Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Advanced Graduate Certificate

Admission has been suspended as of Summer 2020 while the program is being redesigned.

The program is designed for in-service teachers and other interested parties. It satisfies the NYS Requirements for English as a New Language Programs under Part 154. (“Certified teacher trained in cultural competency, language development and the needs of ENL students”). The target audience for this advanced certificate will mainly be current content (7-12) and classroom (K-6) teachers.

Admission Requirements:

  • Must hold a valid NY State certificate in a classroom teaching title. Those with pending certification or certification from another state will not be admissible.
  • Must hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
  • 12 credits in language other than English. Please note: the University will accept equivalents for the 12 credits of language other than English, but this does not fulfill the New York State Teacher Certification requirements if the student does not complete this program.
  • Official transcripts
  • 3 Letters of recommendation
  • Statement of goals
  • GPA: A 3.0 or better (out of a 4.0) quality grade point average

Program Requirements (15 credits):

  • E Tap 501 - The Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (3)
  • E Tap 550 - Approaches to English Grammar (3)
  • E Tap 631 - Introduction to Language in Education (3)
  • E Tap 635 - Teaching Methodology for English Language Learners (3)
  • E Tap 653 - Language, Literacy, and Technology (3)
  • 50 Hours of Field Experience
  • 20 Days of Practicum

This program is not eligible for federal financial aid.

Please note: This program is licensure qualifying. 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.

Additional Program/NYSED Requirements:

  • Child Abuse Identification and Reporting Training
  • School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE) Training
  • DASA Training

As an approved teacher preparation program with the New York State Education Department, there may be additional certification requirements applicable. These requirements may include, but are not limited to additional workshops. Certification procedures and requirements are outlined on the School of Education’s Teacher Certification website

Federal Licensure/Certification Disclosure

Effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified.

The TESOL AGC program at the University at Albany is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State. Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have determined that the TESOL AGC program at the University at Albany meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the additional following U.S. States: none.

It is important to note that the University at Albany is not the licensure/certification authority in other U.S. States and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in other U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes.