Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families: Additional NYS Certification (Advanced Certificate)
Welcome to the Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families: Additional NYS Certification (Advanced Certificate) program home page. Use this page as a guide to the program from acceptance to graduation.
The program is designed for students with existing New York State certification in early childhood general education.
Academic Plan
For students starting Summer 2022 or later
- ECDL-AC
For students starting prior to Summer 2022
- ECSEB2-AC
Advisors
- Jamie Bleiweiss, Program Leader and Faculty Advisor for last names A-E
- Imani Perez, Faculty Advisor for last names F t0 M
- Nancy Sall, Faculty Advisor for last names N to Z
- Nora McCormick, Administrative Advisor
- Elizabeth Harrison, Clinical Placement Specialist
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
- Clinical Experiences and Fingerprinting Orientation
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 Sequences
Consult the program sequence for a suggested order of courses for the program based on start date. It also includes when to take certification exams and apply for clinical experiences in addition to other important non-course requirements. For technical registration support and troubleshooting, please visit the Register for Classes page.
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
The Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families: Additional NYS Certification (Advanced Certificate) program prepares candidates for professional roles in classrooms, homes, and communities across the birth through grade 2 age range. Clinical experiences are a critical component of the program and designed to provide reflective experiences in order to develop competencies in working with young children of diverse ages, abilities, cultures, and languages and their families. These experiences are purposely sequenced so candidates learn new competencies that build upon those acquired in earlier experiences.
Students participate in clinical experiences which include:
- developmental field experiences (fieldwork)
- supervised teaching (pre-student teaching)
- supervised teaching (student teaching/practicum)
Clinical experiences take place in two of three age group requirements, birth through 4 years; kindergarten; and first or second grade.
Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork)
Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork) are applied experiences in classrooms, homes, or community settings in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements. Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork) are not administered by the Office of Clinical Experiences. For support, please contact the course instructor. Registration, placement, and application processes for fieldwork requirements vary by course.
Supervised Teaching: Pre-Student Teaching
Students participate in supervised teaching (pre-student teaching). Pre-student teaching combines coursework and a sustained clinical experience in preparation for student teaching and/or practicum. Pre-Student teaching requires one full day per week over 10 weeks (to be assigned) for one semester if completed during the academic year or 2-3 days per week for 5 weeks if completed during the summer. Students are observed by Hunter College Clinical Supervisors during the semester. Students may not complete pre-student teaching in their current job.
Registration, Placement and Application Processes and Procedures
All students must apply to the Office of Clinical Experiences and receive permission prior to registering for pre-student teaching. Students will be placed at a Hunter College partner program in New York City including community-based and New York City Department of Education programs.
Application
Students must apply for the following Pre-Student Teaching course through the Office of Clinical Experiences before registering:
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: March 1st
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews pre-student teaching applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission.
- One week before each semester registration opens, the Office of Clinical Experiences will inform students of next steps through their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences will place students at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify them via their myhunter.cuny.edu email
Pre-Student Teaching Hours Time Record Form
Supervised Teaching: Student Teaching/Practicum
Students participate in supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) as the culmination of their course of study. Student teaching and/or practicum requires three full days per week for one semester if completed during the academic year or five full days per week if completed during the summer. Students are observed by Hunter College Clinical Supervisors throughout the semester. Students may complete practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study and meets specific Early Childhood Development and Learning (ECDL) practicum requirements.
Registration, Placement and Application Processes and Procedures
All students must apply for student teaching/practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences for registration permission and, for student teaching, to be placed.
Student Teaching Placement
Student Teachers are placed by the Office of Clinical Experience with a mentor/cooperating teacher at a Hunter College Partner program in New York City. Students teach alongside the mentor/cooperating teacher throughout the semester.
Practicum
Students working full time as assistant, associate or head teacher may be eligible to complete Practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study.
The following are required for Practicum eligibility:
- The age-range must be aligned with pending certification and different from the age range of SPEDE 776
- Student must be responsible for teaching at least three children with IFSPs/IEPs in the remaining age range
- Programs must be located in New York City
- Site must be pre-approved by faculty and/or Office of Clinical Experiences
- Student must submit a letter from worksite/school program director
Practicum Site Approval Form
Application
All students must apply for student teaching and/or practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: March 1st
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews student teaching/practicum applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission.
- One week before each semester registration opens, the Office of Clinical Experiences will inform students of next steps through their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- If students require placement, the Office of Clinical Experiences will place them at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify their myhunter.cuny.edu email
Internship Certificate
Current students who are eligible for practicum and secure a teaching position that requires NYS certification may apply for an internship certificate. Students must apply for practicum first and will only receive instructions thereafter.
Visit the Internship Certificate page for eligibility requirements and application processes and procedures.
Supervised Teaching Time Record Form
Certification and Licensure
This program leads to New York State certification in Students with Disabilities, Birth – Grade 2. Visit the Certification and Licensure page for information and support.
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.