior to being admitted into the Program. Full matriculation requires passing the Praxis. Candidates who do not pass the Praxis, but meet all other admissions requirements will be admitted conditionally and limited to 12 graduate credits until they submit passing scores for the appropriate Praxis examination. In addition to transcripts and GRE and Praxis II scores, two recommendations from school or college faculty, or administrators, must be submitted. It is expected that students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in the use of the English language.

In selecting students for the post-baccalaureate Initial Instructional Certification Program, Montclair State University uses criteria which are related to the kinds of knowledge, abilities, dispositions and character we expect graduates of our Program to possess. The Portrait of a Teacher is a model toward which students in the Program strive. In making decisions on acceptance to the Program, faculty consider such criteria as GPA, knowledge of content of major area of study, commitment to teaching and its varied responsibilities and communication abilities, both written and oral. These criteria enable faculty to assess the likelihood that candidates will achieve the goals inherent in the Portrait of a Teacher.

All students should note that admission to the University to take courses does not guarantee admission to the Program, and that any courses taken prior to admission to the Program are taken at the student's own risk.

Certification

Upon successful completion of the Post-baccalaureate Initial Instructional Certification Program or the M.A.T. program, students are recommended to the New Jersey Department of Education for a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing which enables them to pursue a full-time teaching position in a public school. New teachers must successfully complete a one year induction program of teaching under a provisional certificate to be eligible for a permanent or standard New Jersey instructional certificate.

In order to receive recommendation by the University for certification, students must have successfully passed the required Praxis II Subject Assessment Test, and complete the program with a minimum GPA of 2.75. They will then receive a "Certificate of Eligibility With Advanced Standing" which authorizes the holder to seek and accept offers of employment in New Jersey schools. The certificate is valid for the lifetime of its holder. Students interested in teaching outside of New Jersey should seek information from the appropriate state authorities. United States citizenship is required for standard New Jersey certification. A temporary, non-citizen certificate may be available to those who will become U.S. citizens.

As reported under Title II of the Higher Education Act, 100% of students who completed Montclair State University's programs for initial teacher certification in AY 2002-2003 passed the Praxis test. View a summary of the Title II report.

Additional and Advanced Certificates

Students already holding teaching certificates may apply to the University to take coursework leading to additional endorsements or advanced certificates. They are not eligible for the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program. However, other education-related master's programs are available and are described on links under the Graduate School.

Portrait of a Teacher

The Montclair State University community is committed to the continuing development of teachers who exemplify the character, dispositions and habits of mind reflected in this portrait. They:

1. Have expert knowledge of the disciplines they will teach and can use various strategies, including media and technology, for creating learning experiences that make the subject matter accessible and meaningful to all students.
2. Understand how children and adolescents learn and develop in a variety of school, family and community contexts, and can provide learning opportunities that support their students' intellectual, social, and personal development.
3. Understand the practice of culturally responsive teaching. They understand that children bring varied talents, strengths, and perspectives to learning; have skills for learning about the diverse students they teach; and use knowledge of students and their lives to design and carry out instruction that builds on students' individual and cultural strengths.
4. Plan instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, families, communities, and curriculum goals and standards; and taking into account issues of class, gender, race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, age, and special needs in designing instruction.
5. Understand critical thinking and problem solving, and create learning experiences that promote the development of students' critical thinking and problem solving skills and dispositions.
6. Understand principles of democracy and plan and carry out instruction that promotes democratic values and communication in the classroom.
7. Understand and use multiple forms of assessment to promote the intellectual, social, and physical development of learners and to inform instruction.
8. Create a community in the classroom that is nurturing, caring, safe, and conducive to learning.
9. Are reflective practitioners who continually inquire into the nature of teaching and learning, reflect on their own learning and professional practice, evaluate the effects of their choices and actions on others, and seek out opportunities to grow professionally.
10. Build relationships with school colleagues, families, and agencies in the community to support students' learning and well-being, and work to foster an appreciation of diversity among students and colleagues.
11. Possess the literacy skills associated with an educated person; can speak and write English fluently and communicate clearly.
12. Develop dispositions expected of professional educators. These include belief in the potential of schools to promote social justice; passion for teaching; and commitment to ensuring equal learning opportunities for every student, critical reflection, inquiry, critical thinking, and life-long learning, the ethical and enculturating responsibilities of educators, and serving as agents of change and stewards of best practice.
    

Retention in the Program

Students who are accepted into the Program are evaluated periodically. Students are responsible for reviewing the Teacher Education Handbook to determine criteria used to determine eligibility for student teaching and the University's recommendation for certification.

Sample Program for Subject Certifications [for all programs except Early Childhood (P-3) or Elementary Education (K-5)]

A. Prerequisites:
It is expected that students in the Program will be able to demonstrate proficiency in the use of the English language. In addition, their academic backgrounds should include at least 60 semester hours of general education, distributed among the arts, humanities, mathematics, science, technology and the social sciences. Those students who have not had a course in human biology or health must successfully complete an examination in physiology and hygiene.

Semester Hours

B. Social Behavioral Science Component

• PSYC 101 General Psychology I: Growth and Development
  
• PSYC 200 Educational Psychology
  OR EDFD-- Psychological Foundations of Education or
  
• PSYC 560 Advanced Educational Psychology (PSYC 560 is required for the MAT program)
  
• Human and Intercultural Relations Course
  

• CURR 599 Curricular and Social Dynamics of Schooling
  
• EDFD 520 Development of Educational Thought
  
• A course in teaching reading
  
• CURR 5_ _ Educational Elective
  
• A course in teaching for critical thinking
  
• Major Departmental Methods Course(s)
  
• CURR 500 Fieldwork in Education
  (A Fieldwork Application must be filed with the Center of Pedagogy a Full semester before enrolling in this course. Deadlines apply, refer to E.below.)

Course requirements in teaching field (major) to be determined by departmental advisor.

• CURR 511 Supervised Student Teaching
  OR
• CURR 514 In-Service Supervised Graduate Student Teaching
  
• CURR 502 Seminar in Professional Education
  
• CURR 528 Teaching for Learning
  
• Departmental (major) Seminar (if required)

A comprehensive exam is required for the MAT Program. Students should consult their advisors for details regarding this exam. Information is also available in the Curriculum and Teaching Department.

ECEL 501 Models of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
ECEL 518 Families, Communities and Schools: Diversity, Culture, and Democracy
READ 500 The Nature of Reading):

Additional requirements apply for the MAT Program.

C. Content/Methods (One course is required for Post-Baccalaureate Certification and all three are required for the MAT Program)

MATH 577 Mathematics Education in the Elementary Schools
ECEL 516 Social Studies and the Arts: Understanding Democracy in Elementary Classrooms
ECEL 517 Integrating Science and Technology in Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms

D. Professional Semester (12-13 semester hours)

ECEL 528 Early Childhood Development and Learning (required for P-3 only)
OR
ECEL 522 Curriculum Development and Assessment in Diverse Elementary Classrooms (required for K-5 only)
AND
ECEL 510 Clinical Experience I in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings (required for K-5 only)
ECEL 511 Clinical Experience II in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings
OR ECEL 504 Seminor II Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings
CURR 514 In-Service Supervised Graduate Teaching I
ECEL 514 In-Service Supervised Graduate Teaching II
(CURR 514 replaces ECEL 510/511 for those in full-time teaching positions.)

A comprehensive exam is required for the MAT Program. Students should consult their advisors for details regarding this exam. Information is also available in the Early Childhood, Elementary and Literacy Education Department.

Pre-Admit Application for Applicants Who Missed The Deadline

1. File a Graduate Application to the program you desire, if you haven't already. Applicants will receive a "Pre-Admit Status Request" form with a letter from the Graduate School acknowledging receipt of their application. This form is also available on the Graduate School website.
2. Complete the form and send it to the Graduate School, College Hall, Room 203, Montclair, NJ 07043 (Telephone 973-655-5147). (You must have already submitted at least the Part A application form, an official transcript showing completion of a bachelor's degree and the application fee.)
3. As a Pre-Admit student you will be allowed to take 6 semester hours of course work prior to your admission. If you choose courses appropriate for the program of your interest, and you are admitted when you complete your application requirements, they can be credited to that program.
4. In choosing the 6 semester hours of course work, please follow these suggestions:

If you wish to become certified in a subject area (e.g. English, math, social studies, science, languages, physical education, art, music, etc.) choose from CURR 599 Curricular and Social Dynamics of Schooling, EDFD 520 Development of Educational Thought, or any graduate (500 level) course in critical thinking. In addition to these courses, M.A.T. candidates in the subject areas listed can include CURR 523 Education in the Inner City as one of their choices.

If you wish to become certified in Elementary/Early Childhood, choose ECEL 501 Models of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, ECEL 518 Families, Comm., etc., or READ 500 The Nature of Reading.

Information Sessions