Adolescence Education Prerequisites

The M.A.T. program has prerequisites in the field of education as well as in the area of certification. In general, applicants to the M.A.T. program are expected to have completed a major - or its equivalent - in the area of certification: biology, chemistry, English, French, mathematics, physics, social studies, or Spanish.

In addition, as per New York State Education Department guidelines, initial certification requires the completion of two college-level courses in a language other than English or evidence of proficiency in a language other than English (i.e. a placement or proficiency exam).

Prerequisite Coursework: Education

Three prerequisites in the field of education are required, either the following three Ithaca College courses or their equivalents:

• PSYC-21010 Educational Psychology
• EDUC-34000 Social and Cultural Foundations of Education
• EDUC-21910 Early Field Experience: Theory and Practice (includes 50 hours of field experiences in school settings) 

Applicants may submit evidence of equivalent coursework taken at other accredited institutions, as well as satisfactory completion of 50 hours of course-connected field experiences. 

Applicants who have not completed the prerequisites are sometimes admitted provisionally, with the understanding that any remaining prerequisites will be completed according to a plan developed by the program chair.

Prerequisite Coursework: Area of Certification

Satisfactory academic proficiency in the area of certification will be determined by the appropriate department in the School of Humanities and Sciences. In general, expectations include: 

Biology:

• An undergraduate or graduate degree in biology, or
• 24 undergraduate and/or graduate credits in biology, including (1) a survey course, and (2) 12 credits of biology courses with lab components. In addition, a course in chemistry is required 

Chemistry:

• An undergraduate or graduate degree in chemistry or a closely-related field, such as biochemistry, chemical physics, or chemical engineering, or
• 37 credits of undergraduate and graduate coursework in chemistry, at least 13 of which must be in experimental laboratory work

English:

• An undergraduate or graduate degree in English, or
• An undergraduate major in writing/journalism, with a minor in English, or
• 30-36 credits of undergraduate and/or graduate coursework in English, at least 21 credits of which must be in literature

French:

• an undergraduate or graduate degree in French or Francophone studies, or
• 36 credits of undergraduate and graduate coursework in French or Francophone studies, or
• native fluency in French with an appropriate undergraduate degree from a foreign institution of higher learning

Note: Students who have native or near native language proficiency but do not meet the above criteria may need to take additional courses before being admitted to the M.A.T. program

Mathematics:

• An undergraduate or graduate degree in mathematics or a closely-related field such as mathematics-computer science or mathematics-physics, or
• At least 30 credits of undergraduate and/or graduate coursework in mathematics, including 3 credits in geometry and experience using technological tools in mathematics (e.g. graphing calculator, Geometer\'s Sketchpad)

Physics:

• An undergraduate or graduate degree in physics, or
• An undergraduate major in engineering or physical science (chemistry, geology, astronomy), with a minor in physics or with at least 18 credits of undergraduate and/or graduate course work in physics above the sophomore level

Social Studies:

• An undergraduate or graduate degree in social studies, or
• An undergraduate or graduate degree in history, with additional coursework in politics/government, economics, geography, and other social sciences, or
• An undergraduate or graduate degree in politics/government, with additional coursework in economics and other social sciences, and “at least 21 credits of study in the history and geography of the United States and the world” (as per New York State requirements for certification)

Spanish:

• An undergraduate or graduate degree in Spanish or in the culture and literature of the Spanish speaking world, or
• 36 credits in Spanish or in the language and literature of the Spanish speaking world, or
• Native fluency in Spanish with an appropriate undergraduate degree from a foreign institution of higher learning

Note: Students who have native or near native language proficiency but do not meet the above criteria may need to take additional courses before being admitted to the M.A.T. program. 

Applicants who have questions regarding their eligibility for admission are encouraged to contact Dr. Linda Hanrahan, Chair, Graduate Programs in Education.