Programs
There are Initial Certification Programs in Social Studies at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The undergraduate program consists of a 21 credit minor and the graduate program of 35-36 credits leads to an MA in Social Studies Education. Both allow students to become state certified. For students possessing Initial Certification, there is the Professional Certification Program, 30-31 credits and for students with Social Studies related MA degrees, there is the Certificate Program of 21 credits, also resulting in state certification.
Program Descriptions and Admissions Requirements
There are four Secondary Social Studies Programs:
1. Initial certification:Undergraduate Program in Social Studies Education
2. Initial Certificate in Social Studies Education: Graduate
3. Professional Certificate Program in Social Studies Education:Graduate
4. Advanced Certificate Program in Social Studies Education: Graduate.
All are located within the Department of Secondary Education.
Students interested in one of the following programs should have a minimum of 21 credits in history. Among these credits there should be 6 hours in an American Survey course and 6 hours in a World Civilization course. Students who do not possess this preparation may be asked to take these courses at the undergraduate level at the discretion of the program head. Undergraduate students desiring to enter the program must have an overall GPA of 2.75 with a 3.0 in the major; graduate students must have an overall GPA of 3.0.
1. The Undergraduate Program in Social Studies Education, emphasizes a solid grounding in offerings in the Arts and Sciences, with a strong concentration in history and the social sciences. Because of the rigorous and far reaching nature of the core requirements, most students begin their education courses in the second semester of the junior year and may require the summer and/or an additional semester to graduate. The State of New York requires all undergraduates to have 36 credit hours in social sciences, with a minimum of 21 credit hours in history. Graduate students who wish to teach social studies but are deficient in history, are required to make up the undergraduate credits before standing for admission into the program. A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required for admission to the program with a 3.0 GPA in the major. Students must take the L.A.S.T. and the C.S.T. in Social Studies as part of the process of standing for admission. Interested students should begin the process by first contacting the Office of Student Services to see that everything is in order and that they are ready to take the next step and meet with the program head. All Secondary Social Studies programs require an interview and a written on site essay as part of the admissions process, as well ass 3 letters of recommendation from faculty, the Content Specialty Test in Social Studies (CST) and the Liberal Arts and Science Test (LAST).
Program Planning Sheets for the Undergraduate Program in Social Studies Education (pdf file)
Please go to the Admissions & Student Services Office as soon as you decide you are interested in pursuing this program.
Students are responsible for checking all college deadlines, including applying for student teaching and filing for graduation.
2. The Initial Certification Program is for graduates holding a B.A. in history or who have majored in the Social Sciences, with a minimum of 21 credit hours in history. Students deficient in history course work will be asked to make up their deficiencies prior to admission to the program or in rare cases, they may do some of their course work at the graduate level so long as they have survey courses in American history and world civilization somewhere in their course of study. Students wishing to stand for admission must have an overall GPA of 3.0. They must take the L.A.S.T. or the G.R.E. and the C.S.T. in Social Studies, the latter to be used by the program head for diagnostic purposes. They must also provide three letters of reference, at least one of which must come from a former professor who can speak to the candidate's ability to do graduate work. All Secondary Social Studies programs require an interview and a written on site essay as part of the admissions process.
Program Planning Sheets for the Initial Certification Program (pdf file)
Students are responsible for checking all college deadlines, including applying for student teaching and filing for graduation.
3. The Professional Certificate Programis for students who possess New York State Certification, and who wish a M.A. in Secondary Social Studies Education . They must have a GPA of 3.0 and provide three letters of reference, one of which must come from a former professor who can speak to the candidate's ability to do graduate work in the candidate's appropriate discipline. They must take the L.A.S.T. and the C.S.T. in Social Studies, the latter to be used by the program head for diagnostic purposes. All Secondary Social Studies programs require an interview and a written on site essay as part of the admissions process.
Program Planning Sheets for the Professional Certificate Program (pdf file)
Students are responsible for checking all college deadlines, including applying for student teaching and filing for graduation.
4. The Advanced Certificate Program is for graduate students who hold an M.A. in one of the social science disciplines, but who have a minimum of 21 credits in history, either at the undergraduate or graduate level and who wish to obtain the requisite education courses for New York State license. They must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in the M.A. program that they have completed. They must take the L.A.S.T. and the C.S.T., and provide three letters of reference, one of which must come from a former professor who can speak to the candidate's ability to do graduate work. All Secondary Social Studies programs require an interview and a written on site essay as part of the admissions process.
Program Planning Sheets for the Advanced Certificate Program (pdf file)
Students are responsible for checking all college deadlines, including applying for student teaching and filing for graduation.
Students interested in applying should do the following:
- Undergraduates should begin by checking with the Office of Student Services to determine their eligibility before contacting the program director.
- Graduate students should contact the Office of Graduate Admissions for an application.
Please note the prerequisites for Student Teaching:
- Prerequisites for Student Teaching for Undergraduate Students:
successful completion of EDSE 44200 and EDSE 44200 or their equivalents at the graduate level for undergraduate credit and all required New York State tests for licensure.
- Prerequisites for Student Teaching for Graduate Students:
successful completion of EDSE 2100E and EDSE 2300E and all required New York State tests for licensure.
Faculty Currently Teaching in the Program
Associate Professor Susan F. Semel is Program Head of Secondary Social Studies and Chair of the Department of Secondary Education, teaches the methods and curriculum courses, supervises student teachers and advises matriculated and non-matriculated students in the program. She also teaches at the Graduate Center of CUNY in the Ph.D. program in Urban Education. She is an historian of education, has written extensively in the areas of educational foundations and progressive education, and was a social studies teacher, pre-k-12. at the Dalton School in New York City. She has extensive experience with urban public schools as a teacher educator and supervisor. She has a NYS license in Secondary Social Studies and she is a member of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the American Education Studies Association) AESA, and History of Education Society (HES).
Contact
Dr. Susan F. Semel, Program Director
City College of New York, City University of New York
School of Education
Secondary Education Program; Social Studies
North Academic Center 5/208
West 138th Street & Convent Avenue
New York, New York 10031-9198
Phone: (212) 650-7262
Fax: (212) 650-7530
