Certification and Licensure
Select your program to view certification and licensure requirements, procedures, program codes, and step by step instructions on how to obtain certification and licensure.
Undergraduate Programs Certification Requirements and Program Codes
- Adolescent Biology (BA)
- Adolescent Biology (BA/MA)
- Adolescent Chemistry (BA)
- Adolescent Chemistry (BA/MA)
- Adolescent Earth Science (BA/MA)
- Adolescent English (BA)
- Adolescent French (BA)
- Adolescent Italian (BA)
- Adolescent Mathematics (BA)
- Adolescent Mathematics (BA/MA)
- Adolescent Physics (BA)
- Adolescent Physics (BA/MA)
- Adolescent Social Studies (BA)
- Adolescent Spanish (BA)
- Childhood Education – QUEST (BA)
- Dance Education (BA)
- Dance Education (BA/MA)
- Early Childhood Education (BA)
- Music Education (BA/MA)
Graduate Programs Certification/Licensure Requirements and Program Codes
- Adolescent Biology (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Biology (MA)
- Adolescent Chemistry (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Chemistry (MA)
- Adolescent Chinese (MA)
- Adolescent Earth Science (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Earth Science (MA)
- Adolescent English (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent English (MA)
- Adolescent French (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent French (MA)
- Adolescent Italian (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Italian (MA)
- Adolescent Latin (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Latin (MA)
- Adolescent Mathematics (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Mathematics (MA)
- Adolescent Mathematics Professional Certificate (MA)
- Adolescent Physics (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Physics (MA)
- Adolescent Social Studies (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Social Studies (MA)
- Adolescent Spanish (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Spanish (MA)
- Adolescent Special Education (Advanced Certificate)
- Adolescent Special Education – Generalist (MSEd)
- Adolescent Special Education – Generalist (MSEd) Online
- Applied Behavior Analysis (Advanced Certificate)
- Applied Behavior Analysis (MS)
- Bilingual Childhood Education (MSEd)
- Bilingual Early Childhood Education (MSEd)
- Bilingual Early Childhood Education – with prior NYS certification in Childhood Education, Special Education or TESOL (MSEd)
- Bilingual Early Childhood Education – with prior NYS certification in Early Childhood Education (MSEd)
- Bilingual Education Extension – NYS Teachers (Advanced Certificate)
- Bilingual Extension for Pupil Personnel Services (Advanced Certificate)
- Blind and Visually Impaired for NYS Certified Teachers (Advanced Certificate)
- Blind and Visually Impaired (MSEd)
- Blind and Visually Impaired – with Prior NYS Certification (MSEd)
- Blind and Visually Impaired – Orientation and Mobility (Advanced Certificate)
- Childhood Education (MSEd)
- Childhood Education with a Specialization in STEM (MSEd)
- Childhood Special Education – Behavior Disorders (Advanced Certificate)
- Childhood Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd)
- Childhood Special Education – Behavior Disorders – with prior NYS Childhood or PreK-6 Certification (MSEd)
- Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities (Advanced Certificate)
- Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities (MSEd)
- Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities with prior NYS Childhood or PreK-6 Certification (MSEd)
- Childhood Special Education – Severe/Multiple Disabilities (MSEd)
- Childhood Special Education – Severe/Multiple Disabilities with prior NYS Childhood or PreK-6 Certification (MSEd)
- CLASS – Educational Leadership SBL/SDL (MSEd)
- Computer Science Education for New York State Certified Teachers (Advanced Certificate)
- Computer Science Education (MSEd)
- Dance Education (MA)
- Dance Education – with initial NYS Certification in Dance (MA)
- Dance Education – with 34 credits in Dance and initial NYS Certification in another subject (MA)
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MSEd)
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing – with prior NYS Certification (MSEd)
- Early Childhood Education (Advanced Certificate)
- Early Childhood Education (MSEd)
- Early Childhood Education – with prior NYS Certification (MSEd)
- Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families: Additional NYS Certification (Advanced Certificate)
- Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families (MSEd)
- Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families – with prior NYS Certification in Early Childhood (MSEd)
- Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families with Annotation in Severe/Multiple Disabilities (MSEd)
- Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families with Annotation in Severe/Multiple Disabilities with prior NYS Certification in an area other than Early Childhood (MSEd)
- Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families with Annotation in Severe/Multiple Disabilities with prior NYS Certification in Early Childhood Education (MSEd)
- East Harlem Teaching Residency – Adolescent Special Education (MSEd)
- East Harlem Teaching Residency – Childhood Special Education (MSEd)
- East Harlem Tutorial Program – Childhood Special Education (Advanced Certificate)
- Educational Leadership – SBL/SDL (MSEd)
- Education Leadership – School District Leader (Advanced Certificate)
- Educational Psychology (MA)
- Elementary Mathematics Specialist Program (MSEd)
- Gifted Education Extension (Advanced Certificate)
- Hunter College – New Visions Charter Residency – Adolescent Special Education (MSEd)
- Literacy Education – Birth-Grade 6 (MSEd)
- Literacy Education – Grades 5-12 (MSEd)
- Mental Health Counseling (MSEd)
- Music Education (MA)
- Music Education – with Initial NYS Music Certification (MA)
- NYC Teaching Collaborative – Adolescent Special Education (MSEd)
- NYC Teaching Collaborative – Bilingual (MSEd)
- NYC Teaching Collaborative – Childhood Special Education D75 (MSEd)
- NYC Teaching Collaborative – TESOL PreK-12 (MA)
- NYC Teaching Fellows – Adolescent Special Education (MSEd)
- NYC Teaching Fellows – Bilingual (MSEd)
- NYC Teaching Fellows – Childhood Special Education D75 (MSEd)
- Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd)
- Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Early Childhood Special Education (MSEd)
- Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Learning Disabilities (MSEd)
- Rehabilitation Counseling (MSEd)
- School Counseling (MSEd)
- Severe and Multiple Disabilities Annotation Extension (Advanced Certificate)
- Subsidized Bilingual Extension Program
- Success Academy – Adolescent Special Education (Advanced Certificate)
- Success Academy – Adolescent Special Education (MSEd)
- Success Academy – Childhood Special Education (Advanced Certificate)
- Success Academy – Childhood Special Education (MSEd)
- TESOL Adult (MA)
- TESOL (Advanced Certificate)
- TESOL – with prior MA in TESOL or Linguistics (Advanced Certificate)
- TESOL Intensive Teacher Institute (ITI)
- TESOL PreK-12 (MA)
- TESOL PreK-12 – with prior NYS Certification (MA)
- Urban Teacher Residency – Adolescent Biology (MA)
- Urban Teacher Residency – Adolescent Chemistry (MA)
- Urban Teacher Residency – Adolescent Earth Science (MA)
- Urban Teacher Residency – Adolescent English (MSEd)
- Urban Teacher Residency – Adolescent Math (MA)
- Urban Teacher Residency – Adolescent Special Education (MSEd)
- Urban Teacher Residency – TESOL (MA)
- Visual Arts Education (MA)
- Visual Arts Education – with prior NYS Certification (MA)
- Visual Impairment – Combined Rehabilitation Teaching and Orientation and Mobility (MSEd)
- Visual Impairment – Rehabilitation Teaching (MSEd)
New York State Teacher Certification Exam (NYSTCE) Test Prep Resources
Career, Professional and Partnership Development (CPPD) offers test preparation workshops for the Educating All Students (EAS) and the Multi-Subject Content Specialty Tests (CST) required for New York State Certification. The workshops are led by an instructor who has experience teaching and designing test preparation curricula. Registration is announced at the beginning of the semester. Spaces are limited, and students who are interested should plan to register early.
Visit the New York State Teacher Certification Exam (NYSTCE) Test Prep page for more information.
For support with the ATS-W exam, visit the School of Education ATS-W Resource site.
New York State law requires fingerprinting as a means to perform criminal history background checks for applicants for certification and all prospective employees of school districts, charter schools, and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) within New York State. For more information, please visit the Fingerprinting Information page.
How to Apply for the Emergency COVID-19 Certificate
For students who have completed all certification requirements, other than exam requirements including the edTPA, New York state has created an additional Emergency COVID-19 certificate that will be valid for one year and available to candidates in their specified certificate areas.
Only students who are graduating in Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021 or prior semesters are eligible for the certification and those who are currently enrolled into a School of Education Alternative Certification program (Teaching Fellows, NYC Teaching Collaborative etc.) and need to obtain Transitional B Certification. Students who have completed all certification requirements, including exams and edTPA (or have used the safety net), can apply for certification as usual and do not need to apply for the Emergency Certification.
You must meet all requirements for your base certification, except the exams, and apply by September 1, 2021.
For support, please contact soeoasa@hunter.cuny.edu.
The following is a step-by-step guide to apply for the Emergency COVID-19 certification through the New York State Department of Education’s TEACH Account.
1. Create/Log in to your TEACH Account
Students must create/log in to their New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Account.
2. Apply for your base certification.
Depending on your program this could be an Initial, Additional Certificate, Transitional B Certificate or Professional Certification. Directions on how to apply can be found on the Certification and Licensure page. Choose your program from the list and follow those directions first. Keep that page open in another window or tab as you will need to refer to it again. Then return to these directions.
3. Verify/Update Profile Again
The Verify/Update Profile section will ask for education and employment history. You must open each section, review and save it in order to move forward in the application.
4. Select Certificate(s)
On the certificate page, enter the information as you have done for your base certification.
- Select your Area of Interest: Follow directions from your Certification/Licensure page.
- Select your Subject Area: Follow directions from your Certification/Licensure page.
- Select the Grade Level: Follow directions from your Certification/Licensure page.
- Select the Title: Follow directions from your Certification/Licensure page.
- Select your Certificate Type: Emergency COVID-19
Students must add each certificate they want to apply for.
On the next page, select “Pathway – Individual Evaluation.” Then select Next.
5. Sign Affidavit
6. Confirm and Sign Application
7. Review Application Transaction Summary
Teacher certification candidates who complete student teaching or a similar clinical experience in Spring 2020 through Summer 2021 but were not able to complete their edTPA due to the COVID-19 crisis are eligible to be exempt from the edTPA. Candidates must instead take and pass the Assessment of Teaching Skills Written (ATS-W), or use a prior passing score on the ATS-W. For more information on the safety net and a full list of qualifying courses, please visit the School of Education COVID-19 page.
Students applying for certification or licensure in states other than New York must complete the Out of State Certification and Licensure Form.
Students applying for certification or licensure for Mental Health Counseling or ABA can upload their required forms to the Out of State Certification and Licensure Form.
Submitting Workshop Completion
Upon completion of required workshops, students must submit their workshop certification(s) to the Office of Academic and Student Affairs so that their CUNYfirst account can be updated.
Please use this form to request a letter from the School of Education to verify your education experience.
Connect with a Certification or Licensure Advisor
To make an appointment with an advisor, please select “Certification and Licensure Advising” from the options below. You will then select the advisor that aligns with your School of Education program.