FAQs

Your advisor can help you plan which courses to take, and can answer questions regarding course offerings and other graduation requirements. Students should see their advisor each semester. Undergraduates should contact the Office of Student Services in North Academic Center in Room 3/223A to make an appointment with an advisor and graduate students should email their advisor for an appointment or go to their office hours. (Note: Academic advising is available during the fall and spring semesters.)

You must apply for graduation several months prior to your expected date of graduation. You must apply online through CUNYfirst, and can receive more information by clicking here. Check with your advisor to make sure you have met all the requirements for graduation. If you discover that you will not be able to graduate as planned, you should rescind your application to graduate from the Registrar's office and must reapply for the next graduation. In order to graduate, all stops on your record must be cleared, including bursar, library, financial aid, etc.

Our programs are part of the Department of Leadership & Human Development in the School of Education. The Department Office is in North Academic Center, Room 6/207B. The Interim Chair of our Department is Professor Shira Epstein.  (See Contact Information for email addresses and phone numbers.)

The City College School of Education is divided into two departments: the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and the Department of Leadership & Human Development. Our programs, which include courses of study in Bilingual Education (all grades), and TESOL (grades pre-K through Adults), are part of the Department of Leadership & Human Development.

Check your CUNYfirst account to be sure that you have been fully matriculated, and that you are registered in the program you are indeed enrolled in. This is particularly important for candidates who may have changed programs since they enrolled. If you are not sure whether your program code is correct, check with your advisor.

For candidates earning their first initial certificate 
 

Bilingual Stream C:  

• EAS (Educating All Students)
• CST-Multisubject for Childhood  (Content Specialty Test)
• BEA (Bilingual Education Assessment)

TESOL Stream C:

• EAS (Educating All Students)
• CST-ESOL  (Content Specialty Test-English to Speakers of Other Languages)

For candidates earning a Bilingual Extension

• BEA (Bilingual Education Assessment)

For TESOL Stream A and Stream D (for teachers already certified in another area)?

• CST-ESOL  (Content Specialty Test-English to Speakers of Other Languages)

Q:  What if I am already certified in one subject area, and I am getting a second certification?  Do I need to retake all these exams, or just the new CST?
A:  Just the CST in the area of your new certification.

Q:  Is this information the same whether I am a graduate student or undergraduate?
A:  Yes.

Q:  What about the BEA, for the Bilingual Extension?
A:  The BEA is still required for the Bilingual Extension; if you have already passed the BEA, there is no need to retake it.

For more information:  http://www.nystce.nesinc.com/NY_annProgramUpdate.asp

All application for New York State (NYS) certification should be submitted online via the Office of Teaching Initiatives TEACH website, www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert. For assistance on how to use the TEACH system or general certification help, please see the CCNY Certification Homepage or contact the College's certification officer, Mr. Jose Osorio by email at josorio1@ccny.cuny.edu or phone at 212-650-5590.  The certification office is located in North Academic Center, Room 3/210.

In the past, all courses in the School of Education had the prefix EDUC. In Spring 2006, this was changed so that course numbers now reflect the name of the department that offers the course: EDCE is for courses offered by the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture - formerly known as Childhood Education (CE); EDSE is for Secondary Education; EDLS is for Leadership and SPED is for Special Education. Some courses taken by students in all departments still have the prefix EDUC. For more information, see "How does the Bilingual Education & TESOL Program fit into the School of Education?"

The College's official degree-granting dates are in June, September, and February. There is only one College-wide ceremony, which takes place on a Friday morning at the end of the spring semester (very late May or the beginning of June). Typically, there is also a School of Education ceremony a day or two before that, on a weekday evening. More information can be found on the college website.

Please submit any further questions you might have via email at bilingual@ccny.cuny.edu 

TESOL candidates can only earn a bilingual extension if they hold NYS certification in an area other than TESOL and/or a World Language.  In order to be accepted to the Extension, students must complete their TESOL course of study and then formally apply to the Bilingual Extension (see application deadline dates above).  Students can use courses in the TESOL program to count toward the requirements for the Extension. TESOL candidates who wish to complete the Bilingual Extension can choose electives that will help fulfill the Extension requirements. 

Bilingual Education candidates can earn a TESOL certificate.  In order to be accepted, students must complete their Bilingual Education course of study and then formally apply to the TESOL Stream D program (see application deadline dates above).  Upon graduation, students can use courses in the Bilingual Education program to count toward the requirements for the TESOL Certificate. Bilingual Education master's degree candidates who wish to complete the TESOL Certificate can choose electives that will help fulfill the TESOL certificate requirements.

TESOL candidates in Stream A and D must complete two practicum experiences in TESOL with two different age groups (K-6 and 7-12).  The first practicum, EDCE 6601C, must be completed during the Fall or Spring semester.  It requires 15 days of fieldwork (or the equivalent number of hours) and has an accompanying seminar.  Students can select the grade level they would like to work with, and for practicing teachers, this can usually be done in their schools.  Students must then take the second practicum, EDCE 6602C at the other grade level for 5 days.  This is offered during the Fall, Spring and July summer semester, for practicing teachers.  There is no seminar for Practicum II.
TESOL Candidates in Stream B must take EDCE 6604C during the Fall or Spring semesters.  The course has an accompanying seminar and places candidates in settings to work with adult ESL students.

New York State requires that all candidates for certification in TESOL complete 12 semester hours (or equivalent) study of language other than English. This requirement can be met through undergraduate or graduate coursework, study at language institutes, CLEP scores or other placement exams, and/or certain types of international experiences. If your college transcripts do not show 12 hours or more of such study, please see your advisor to determine how you can meet this requirement.

A passing grade in any individual course is a C.However, students should maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (equivalent to a B). With a GPA less than 3.0, students are put on academic probation for one semester.  Students whose GPA is less than 3.0 for more than one semester face dismissal from the College. Students who complete the program with a GPA less than 2.8 cannot graduate; those who have a GPA between 2.8 and 3.0 must pass the Qualifying Examination in order to graduate.  Students have no more than three opportunities to pass the Qualifying Exam.

Candidates who complete the course requirements for their program but have a GPA lower than 3.0 are required to pass the Qualifying Exam to graduate. The Exam is given near the end of each semester. You must register to take the exam in North Academic Center, Room 6/207B. The exam is a 3 hour on-site, closed book essay format, but you can receive a copy of the questions when you register.

Please note that students must have a minimum GPA of 2.8 to be eligible to take the Qualifying Exam.

We offer Master's degrees in Bilingual Childhood Education, Bilingual (General) Education, and TESOL along with non-degree certificate programs for the Bilingual Extension or a TESOL Certificate. Click here for more information.

Matriculated candidates may apply for an Internship Certificate once they have:

• Completed 50% of the required coursework
• Passed the relevant CST exams
• Completed DASA and Child Abuse workshops
• Received an offer of employment from a NYC public school in their area of certification

More information is available here.

DASA stands for the Dignity for All Students Act and is a New York State requirement for anyone earning certification.  It requires all teachers to complete a workshop on creating safe and supportive environments.  For student teachers and Teaching Fellows, a DASA workshop is embedded in their program.  All other students earning NYS certification must complete a DASA workshop – at CCNY, another institution or via the UFT – and submit documentation to their advisor. 

If you are a matriculated student at another CUNY 4-year college, you may apply electronically, via an e-permit, to get permission to take a course at another CUNY 4-year college.  You can find a schedule of TESOL and Bilingual Education courses for the upcoming semester at CCNY on CUNYfirst and on this site under Courses.  Once you identify a course you want to take,  contact your home college advisor for approval, and then initiate an e-permit.

There is one matter that can complicate the situation. Students who register from other campuses register after our regular students do, and sometimes courses fill before that time.  Unfortunately, there is  no way to predict which classes will fill.  Nevertheless, the first step is to submit an e-permit.

Up to 6 credits may be transferred from a graduate program at another university, but only if certain conditions apply.  The course description must match a course (or elective) at CCNY, the course must have been completed within three years prior to your matriculation at CCNY, and the credits may not have been applied toward another degree.  In addition, only courses for which you have earned at grade of at least B- may be transferred.