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Teacher Certification Requirements

ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead offers degree programs in education: B.S. and M.S. in Childhood Education (Grades 1 to 6), M.S. in Teaching Students with Disabilities (Grades 1 to 6 & 7 to 12), and the M.S. in Literacy (Birth to Grade 6), all of which lead to certification in New York State.

Requirements for teacher certification in New York includes successful completion of a bachelor's or master's degree; passing of certification tests (basic skills and subject-specific knowledge) and the edTPA; completing workshops in child abuse identification, violence prevention and Dignity for All Students Act (DASA); fingerprinting; field experience; and student teaching. Long Island University's undergraduate and graduate degrees programs are designed to prepare students to meet these certification requirements.

In their final semester, education majors at ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead are eligible to apply for New York State certification through the New York State TEACH system . Upon completion of the degree and all other certification requirements, ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead will recommend (institutional recommendation) the student for the applicable teacher certification.

ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead prepares students for two levels of certification in New York State — Initial and Professional:

• Initial Certification is the minimum certification required to teach in New York State. The entry-level certificate is valid for 5 years and is issued in a specific subject and/or grade level. Initial Certification leads to the Professional Certificate. After three years of professional teaching experience, mentored experience and an earned Master’s degree you can apply for the Professional Certificate to continue to be certified in New York State. All teacher-training bachelor's and master's programs at ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó at Riverhead lead to Initial Certification.
• Professional Certification is required to continue teaching in New York State. This advanced-level certificate is continuously valid with completion of New York State-required professional development hours on a 5-year cycle.

Current ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead students should contact the Education Program Office, 631-287-8214, for certification application instructions and requirements.

ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead graduates work in schools across the county, the region and the nation. In 2014-2015 New York State adopted many changes to requirements for teachers and educational leaders. Our graduates continue to set impressive standards of success as teachers and educational leaders.

ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead is working toward accreditation of its educator preparation programs under the AAQEP standards with an anticipated quality assurance review in Fall 2024. 96% of ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead students who took the NYS certification exams for initial Certification in the academic year 2021-2022 passed. The overall pass rate for all ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead students in both the initial and advanced degrees on the NYS Certification exams that same year was 97%.

For more information about AAQEP please click . 

Requirements for New York State Certification (Institutional Recommendation)

B.S. in Childhood Education (Grades 1 to 6) 

• Completion of the approved degree program
• Students must pass the following New York State Teacher Certification Examinations: -

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For complete information about the New York State Teacher Certification Exams, visit the

• Students must complete the following workshops:

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• In order to student teach or receive your New York State teaching certificate or apply for employment in a school district, charter school or boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES), New York State requires you to satisfy a  for a criminal history background check. You must complete the fingerprinting process prior to student teaching. Visit the "" section of the New York State Education Department Web site for more information and directions on how to apply.

M.S. in Childhood Education (Grades 1 to 6) 

• Completion of the approved degree program
• Students must pass the following New York State Teacher Certification Examinations:

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For complete information about the New York State Teacher Certification Exams, visit the .

• Students must complete the following workshops:

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• In order to student teach or receive your New York State teaching certificate or apply for employment in a school district, charter school or boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES), New York State requires you to satisfy a  for a criminal history background check. You must complete the fingerprinting process prior to student teaching. Visit the "" section of the New York State Education Department Web site for more information and directions on how to apply.

M.S. in Literacy Education (Birth to Grade 6) 

• Completion of the approved degree program

M.S. in Teaching Students with Disabilities Education (Grades 1 to 6) 

• Completion of the approved degree program

M.S. in Teaching Students with Disabilities Generalist (Grades 7 to 12)

• Completion of approved degree program
• Completion of 6 qualifying semester hours in each of the following areas: English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics. Most or all of these courses are completed at the Bachelor's degree level before the student enters ÑÇÃÀµç×Ó Riverhead.
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