Gifted Education Extension (Advanced Certificate)
Welcome to the Gifted Education Extension (Advanced Certificate) program home page. Use this page as a guide to the program from acceptance to graduation.
This advanced certificate program is designed to provide educators with a solid background of expertise in gifted education, enabling them to work effectively with exceptionally capable learners, and to take leadership roles in the field.
Academic Plan
GIFTD-AC
Total Credits
Earn at least 12 credits
Program Code for Certification
30707 – GIFTED EDUCATION
Advisors
- Gina Riley, Faculty Advisor
- Jason Riffaterre, Certification, Graduation and Administrative Advisor
Newly Accepted Students
Getting Started and Orientation
New Student Checklist
Welcome to the School of Education! Visit the Newly Accepted Students page for a checklist to get you started at Hunter College.
New Student Support
If at any point you need support, please reach out to our New Student Liaison at newsoest@hunter.cuny.edu or make an appointment.
Orientations
Students will attend three orientations to cover all the information needed to start your program:
- General New Student Orientation
- Program Advising Session
See “Program Related Events” for details about upcoming sessions.
Financing Your Degree
Visit the Financing Your Degree page for information.
Fingerprint Clearance Requirements
All students in teacher preparation programs as well as programs in school counseling need to be fingerprinted so that they are cleared to work with children in various settings including New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) public schools, charter networks, and other organizations. Visit the Fingerprinting page for requirements and procedures.
Program Sequence
For technical registration support and troubleshooting, please visit the Register for Classes page.
Semester 1
- SPED 75300 – Understanding and Identifying Gifted Learners: Individual and Developmental Diversity (3 credits)
- SPED 75400 – Differentiating Curriculum for Gifted and Talented Learners (3 credits)
Semester 2
- SPED 75500 – Assessment and Instruction for Diversely Gifted Learners (3 credits)
- SPED 75600 – Professional Discourse and Leadership in Gifted Education (3 credits)
Hunter College Catalog
To review descriptions of specific courses and academic progress standards for the program along with exit requirements please use the course catalog for the year you were admitted to the program.
Course Catalog Summer 2022 onward
Course Catalog prior to Summer 2022
Clinical Experiences
Students in the Gifted Education Extension (Advanced Certificate) program participate in developmental field experiences (fieldwork).
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is a classroom experience in a New York City Public School in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements.
Registration and Placement Processes and Procedures
For courses with fieldwork components, after attending class and receiving instructions from your instructor, teacher candidates are responsible for identifying placement within New York State. Please refer to the NYC Department of Education at schools.nyc.gov to find a school in your neighborhood. Registration permission is not required.
Fieldwork Hours Time Record Form
Graduation
Graduation is the official completion of your program and conferral of an academic degree. In order to graduate, students must apply for graduation using CUNYFirst the semester before the semester of their planned graduation and complete any outstanding requirements by the stated deadlines. Visit the Graduation and Commencement page for complete information.
Certification and Licensure
The Gifted Education Extension (Advanced Certificate) program leads to Gifted Extension certificate for classroom teachers with New York State certification. This extension requires a valid base New York State teacher certification. Students must wait to apply for certification until they receive an email from the School of Education indicating their recommendation has been entered. This usually occurs six to eight week’s after the conferral of your degree.
Types of Certification
Students are recommended for both initial and professional extension:
- The Initial Extension is the entry-level certificate and is valid for five years. Students must wait to apply for certification until they receive an email from the School of Education indicating their recommendation has been entered. This usually occurs six to eight week’s after the conferral of your degree.
- The Professional Extension is an advanced certificate. Once teachers have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience including one year of mentored teaching, they can apply for professional extension.
Application Checklist
Review Your Fingerprint Status
All students in programs leading to New York State certification need to have their fingerprints cleared by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Visit the Fingerprinting for Hunter College School of Education Students to learn how to obtain fingerprint clearance. You can check your state clearance status on your TEACH account.
Maintain Valid New York State Base Certification
All students seeking initial extension must maintain valid New York State Base Certification.
Take Required Certification Exams and Workshops
Exams
All students must fulfill the following exam requirements over the course of their program:
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Gifted
Exam Registration and Test Preparation
Register for an exam at the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations website. Need help preparing? Learn about upcoming Test Preparation Workshops.
Workshops
All students must fulfill the following workshop requirements over the course of their program:
- School Violence Prevention and Intervention
- Students who have completed this workshop for their base certification, do not need to take it again. This workshop is not included in coursework for your program. Sign up for a School Violence Intervention and Prevention workshop through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website.
- Prevention and Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
- Students who have completed this workshop for their base certification, do not need to take it again. This workshop is not included in coursework for your program. Sign up for a Child Abuse Identification and Reporting workshop through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website.
- Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) workshop
- Students may take the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) workshop through Hunter College’s Continuing Education department or with another approved provider through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website. Once you complete the DASA workshop, submit copies of DASA workshop certification to the Office of Academic and Student Affairs so that their CUNYfirst account can be updated via the Workshop or Exam Completion Form.
Apply for Graduation
In order to be recommended for certification, all students in all programs including advanced certificate programs, must complete their program and apply for graduation. For more information on the graduation process, please visit the School of Education Graduation and Commencement page.
Apply for Certification
Certification candidates must wait to apply for certification until receiving an email from the School of Education indicating their recommendation has been entered. This will occur six to eight weeks after the Hunter College conferral dates of June 1 for spring grads, September 1 for summer grads and January 1 for fall grads. Candidates will be recommended for Initial and Professional certification. There are 5 steps in the application process.
Create/Log in to your TEACH Account
Students must create/log in to their New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Account. From your Teach Online Services Home page, select Apply for Certificate which is found under “Online Application.” This will start a new application.
1. Verify/Update Profile
The Verify/Update Profile section will ask for education and employment history.
For educational history, provide information from bachelor’s degree to present. For the drop down next to Degree and Major, select the option that corresponds to the degree and major earned.
For employment history enter all full-time, paid teaching experiences in both public, private and charter schools.
2. Select Certificate(s)
Enter the following information for the certificates section depending on whether you are applying for initial or professional certification.
Initial
- Select your Area of Interest: Other Extensions
- Select your Subject Area: Gifted Education
- Select the Grade Level: Pre K-12 All Grades
- Select the Title: Gifted Education Extension
- Select your Certificate Type: Initial
On the next page you will be prompted to enter the program code:
- Program Code: 30707 – GIFTED EDUCATION
Professional
- Select your Area of Interest: Other Extensions
- Select your Subject Area: Gifted Education
- Select the Grade Level: Pre K-12 All Grades
- Select the Title: Gifted Education Extension
- Select your Certificate Type: Professional
On the next page you will be prompted to enter the program code:
- Program Code: 30707 – GIFTED EDUCATION
3. Complete application (sign affidavit, sign application, make payment)
Read and sign the required affidavit and confirm and sign the application. Finally, make payment.
Additional Resources
Expiring Certifications
If you will not graduate from the Advanced Certificate program prior to the expiration of your initial certificate, you may be eligible for an extension through NYSED’s TEACH Online Services. Create/Log in to your TEACH account and select “Apply for a Time Extension.”
Out of State Certification or Licensure
Students applying for certification or licensure in states other than New York must complete the Out of State Certification and Licensure Form and upload the required completed form for the state they are applying to.
For students applying in states that have a web based form (ex. New Jersey), please send the access information to Melissa Boronkas, Certification Officer at mb74@hunter.cuny.edu.
For more information on certification or licensure requirements in other states, please review the interstate agreement information on the National Associate of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification site.
Hunter International Students (F1 Visa Holder) Certification or Licensure
Registering for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE)
During the registration process enter all 9s when prompted for your Social Security Number (SSN). Once you do receive a Social Security Number, you will need to fax a copy of your Social Security Number card and Passport to the New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) with a cover letter including your assigned New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) ID number to request they change your temporary Social Security Number replacement with your assigned Social Security Number.
The fax number for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) is 413-256-7088. Follow up a few days later to ensure they have received your fax. The phone number for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) is 413-256-2882.
Applying for NYSED TEACH Account without a Social Security Number
You do not need to wait for a Social Security Number (SSN) to create an account on the NYSED TEACH system. If you do not have a valid Social Security Number, you will need to email soeoasa@hunter.cuny.edu to request a TEACH Access Number first. The access number is only for use with TEACH and meeting requirements for New York State teacher certification. If you do get a social security number, you must notify NYSED.
If you apply for OPT the process will generate a Social Security Number which you will use to create your TEACH account and apply for New York State Department of Education teaching certification. You should apply for OPT as soon as you can, but you cannot apply earlier than 90 days before your program completion date.
For general instructions on setting up your NYSED TEACH account, please refer to the Certification and Licensure section on this program page.
New York City Department of Education Employment with OPT once your NYS Certificate has issued
International students cannot apply for employment with New York City Public Schools until they have a Social Security Number (SSN). International students may qualify for employment in New York City public schools once they hold New York State certification and hold an OPT visa. You will be ineligible to apply to work for the New York City Department of Education unless you hold OPT authorization, have a Social Security Number and your New York State certification has issued. Candidates fitting the above criteria may apply online to the New York City Department of Education. Once the application is received and reviewed, further instructions will follow. This policy is subject to change at any time.
Letter Requests
Please use the School of Education Letter Request Form to request a letter from the School of Education to verify your education experience.