certification > Apply for a Certificate

Professional Certificate - Master's Degree Requirement

In order to satisfy the Master's degree requirement and requirement for 12 graduate semester hours in the content core for professional certification, you must have been awarded a Master's from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or from an institution authorized by the Regents to confer degrees. Below are four possible routes to an acceptable master’s degree.

• Graduate Teacher Education Programs Leading to a Certificate
  
  The Master’s degree is acceptable if it is based upon completing any teacher certification program leading to any certificate, whether in New York State or another jurisdiction.  The Master’s degree may be completed toward a classroom teaching, pupil personnel, or supervisory/administrative certificate. 
  
  Such a master's degree can be used to fulfill the master's degree requirement for any additional classroom teaching service certificate title.
   
• Master's Degree accepted previously to satisfy requirements for a permanent or professional classroom teaching certificate
  
  This same Master's degree will satisfy the master's degree requirement and the requirement for 12 graduate semester hours in the content core for professional certification for any subsequent certificate.
  
  
• Master's Degree in the Initial Certificate Content or Related Area
  
  The Master’s degree may also be in the content area of the Initial certificate or in a closely related subject area.  For more information go to the Professional Certificate - Chart of Related Master's Degrees.
  
  In the case of any of the "Generalist" certificates (Early Childhood Education Birth- Grade 2, Childhood Education Grades 1-6, Generalist in Middle Childhood Education Grades 5-9, Students with Disabilities Birth-Grade 2, Students with Disabilities Grades 1-6 and Students with Disabilities Generalist Grades 5-9), the master's degree may be in any of the Liberal Arts & Sciences.
   
• Required Coursework for those with an Unrelated Master's Degree
  
  If the Master’s degree is in none of the above categories, the applicant for Professional certification must complete twelve semester hours of graduate study in the content or related area of the Initial certificate.
  
  IMPORTANT NOTE:  The 12 graduate semester hours may be included in the unrelated Master degree.

Professional Certificate - Chart of Related Master's Degree

This table serves as a guide to common graduate degrees considered to be acceptable as related to the Initial certificate subject area for the purpose of qualifying for the Professional level certificate.

This chart is not intended to be an exhaustive list. For more information on the Master’s degree requirement click on the icon below.

Click on the Initial Certificate Area to view the related Master's or higher degrees for that area: