Medaille College's M.S.Ed. degree program in Adolescent Education is committed to the academic and professional preparation of highly qualified teachers through rigorous, integrated coursework.This 8-12 month program is designed for those individuals who have earned a bachelor's degree with a major in English, French, social studies (history), mathematics, biology or chemistry and now wish to become teachers in that subject area at the 7-12 level.

Program graduates will demonstrate the knowledge, skills, professional attitude, character, and commitment to the teaching profession congruent with New York State and national standards for initial certification and long-term professional success.

The Master of Science of Education, Adolescent Education degree leads to certification in the following areas:

• Biology, grades 7-12, designed to lead to initial certification in Biology 7-12;
• Chemistry, grades 7-12, designed to lead to initial certification in Chemistry 7-12;
• English, grades 7-12, designed to lead to initial certification in English 7-12;
• French, grades 7-12, designed to lead to initial certification in French 7-12;
• Mathematics, grades 7-12, designed to lead to initial certification in Mathematics 7-12;
• Social Studies, grades 7-12, designed to lead to initial certification in Social Studies 7-12;

The program is committed to fostering reflective practitioners with demonstrated proficiency in academic content, pedagogy, learning theory, and student development. The faculty are dedicated to producing high school teachers who will exhibit intellectual rigor and compassion in the learning environment. By completing the program, students are able to be recommended for a New York State and/or a Province of Ontario teaching certificate.

A comprehensive examination must be written and passed as part of the program completion requirement.

Program Requirements

Students who complete the program earn a master of science in education degree and are eligible for certification to teach in Ontario and New York State. Adolescent Education: (Grades 7-12) corresponds to Intermediate/Senior (7-12) in Ontario.

Students in the Adolescent Education program will receive one teachable subject and qualify to teach in that subject within the Province of Ontario. The Ontario College of Teachers requires that all adolescent education students upgrade for a second teachable subject within six years. This can be completed by taking Additional Qualification courses approved by the OCT after you obtain your certificate of qualification.

• Ontario College of Teachers
• New York State Department of Education, Office of Teaching Initiatives

Step 1: Liberal Arts and Sciences Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree with a concentration of 30 semester hours in one of English, French, Social Studies (History), Mathematics, Biology, or Chemistry, depending on the student's certification area.
• 3 credit hours in each of the following (examples are included):
Artistic Expression: art history, art appreciation, music history, music appreciation, dance appreciation, theatre appreciation, theatre history, film appreciation.
Communication: Speech, writing
Written Analysis & Expression: Composition, writing, English, literature
Information Retrieval: Any course involving research
History & Social Science: Sociology, cultural studies, history, psychology, anthropology, political science, economics, cultural geography, woman studies, criminal justice
Humanities: Composition, literature, creative writing, linguistics, public speaking, philosophy, ethics, history of religion
Scientific Processes:  Biology, zoology, anatomy, physiology, physics, chemistry, geology, physical geography
Mathematic Processes: Algebra, calculus, statistics.
• At least three credits of language other than English or 2 years of high school language

3 credit hours is equivalent to one half credit course in Ontario

Step 2: Education Coursework

Adolescent Education Courses 24 credits *

Step 3: Student Teaching (6 credits)

Approximately 14 weeks
Adolescent Education
Intermediate Placement - Grades 7-10 (7 weeks)
Senior Placement - Grades 11-12 (7 weeks)

Step 4: Certification Examinations

Before completing your Masters Degree in Education there are several New York State Teacher Certification Examinations that are required:

Liberal Arts and Science Test (LAST)

• Required for initial certificate in most titles.
• Covers historical and social-scientific consciousness, scientific and mathematical processes, artistic expression and the humanities.
• Format consists of 80 multiple-choice questions and a written assignment (essay question).

Assessment of Teaching Skills - Written (ATS-W)

• Required for initial certificate.
• Offered in two versions: elementary and secondary. (Candidates for K-12 certificates may elect either version).
• Covers knowledge of the learner, instructional planning and assessment, instructional delivery, and the professional environment.

Content Specialty Test (CST):

• Covers content in the subject or subjects that the corresponding certificate authorizes the holder to teach.
• Format typically consists of multiple choice questions and essay.
• Elementary Education students take Multi-subject. Adolescent Education students take the corresponding subject: French, Mathematics, Biology, Social Studies/History, Chemistry, or English/Language Arts.

Suggested resources to help you prepare

New York State Teacher Certification Exams (free outlines of what is covered for each test).
NYSTCE: Complete Prep for the LAST, ATS-W and CST (Kaplan Publishing Group)
How to Prepare for the LAST/ATS-W/CST (Barron's Publishing Group)
New York State Education Department

* A comprehensive examination must be written and passed as part of the program completion requirement.

Adolescent Education Course Descriptions