School of Education Overview
The School of Education of Long Island University is located in, and serves the educational needs of, the largest metropolitan area of the nation. Thus, the School of Education reflects the dynamic character of urban and suburban life and concerns itself with the important role education plays in improving the quality of that life. Through programs of professional study, the School of Education prepares teachers, specialists, and administrators who have commitment and competence to help young people achieve dignity, preserve individuality, develop democratic values, and find self-fulfillment.

The School of Education is committed to providing professional experiences that are important aspects of programs of study for professional educators. These experiences bring the prospective teacher, specialist and administrator face-to-face with realities of the classroom, the school, and the community, as well as provide opportunities for participation in the study, research, and analysis of contemporary education problems. In fulfilling this commitment, the resources of the School of Education are available not only to its students, but also to the professionals and school districts of the metropolitan region.

As society is altered by such factors as the knowledge explosion, technological advances, and population growth, the purposes and processes of education have changed. The School of Education is aware of its responsibility to society in dealing with complex educational and social issues by providing leadership in curriculum innovation, experimentation, and dissemination of information.

Academic Policy and Admission Requirements
An applicant must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Admission to most programs requires a general undergraduate grade point average of 2.50 and a 2.75 average in the major area. Certain programs require higher minimum grade point averages. Grade point averages are computed on a four-point scale. It is important to note, however, that School of Education departmental admission requirements vary. Further information is available by contacting the specific departments or the Brentwood Campus Office of Admissions.

Application for admission to any program must be made through the Brentwood Campus Admissions Office. A student who possesses the necessary grade point averages will be admitted to the program upon submission of one official transcript and other supporting documentation as requested.

Academic Status
In most cases, a student may apply for admission to a graduate education program as either a matriculated or non-matriculated student. For a student to apply earned credits toward the Master of Science degree in Education or the Advanced Certificate, he or she must request matriculated status. Admission requirements are the same for matriculated and non-matriculated students.

Upon admission to the program, the graduate admissions officer will direct the accepted student to the appropriate chairperson or specialization coordinator. Each student is assigned an academic counselor and a faculty advisor who assists in the development of an initial plan of 12 to 18 hours of coursework.

Matriculated Students
Upon completion of 12 to 15 hours, a matriculated student must apply for Interim Assessment by submitting a form that is available from his or her faculty advisor or academic counselor. Faculty from within the candidate's major will examine the Interim Assessment application, review the candidate's professional objectives, experiences, and strengths, and recommend additional courses and experiences for program completion. During interim advisement, the faculty advisor and student will jointly develop a culminating plan that encompasses faculty recommendations and student preferences. If the Interim Assessment does not lead to a positive recommendation, the candidate may petition the Dean for reconsideration by the Academic Standing Committee. The Interim Assessment application must be approved and a culminating plan developed before a matriculated student may enroll for courses beyond those included on his or her initial plan.

Limited Matriculated Students
Upon admission, a limited matriculated student meets with the appropriate chairperson, coordinator, and academic counselor who advise and assist him or her in developing a maximum 12-credit Plan of Study. Upon completion of 12 credit hours, the faculty advisor and student develop a new Plan of Study. The limited matriculated student may then enroll for additional courses. It is important to note that a random collection of elective credits does not constitute an acceptable program of study. A limited matriculated student who later requests matriculated status must obtain approval from the Dean of the School of Education or his/her delegated representative. No more than 18 hours may be transferred from limited matriculated to matriculated status.

Program Options for Master's Degree
Upon successful completion of Interim Assessment, the student, in consultation with his or her faculty advisor, is assigned one of the culminating options listed below. Departmental options vary. Specific department requirements are outlined in departmental sections. Each major provides the student the opportunity to satisfy student teaching requirements for certification.

Degree with a Thesis or Final Project
Most graduate programs require a "Culminating Project". Please see the appropriate academic section of this Bulletin to see if your major has this requirement. Most often, this project is offered as the choice of a comprehensive examination (for zero credits), or a thesis (for 3 credits).

(A) Thesis

The thesis or project required in graduate programs tests the candidates' ability to engage in original research, evaluate source materials, and communicate clearly and accurately. All thesis option students must take a required research methods course.

A candidate's thesis will be accepted for consideration only after successful Interim Assessment and completion of required courses and semester hours listed on his or her initial Plan of Study.

A master's degree candidate who chooses the thesis option will write his or her thesis under the direct supervision of a committee chairperson. Each candidate is encouraged to recommend a chairperson for the committee.

The student must file the request for the appointment of a thesis chairperson with the School of Education Office at least 30 days before the time he or she registers for the thesis-writing course. In preparing the thesis, the student must follow approved procedures and a specified manual of style.

Once the thesis receives faculty committee approval, the student must defend it through an oral examination. A student who elects the thesis option is exempt from a comprehensive examination. The Final Project is determined by the Department.

(B) Comprehensive Examination:

Each candidate who selects this option will undergo a written evaluation. Professors from within the candidate's major field uniquely develop the examination. The faculty reserves the right to require subsequent assessment of the candidate should it become necessary.

The student must submit his or her comprehensive examination application to the appropriate departmental office during the semester before, but no later than one month before, the administration of the examination.

Eligibility for the comprehensive examination is contingent upon acceptance as a degree candidate. The student must also complete 30 appropriate semester hours of graduate study by the end of the semester in which he or she sits for the examination.

New York State Teacher Certification Required Examinations
These regulations apply to all individuals applying for a first certificate (or reinstatement of a first certificate) in the State of New York after February 1, 2004.

Such individuals will be required to take the New York State Teacher Certification Examination (NYSTCE). This testing program consists of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills (ATS-W), and tests of content knowledge in the certificate area (Content Specialty Tests - CST's).

All candidates for New York State Certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) or Early Childhood Education (Birth - Grade 2) will be required to achieve passing scores on the LAST and the ATS-W for an initial certificate. Passing scores on the CST's will be required for the professional certificate.

Pass Rates for New York Teacher Certification Examinations
Pass rates for Brentwood Campus students taking the New York Teacher Certification Examinations in 2005-2006 are as follows: For the Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W), a total of 234 students took the test and 234 passed for a “pass rate” of 100%. The statewide pass rate is 99%. For the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), a total of 197 students took the test and 197 passed for a “pass rate” of 100%. The statewide pass rate is 99%. For the Content Specialty Test – Special Populations, a total of 205 students took the test and 190 passed for a “pass rate” of 93%. The statewide pass rate is 92%. In the Academic Content Areas, 109 students were tested and 106 students passed for a pass rate of 97%. The statewide ratio is 95%. The Total Summary Pass Rate for all tests is 94%. The statewide pass rate is 95%.

Required Workshops
Child Abuse: Identification and Reporting (Required - All Students)
All persons who apply for an initial or professional teaching certificate or license must complete a state-approved two-hour course in the identification and reporting of suspected child abuse. This requirement must be met by attending a specially scheduled two-hour seminar.

Violence Prevention Workshop - Project SAVE
As of May 1, 2001 all persons who apply for any level of school certification must complete a two-hour State approved workshop on the warning signs, classroom management techniques, referral process, statutes and regulations regarding school violence prevention and intervention.

Fingerprinting
Effective July 2001, all candidates seeking New York State Certification must be fingerprinted and submit to criminal background checks. Instructions and materials will be made available.

Liability Insurance
Liability insurance, available from the American Counseling Association (ACA) or other professional association, is required in all fieldwork and internship courses, in practica, and in other selected courses.

Phi Delta Kappa
The international professional fraternity in education, Phi Delta Kappa, originated in 1906. The Long Island University Chapter, Chapter 1524, was chartered in 1986. The purpose of PDK is to promote quality education as essential to the development and maintenance of a democratic way of life. This is done through leadership, research, and service. Active members are eligible to nominate candidates to membership.

Interim Assessment (Required of all degree candidates)
To be considered for Interim Assessment the student must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Matriculant status (depending on program area)
2. Completion of 12-15 credit hours of graduate courses listed on the candidate's initial Plan of Study with at least a 3.00 grade index and a review with a faculty advisor
3. Formal application for Interim Assessment filed in the Departmental Office
4. Recommendations of the faculty within the candidate's major. Faculty recommendation may be withheld if, in the faculty member's judgment, the candidate lacks moral, emotional, personality, or intellectual qualities necessary to function at the professional level appropriate to the graduate program

Unsatisfactory Grades
The average of grades attained in the approved program of study may be no less than B (equivalent to the quality point index of 3.00). A student who receives grades below B in two graduate courses is considered to have an academic deficiency. A third grade below B, after the student receives a formal warning of the deficiency, requires formal action on the part of the appropriate department. Any such student may lose his or her matriculated status or be ineligible to continue in the graduate program. The Dean makes final disposition of such cases. Individual departments may impose stricter academic standards. This is especially true in cases involving a final grade of F. In no case may a student graduate with a cumulative grade point average below 3.00.