Graduate Program

M.S.Ed. in Second Language Education & Bilingual Extension
Concentrations in Spanish, French or English as a Second Language (ESL)

Graduate Advisement Manual - PDF format
Tentative listing of upcoming course offerings
Upcoming Graduate Comprehensive Exams :
(December 2009)

M.S.Ed. in Second Language Education

This program leads to the New York State professional certification in French or Spanish, or initial certification in English as a Second Language. The program consists of five core courses (15 hours) required of all students, plus five additional courses (15 hours) for each of the three areas of specialization. The ESL concentration also requires 50 hours of field observation and a semester-long (or equivalent) student teaching experience for the program leading to NYS Teaching certifiaction in TESOL. Students selecting the ESL concentration must also satisfy a 12 semester-credit hour foreign language requirement. Finally, all students must pass a comprehensive examination.

General coursework

Core Courses
- An advanced course in the philosophical or social foundations of education (EDU 671)
- Seminar in Methods of Second Language Teaching (EDU 637)
- Second Language Acquisition (ICC 623)
- Linguistics for Foreign Language Educators (ICC 621)
- Integrating Technology in the Foreign Language Classroom (ICC 523)

- Comprehensive Examination (ICC 685, 1 cr. hr.)

Specialized Courses ESL Concentration
- Theory and Practice of Bilingual/Multicultural Education (ICC 622)
- Materials and Techniques for Teachers of ESL for Mathematics, Science, and Social Science (ICC 620)
- Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ICC 624)
- Advanced English Grammar and Usage (ENG 601 or ICC 529 Pedagogical Grammar for TESOL)
- Program-related Elective
- Student teaching at both elementary and secondary levels

French Concentration
- Teaching French and Francophone Literature (FRE 506)
- Two graduate-level courses in French literature (FRE 515)
- Teaching French and Francophone Civilization (FRE 504)
- Program-related Elective

Spanish Concentration
- Teaching Spanish Peninsular and Latin American Literature (SPA 606)
- One graduate-level course in Spanish Peninsular literature (SPA 615)
- One graduate-level course in Latin American literature (SPA 616)
- Teaching Spanish Peninsular and Latin American Civilization (SPA 604)
- Program-related Elective

REQUIREMENTS for ICC graduate program at SUNY Cortland

1. Total Credit Hours: A minimum of 31-43 credit hours must be earned for graduation in the M.S.Ed. – Second Language Education program. (NOTE: The credit hours above 31 are required only for those pursuing the degree in English as a Second Language who are required to student teach in an ESL classroom). Up to six of these hours may be earned at other accredited institutions and may be transferred with approval. At least 9 of the hours must be at the 600-level (e.g. EDU 637, EDU 671, ICC 621, & ICC 623). In addition to the credit hours, New York SED also requires an additional 50 hours of classroom observation in local schools for those in the ESL concentration. These hours are included in the required coursework for the concentration. The SED also requires 12 credit hours or 4 semesters of study of a second language for certification in English as a Second Language.

(The Bilingual Extension requires five specific 3 credit courses for a total of 15 credit hours of coursework. You do not “graduate” from this program but rather are recommended to SED for this certification area by the College once you have completed all requirements of the program.)

2. Cumulative Average: A cumulative average of 3.0 for all coursework completed at Cortland is required for graduation. No grade below a C- will be counted toward a Master’s degree.

3. Time to Complete: According to New York SED regulations, all graduate degree requirements leading to the professional teaching certificate must be completed within five years of receipt of the initial teaching certificate.

4. State Exams: Students holding provisional certification and enrolled in the M.S.Ed. with concentrations in French or Spanish must receive a passing score on the Content Specialty (CST) for the language of study. Students enrolled in the ESL concentration must receive a passing score on the CST for ESL and the English Language Proficiency Assessment for Classroom Personnel (ELPA-C). Students pursuing the Bilingual Extension must pass the Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) in the target language of instruction. A person who has achieved a passing score on the CST of the target language is not required to take the BEA in the same language.

5. Comprehensive Examinations: In addition to the requirements listed above, all students must successfully complete a departmental comprehensive examination covering the material from the required core in the area of study. The comprehensive examination may not be taken until all coursework has been completed. Students enrolled in the ESL concentration may take the examination after completion of coursework but prior to student teaching, if desired. These examinations are given every summer and also at the end of the fall semester, as needed. Please check with the ICC Graduate Coordinator regarding specific dates for examinations. Students must notify the ICC Graduate Coordinator at least one semester prior to that during which they wish to take the examinations. There is no comprehensive examination requirement for the Bilingual Extension.

Students entering the program beginning fall 2008 will be required to enroll in ICC 685 (1 cr.hr.) in the semester prior to taking the comprehensive exam. Students needing to retake all or part of the exam must be enrolled in ICC 697 - Extension of Graduate Culminating Activity,1 cr. hr. to maintain their active status in the program.

6. Foreign language requirement: Candidates for the M.S.Ed. in Second Language Education with a concentration in English as a Second Language must demonstrate proficiency in a second language at the 4th college semester level. This may be accomplished through CLEP testing, 12 college credits of one foreign language, or private evaluation of language proficiency (at the candidate’s own expense). Please consult with your advisor and/or the ICC Graduate Coordinator about fulfilling this SED requirement.

7. Observation hours: Candidates for the M.S.Ed. in Second Language Education with a concentration in English as a Second Language and for the Bilingual Extension must complete 50 hours of classroom observation tailored to their particular program (ESL or bilingual classrooms). These hours are subsumed in required coursework (ICC 620 and ICC 624) and are mandated by SED.