Graduate Programs

 

The Hunter College School of Education offers master’s degree programs in education that cultivate deeply thoughtful, knowledgeable, and highly effective teachers, administrators and counselors. We meet you where you are in life, as 83% of our students are enrolled part-time and able to retain employment. Our faculty and administration are devoted to lead you to the next level of academic and professional achievement and success.

Let us help you find the right graduate program…


Adolescent Education

You love math. Or reading Chinese literature. Or understanding how societies work–and how to improve them. Adolescent Education at Hunter College provides the training and certification you need to make a career out of expanding and sharing your knowledge with middle and high school students, whatever your field of expertise. Because each program is partnered with the School of Arts & Science, students are able to study their chosen subject at the master’s level while developing teaching skills through rich clinical experiences and coursework.

Applicants who majored (or completed significant coursework) in subjects ranging from English to Latin, Physics to Social Studies, will find their path to professional success through Hunter’s wide range of Adolescent Education programs. For applicants entering with a master’s in hand, several program tracks also offer a Post-Master’s Advanced Certificate.

While working as teachers in a variety of New York City school settings, students are mentored by supportive, expert faculty. They learn how to make their subjects compelling to diverse populations. They practice designing effective curricula and implementing multiple learning modalities for adolescent learners. They integrate technology into the classroom and develop experiential learning projects to engage their students. And, because of their immersion in New York City schools and close collaboration with faculty and classmates, graduates leave Hunter having developed expansive professional networks, ensuring job placement and continued opportunities throughout their careers.


Bilingual Education

Our Bilingual Education programs prepare students to become skilled, knowledgeable, caring teachers who will provide meaningful schooling experiences to English language learners in dual-language early childhood centers and elementary schools. Faculty and students in Bilingual Ed programs believe additive bilingualism is a desired goal for learners, diversity is a strength upon which to build learning, and families and communities are a source of strength and knowledge in the development of children as learners.

Bilingual Education master’s degree programs are offered in Spanish/English, French/English, and Chinese/English at both the Childhood (Grades 1-6) and Early Childhood (Birth – Grad 2) levels. Bilingual Extension programs are also available for certified teachers, counselors, and social workers.


Childhood Education

Effective elementary school education — education that empowers and elevates students of all backgrounds and abilities–depends on student-centered methods, individualized approaches, cultural responsiveness, and specialized pedagogies based on research, theory, and practice. Hunter’s robust range of Childhood Education programs prepares students to work with learners of all types and provides current teachers the opportunity to advance their careers through specialization in elementary school settings.

Students shape their course of study to fit individual professional and pedagogical goals. “Embedded” in schools from the very beginning of the program, they gain a wealth of clinical and field experience while learning from expert faculty who care. Program tracks in Special Education provide teachers with the opportunity to specialize in clinically-effective practices for engaging students with Learning Disabilities or Behavioral Disorders. Other programs include Literacy, Bilingual Education (in Spanish, French, and Chinese), and Elementary Math Specialist. Also offered is the Childhood Specialist in STEM program, one of the first of its kind in the country.

Teachers already certified in Childhood Education Grades 1-6 in New York State can earn a master’s degree in a number of these fields, including Literacy, Math, STEM, Special Education, and TESOL. Regardless of specialization, graduates become leaders in all types of educational settings, as teachers, mentors, faculty development facilitators, instructional designers, inclusion and behavior support specialists, college instructors, principals, and even founders of their own schools and programs.


Computer Science, Math and STEM

Hunter’s School of Education is the first in New York State to offer graduate and post-graduate programs preparing educators to train the next generation of coders. New York has and will continue to have a strong demand for tech professionals. We are committed to preparing teachers to deliver high-quality instruction so that our students have the hands-on experience to step into technology jobs in the future.


Counseling

Students in our counseling programs are dedicated to helping others live full and enriched lives. Central to this goal, as to all counseling work, is the belief that all people are capable of growth and development. Our programs reflect that principle. Through coursework and field placement, students develop the skills, cultural competencies, and self-awareness necessary for building collaborative relationships with clients in a variety of settings.

Our supportive, knowledgeable faculty introduce students to the most advanced counseling theories. Throughout their studies, students apply their learning and gain clinical experience in supervised practice throughout the city, in a wide variety of agency placement sites.

In each of our three programs, students benefit from Hunter’s diverse student body, dedicated faculty, and strong clinical focus. School Counselors advance to work with students and families in educational environments, and also find employment in hospitals, correctional facilities, and community organizations. Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling graduates practice in a range of community-based settings, providing person-centered counseling to youth and adults with disabilities. Through the Mental Health Counseling program, students become counselors for individuals and families across the lifespan, in agencies, hospitals, and other settings, including private practice.


Creative Arts

Creative Arts programs at Hunter College enable artists and art educators to share their creative passions with the next generation. Students receive individualized guidance from premier arts and education faculty, developing practical classroom teaching skills alongside a foundation in pedagogical theory. Field placements in New York City K-12 public schools provide hands-on training in the use of arts education to foster intellectual and social growth.

Graduates are able to build effective curricula and engage a diverse range of students in the areas of music, visual arts, and, most recently, dance. With its culturally rich location, Creative Arts Education produces well-rounded experts in both subject areas and pedagogy. Intensive faculty attention, high certification rates, and curricula emphasizing diversity and critical thinking equip new and current arts educators to succeed in traditional and emergent educational contexts.


Dual Certification

Students enrolled in one of our Dual Certification master’s degree programs become eligible for New York State teacher certification in two areas upon completion of their master’s degree. Graduating with two certifications allows you to be more marketable in the field and provides the foundation of a base certification required for additional certifications and extensions. Dual certification programs at Hunter College include general and special education options or specialized certifications paired with general Early Childhood or Childhood education.


Early Childhood

Hunter’s Early Childhood programs prepare future graduates to create caring, enriching developmental and learning experiences in classrooms, homes and communities for children from birth to age eight. We are guided by the philosophy that all children have the inherent capacity to learn and grow in environments that foster creative thinking. Our students develop the theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills to support children across diverse cultures, abilities, settings, ages, and urban contexts.

Through field observation, student teaching, and coursework, the programs in Early Childhood train all graduates to collaborate with team members, including families, to plan, implement and evaluate interventions that fit the needs of individual children. Hunter graduates compete successfully in this growing field–they find positions in public, private, and community-based settings. Many go on to become leaders and change agents in their area of expertise, taking on leadership roles in schools and school districts, founding start-ups, or continuing on to doctoral work.


Educational Psychology

How do humans learn? What motivates us to acquire knowledge? And how do we become more successful learners? In Hunter’s Educational Psychology concentrations, students explore the most current, research-based answers to these questions through a challenging curriculum.

The General Educational Psychology concentration offers scholarly training in theories of learning and human development. The Assessment, Research, and Evaluation concentration prepares students to evaluate, assess, and measure educational programs. Guided by excellent faculty, students engage in rigorous coursework, research opportunities, and internships. They learn how to synthesize qualitative and quantitative approaches to data analysis, hone academic writing skills, and work with diverse populations across settings. Whether your final goal is to pursue a doctorate, work in an education setting, or find employment in the private sector, our Educational Psychology programs provide key research and evaluation skills.


Leadership Programs

Designed for the working professional educator, Hunter’s educational leadership programs are hands-on and practical, preparing students to supervise all types of schools and school districts. Students attend courses one night per week to earn a Master’s degree and SBL/SDL certification.

From Hunter’s expert faculty, they learn how to improve student, teacher, and school outcomes, and how to navigate the legal and financial complexities of effective administration. Based on a cohort model, the programs encourage students to build relationships and community among their classmates, providing the foundation for lasting professional networks. Graduates have gone on to succeed in district public, charter, independent, and parochial educational settings, as well as district administration offices. Applicants must hold a master’s degree, NYS professional certification, and 2-3 years of teaching and/or school service experience.


Special Education

Hunter’s School of Education boasts a wide range of master’s degree, advanced certificate, and post-master advanced certificate programs in Special Education. These nationally recognized programs prepare teachers to implement specially designed instruction for students with unique needs. Graduates will have learned how to assess students, implement individualized interventions, and apply evidence-based practices to real-world situations. They graduate ready to succeed in a variety of educational settings, including public and private schools, general and special education programs, home programs, hospitals, clinics, health agencies, and residential facilities.

A unique feature of our programs is the breadth of opportunities available, many of which offer dual certification. Each program includes coursework in cross-categorical core knowledge as well as disability-specific instruction. Professionals already working in the field will find our programs flexible, rigorous, and relevant to their specific career goals. For those entering a new career in special education, our programs provide excellent preparation for work across diverse cultures, languages, abilities, settings, age, and urban contexts.


Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Hunter’s internationally recognized TESOL programs provide teachers the knowledge and credentials they need for success in the ESL classroom. Whether beginning a new career or pursuing advanced training, students may choose from a range of specialized programs depending on their professional goals: teaching ESL Pre-K-12, co-teaching ESL within content area classrooms, teaching English as a Foreign Language, literacy ESL for adults, and academic ESL in pre-college programs.

In addition to classroom teachers, graduates have become administrators, editors, ESL curriculum developers, and instructional coaches throughout the US and abroad. In both Pre-K-12 and Adult TESOL program tracks, students learn the research-based teaching practices most effective for their intended learner population. Rigorous coursework emphasizes theory and practice. Extensive fieldwork opportunities include New York City classroom observations, the Costa Rica Study Abroad program, and Service Learning Travel Courses. While receiving a world-class education with high rates of job placement, students become part of a lasting professional network of current students, alumni, and faculty.


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