Overview

The Cohort

Teacher U's incoming class will consist of teachers serving in New York City's district and charter schools, as well as charter school teachers from New Jersey, Connecticut, and other districts in New York State.  Teacher U is designed for novice teachers (0-2 years experience) teaching in elementary schools, but also serves middle school teachers and some seasoned teachers who need certification.

In 2009, Teacher U is launching a program in Special Education for teachers designated by Teach for America and the New York City Teaching Fellows.  A limited number of teachers recommended by a partner organization may be admitted into the Special Education program.  Please contact Teacher U's Director of Administration (info@teacheru.org) for more information. 

Location

Courses will be held at a Hunter College facility on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Schedule

Teacher U is a two-year program.  Summer classes will take place during Teacher U's intensive summer institute.  Fall and spring classes will take place on Saturdays throughout the academic year.

Certification

Enrolled teachers are eligible to be recommended for a New York State Transitional B certificate at the beginning of the program.  Upon graduation, teachers are eligible to be recommended for New York State Initial or Professional certificates corresponding to their program.

Admissions Process

If you are interested in the Teacher U program, you must first apply directly to Teacher U.  Hunter does not accept applications to the program.

Eligible applicants are currently teaching without certification as childhood or middle childhood generalist teachers or have an offer to begin teaching in a participating school as childhood or middle childhood generalist teachers.  Applicants for the special education program must be currently teaching or expect to begin teaching in a special education position.  Teacher U requires verification from your school of your status as a full-time classroom teacher in childhood (grades 1-6), middle childhood generalist (grades 5-9), or special education (grades 1-9) for the upcoming school year.

Upon acceptance into Teacher U, applicants will need to complete the Hunter College application for matriculation and must be accepted by Hunter as matriculated students in order to continue in the program.

For more information or to obtain an application packet, please visit the Teacher U website at http://teacheru.org/apply or contact Teacher U's Director of Administration at info@teacheru.org.

Admission with Conditions

Students who have not met all the liberal arts and science prerequisites for the program are given admission conditions when they are accepted for matriculation and are informed of these conditions in their acceptance from the Office of Admissions. 

The School of Education's prerequisites are based on New York State Education Department liberal arts and science requirements, as well as each program's focus and curriculum.  Admission conditions must be met by the end of the third semester of matriculation.  Students may not be admitted with more than 12 credits of admission conditions.

Once you have satisfied your admission condition(s), please fill out the Admission Conditions Request Form, attach an official transcript or score report, and bring it to the Office of Educational Services, Room 1000 West.

How to Complete Admission Conditions

• Complete an undergraduate or graduate course at Hunter or elsewhere in the subject in which you are conditioned with a grade of C- or better. In order to take courses at Hunter outside of the School of Education, contact the department office that offers the course you need in order to obtain advisement and permission to take the course.  You may need to explain to the department advisor that you are a graduate student in Education who needs to meet certain conditions for admission.
• Take a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam in the subject in which you are conditioned and pass with a score of 50 or higher.  There are CLEP tests in algebra, calculus, biology, chemistry, natural sciences, American History, American Literature, French, German, and Spanish.   For more information, go to: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html. 
• You can satisfy 6 credits (one year at the college level) of the foreign language requirement by showing proof of three years of the same foreign language in high school with grades of “B” or higher, or proof of completion of grade 10 or higher in a high school where courses are taught in a language other than English. Coursework in American Sign Language also satisfies this requirement.*
• You can satisfy a science requirement by taking an on-line course developed by the Museum of Natural History and offered for credit through the CUNY School of Professional Studies.  Students can register through the CUNY e-permit system.  Recommended courses include “The Diversity of Fishes” and “In the Field with Spiders.” For more information, go to: http://sps.cuny.edu/programs/spscourses/subjectdescription.aspx?sid=SCI
• A score of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam in the subject for which you are conditioned, or documentation on your transcript of college credit for an AP exam in the subject.

*Students with a disability that prevents them from satisfying the foreign language requirement, including satisfying it with courses in American Sign Language (ASL), must register with and provide documentation of the disability to the Office of AccessABILITY at Hunter College: Room 1124 East; 212-772-4857. Students whose disability prevents them from completing a foreign language (including ASL), as assessed by the Office of AccessABILITY, will be allowed to substitute coursework in the culture or literature of another country, culture, or civilization.   A list of approved Hunter College courses is available in room 1000 West.

Immunizations

Please be sure to satisfy Hunter College’s immunization requirements immediately upon acceptance. You will not be permitted to register without meeting these requirements. If you have questions, you can contact Health Services at 212-772-4800 or refer to the Health Services section of the Hunter College Website at: http://studentservices.hunter.cuny.edu/wellness.htm.