A student working with a teacher.

Master of Science  in
Secondary Education

Start Your Career as a Secondary School Teacher

Learn how to teach students in ways that help them develop intellectually and socially.

The master's in secondary education (MSSE) program prepares you to teach a specific subject to students in grades 7-12. Our graduates are eligible for initial certification to teach in New York State (NYS) public schools.  

Our program will teach you to be a reflective practitioner who is prepared to help young people thrive in school and beyond. Advanced coursework in your content specialty and graduate seminars in pedagogical theory and research prepare you for a satisfying career working with young people. Through these fieldwork requirements, you learn how to develop curricula, manage classrooms, use educational technology, and engage productively with diverse students. 

Content area concentration options at UAlbany include social studies, English language arts, mathematics, biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, French and Spanish.

Program of Study

programofstudy

This program is typically completed in about 18 months. Some students are able to complete it more quickly, while others might take more time.

MSSE commonly students start with two summer courses and then take additional graduate classes over the fall and spring semesters while completing experiences in schools. Then in the final fall semester, students complete their full-time student teaching and a graduate seminar in which they discuss these classroom experiences.


Foundations of Education

  • Teachers in Context
  • Adolescent Development
  • Assessment in Education
  • Characteristics of and Methods for Teaching Exceptional Secondary Students in Inclusive Settings


Teaching Methods and Field Experiences in Your Content Area

  • Teaching Middle School: Methods and Field Experience (6 credits)
  • Teaching High School: Methods and Field Experience (9 credits)
  • Teaching in the Secondary School (3 credits)

Technology, Media & Literacy

  • Media Literacy
  • Reading and Writing across the Curriculum (for concentrations in Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, or World Languages) OR
  • Teaching Composition in the Secondary School (for concentration in English)


Advanced Study in Content Area

Two graduate courses in your academic content area (500-level or above).


NYS Training Requirements

  • School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE) Training
  • Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
  • Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)


Additional Information

See the Graduate Bulletin for details.

For more information, contact Brett Levy at [email protected].

"This program changed my life. My professors and mentors saw something in me I didn’t see in myself at the time, and they deeply uplifted and encouraged me. Today, I teach algebra at my high school alma mater, and I know that I was called to be in the classroom."

- Keyana Williams, High School Algebra Teacher

Earn Your Degree and Initial Certification

The MS in Secondary Education is a NYS-approved teacher preparation program.

Earning this graduate degree and completing any additional state requirements provides you with initial certification – the entry-level credential you need to start teaching secondary school (grades 7-12) in the state.

State requirements currently include the Education for All Students (EAS) exam and the NYS Content Specialty Test (CST).

Looking Ahead: Professional Certification

To move up in your teaching career, you need to achieve professional certification, an advanced teaching credential. 

This program also meets the degree requirement for professional certification in NY. Please check with NYSED for a current list of other items needed for progression of the certification.

certification

This program is approved for licensure or certification in New York State.
For more information on Professional Licensure Disclosure, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Information for Potential Applicants

General admission requirements include a minimum 3.0 GPA, statement of goals, three letters of recommendation (two academic), and an interview (by invitation only).

There are also various pre-requisites for each certification area, which are outlined below. Applicants may be admitted to the program with up to nine missing credits of undergraduate prerequisites, so if you do not have the coursework listed below, you may still be eligible for admission.

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Biology

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in BIOLOGY equivalent to a major. In addition, the following science distribution must be met: 3 credits in chemistry, 3 credits in earth science, 3 credits in physics. These can be included as part of the major or in addition to.

Chemistry

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in CHEMISTRY equivalent to a major. In addition, the following science distribution must be met: 3 credits in biology, 3 credits in earth science, 3 credits in physics. These can be included as part of the major or in addition to.

Earth Science

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in EARTH SCIENCE or GEOLOGY equivalent to a major. In addition, the following science distribution must be met: 3 credits in biology, 3 credits in chemistry, 3 credits in physics. These can be included as part of the major or in addition to.

English Language Arts

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in ENGLISH equivalent to a major.

Students enrolled in this program are eligible to add supplemental certificate degrees in English Studies CGS and Teaching Composition CGS.

French

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in FRENCH (equivalent to a major).

Mathematics

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in MATHEMATICS equivalent to a major.

Physics

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in PHYSICS equivalent to a major. In addition, the following science distribution must be met: 3 credits in biology, 3 credits in chemistry, 3 credits in earth science. These can be included as part of the major or in addition to.

Social Studies

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in HISTORY or another SOCIAL SCIENCE (anthropology, economics, geography, political science or sociology) equivalent to a major, provided that the content core in social studies shall include study in economics, government, and at least a total of 21 semester hours of study in the history and geography of the United States and the world.

Spanish

To be eligible for this program, you must have majored in or completed 36 credit hours in SPANISH equivalent to a major.

ACCELERATED UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE OPTION

If you’re a current UAlbany undergraduate student with at least a 3.2 GPA, you can save money and lighten your course load as a graduate student by beginning your graduate degree coursework in your senior year. 

Up to 12 academic credits, billed at the undergraduate rate, can count towards both degrees. This combined program option, called the Great Dane Teacher Pathway, provides a more direct and clear path to becoming a certified teacher in New York State.

You can apply for admission to the combined program late in your junior year to begin the program in your senior year.

Contact your undergraduate advisor to see if you’re eligible and learn about your combined graduate program options.

UAlbany graduate at Commencement
combined

Accreditation

The University at Albany is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.


 

Logo for the AAQEP - Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation
Accreditation Details

The programs listed below have been awarded full accreditation by AAQEP through June 30, 2028. Full accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.


AAQEP-Accredited Programs and Annual Reports at the University at Albany


Advanced Graduate Certificate Programs


Master of Science Programs

Admissions Requirements

admissions
Deadlines
  • Summer or Fall start:
    • Deadline 1: December 31
    • Deadline 2: March 3
  • Spring start: Not Available

A summer start is recommended for the program.

There is no departmental assistantship consideration for this program.

Required Application Materials
  • Transcripts from all higher education institutions attended
  • Three letters of recommendation (at least two letters from professors)
  • Statement of goals

Available information for applicants.

 

Special Notes

A minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA is required. Please contact the Pathways in Education (PIE) Center, if you have any admissions requirement questions.

Combined undergraduate/graduate applicants must have a 3.2 GPA to apply.

Admission is contingent upon application materials and departmental interview. Interviews are by invitation only.

This program requires an internship, field experience, study abroad component or clinical experience requirement. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. If applicants have concerns about this matter please contact the Dean’s office of the intended academic program.

Student Learning Objectives


Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

Master of Science
  • Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the major concepts within your chosen subject of instruction (e.g., English, history, chemistry) as evidenced by your grades in content courses and performance on New York State content examination.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of New York State content learning standards for your subject areas through planning and delivery of standards-based classroom instruction.
  • Plan lessons that demonstrate knowledge of how 5–12 students learn and engage with core ideas and cross-cutting concepts in your subject area.
  • Engage in reflective inquiry on your practice both independently and with others to foster continual personal growth and learning progression toward more sophisticated understandings.
  • Design assessments that recognize and consider student preconceptions and understandings developed during instruction.
  • Design and facilitate authentic learning experiences, which facilitate relevant and meaningful content learning for 5–12 students.
  • Provide learners with multiple points of access to instruction (e.g., visual, verbal, written, gesture, etc.).
  • Demonstrate knowledge of how theories and research about social justice, diversity and equity can enhance students’ opportunities to learn.
  • Understand and adapt to diverse learning styles in instructional settings.
  • Demonstrate understanding of an interconnected and interdependent global context.
  • Demonstrate how media and technology can enhance classroom practice to meaningfully support learning.
  • Pursue scholarship to enhance and engage professionally in both the content area and teaching field (e.g., attend conferences, read new literature, write, etc.).
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Careers and Advisement

The Pathways Into Education (PIE) Center is the central office on campus serving undergraduate, graduate, and prospective students interested in pursuing careers in education and programs leading to teacher certification.

Please call or email to schedule an appointment.

Graduate Advisement:
Email Graduate Advisement
518-442-3529

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