Curriculum and Teaching Professional Certification

With full-time and part-time degree options, program graduates receive a Master of Arts degree in either elementary or secondary education with New York State professional certification.

The Curriculum and Teaching Professional Certification program develops educators who exert leadership in their school settings and with their colleagues. Their program operates on three main philosophical tenets: teaching as inquiry, teaching as curriculum making, and teaching for social justice. Students in their program graduate with a master of arts degree in either secondary or elementary education with New York State Professional Certification in grades 1-6 or 7-12 in English, Social Studies, Science, Technology, or Mathematics. With careful planning and advisement, the program can be completed in one year starting in the fall semester or the summer, or in 17 months if starting in January. The program may also be taken part-time. Initial Certification is a pre-requisite for admission.

Our Master of Arts in Elementary Education are 32-credit programs which can lead to professional certification as a grades 1-6 teacher in New York State.

Our Master of Arts in Secondary Education are 32-credit programs, which can lead to professional certification as a grades 7-12 teacher in New York State in the areas of English, Social Studies, Science or Mathematics.

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Teacher Certification

Have you:

If so, then you are eligible to apply for a Georgia teaching certificate!

 With courses taken for college credits:

Q: I have completed a teacher preparation program and did not apply for teacher certification before July 1, 2014. How do I apply for teacher certification in Georgia?

Please contact Ms. Chris Parker, Certification Official for teacher certification programs. She can be reached at 706-864-1852. Office visits by appointment only.

Establishing Connection...

Continuing Education Requirements Framework

All who earn a new certification are required to earn continuing education units (CEU) over the 5-year term of their certification to be able to recertify or upgrade to the next level. All ecologists who were certified prior to 2021 are permitted to recertify or upgrade one time without fulfilling the requirement, but are required to complete the CEU afterward.*

CEU will be self-reported by participants on an annual basis through the ESA account. Participants are required to adhere to the ESA Code of Ethics in all activities related to their profession, including when reporting professional development.

Interpretive leeway will be given to participants to identify suitable professional development opportunities per the requirements. Beginning in spring 2021, ESA will publish and regularly update a roster of approved training providers and other opportunities in the Professional Development Calendar, and participants are encouraged to favor those opportunities, but any suitable scientific or professional content will be approved, including credits earned toward certifications offered in the professional practice and application of related scientific disciplines.

You must achieve 44 CEU across the categories as described below. Minima are the lowest number of CEU in a category that must be reported per review period; maxima are the highest number that will count toward your recertification or upgrade. You can of course complete more as you feel is beneficial to your professional development, but don’t report them toward your total requirement of 44 CEU, and don’t report more than 70 CEU across all categories.

In the spirit of continuing education, some activities are capped per event or year with the aim of distributing effort and professional development across multiple activities and multiple years. Ecologists certified by ESA are encouraged to seek development opportunities from a broad array of sources, and at least 50% of all units reported in Category I must be earned through activities provided by organizations other than ESA. This is to encourage broader professional scientific development and support organizations that support their certification program.

The time period in which you are eligible to earn CEU begins the day after your application due date and ends at the due date of your application for recertification or an upgrade. For instance, the application due date in 2021 was February 1; any CEU-eligible activity after that date can be reported and counted toward the requirements. Note that any participation in continuing education following application does not guarantee approval of your application, and cannot be included in your application.

Category I(a) includes scientific education and training that contributes to your professional development as a practicing ecologist. Training may be virtual or in-person.

At least 14 CEU per reporting period must involve education or training in ecology or closely related subjects. Examples include academic or professional development activity in ecology, environmental science, biogeoscience, evolutionary biology, conservation, botany, mycology, entomology, data management, statistics, etc.

Category I(b) includes professional development in key skills for a professional ecologist. Training may be virtual or in-person.

Up to 10 additional CEU per reporting period may involve education and training in leadership, teamwork, project management, resource management, research management and administration, etc., or in allied fields that support your professional development as an ecologist, such as proposal or grant writing.

You may report up to 24 CEU for Category I toward your total requirement per reporting period.

Includes training and practice in the communication of scientific research, data and outcomes via oral presentation. Examples include courses in public speaking or meeting facilitation, or applied instances like oral or live presentations at scientific conferences, teaching a scientific course or providing expert testimony. Includes virtual or in-person presentation. Activities should relate to your professional growth as an ecologist.

You may report up to 14 CEU for oral communication toward your total requirement. There is no required minimum.

Includes writing, editing, reviewing and publishing on syllabus in ecology and related sciences. Content can include papers for peer-reviewed journals, professional reports, and scientific communication for non-technical audiences (including scientifically rigorous journalism). Teaching this content to others is included, as is participating in or providing training on best practices in science communication. Activities should relate to your professional growth as an ecologist.

You may report up to 14 CEU for written communication toward your total requirement.

Includes service to a professional scientific society, public science programs, environmental advocacy groups and similar organizations. Activities should relate to your professional growth as an ecologist as you apply your skills as a scientist or leader.

You may report up to 14 CEU for service toward your total requirement.

This category must be fulfilled in addition to the other minimum 40 units. Ecologists certified by ESA should seek ongoing professional development in such syllabus as diversity, inclusion and equity; anti-sexual harassment; scientific or professional ethics; and community engagement.

You must report exactly 4 CEU for human dimensions toward your total requirement (if the total of your activities in this category exceeds 4, just report 4).

*If, for instance, you hold a certification that was issued in 2018, you may upgrade or recertify in 2023, but will need to earn CEU moving forward. By 2026, all program participants will be required to earn and report their CEU.