Undergraduate Admissions

Prospective First-Year Students

Prospective first-year students interested in entering the childhood or early childhood education programs at Buffalo State must apply through the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Students interested in the childhood or early childhood education programs who meet the current admissions requirements are accepted directly into the major. First-year students who do not yet meet the admissions requirements are accepted into the pre-major (CEDW).

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Transfer Students

Students transferring from other institutions of higher education who are interested in entering the childhood or early childhood education programs at Buffalo State must apply through the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Students meeting the admission requirements for these majors are accepted directly into the major.

Whether transfer students may be eligible for acceptance directly into one of the full elementary education majors will be decided on a case-by-case basis or by college joint articulation agreements. Students who have not yet met the admission requirements may be admitted into CEDW or their chosen concentration.

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Current Students

If you are currently attending Buffalo State in a different major and want to switch to an elementary education major, please complete an application available in Bacon Hall 302. You will need to have an overall GPA of 3.0 and to have submitted SAT or ACT scores to admissions. Department advisers are available to help with the application process.

Apply for 4+1 Pathways

Submit a written statement of commitment to the major that clearly demonstrates why the candidate is selecting the 4+1 option for Early Childhood Educators and affirms the candidate’s intent to remain at Buffalo State for both undergraduate and graduate studies. Applications to 4+1 pathways are available in Bacon Hall 302.

Learn about 4+1 Pathways

Admission & Certification

Becoming an Elementary Teacher
If you have a 3.0 college GPA or 85% high school average and have submitted an ACT or SAT score to admissions, you may be admitted directly into the CED major and will have an opportunity to change to the more specific education major of your choice. You will also declare a concentration.

If you are CEDW or another major at SUNY Buffalo State, then you need to complete an application to the elementary education major of your choice. These are available in Bacon Hall 302.

Available Majors
CED = Childhood Education, grades 1-6
ECE = Early Childhood Education, birth- grade 2
ECC = Combined Childhood and Early Childhood Education, birth-grade 6 CEN =
grades 1-6, with a 7-9 extension in English
CMT = grades 1-6, with a 7-9 extension in Math
CSS = grades 1-6, with a 7-9 extension in Social Studies
CFR = grades 1-6, with a 7-9 extension in French
CSH = grades 1-6, with a 7-9 extension in Spanish
CIT = grades 1-6, with a 7-9 extension in Italian

When to Apply
If you did not qualify upon initial acceptance to Buffalo State, then you will work toward meeting the necessary requirements. For instance, once you have been accepted at Buffalo State, applications for the education majors are accepted at any time throughout the year, as soon as you have reached the requirement of a 3.0 GPA and have submitted an ACT or SAT score to admissions. You may apply in later semesters as well, but ideally before you have reached 45 credit hours.

How to Apply
As an incoming freshmen, you may choose elementary education during the college application process if you have an 85% High School average and have submitted an ACT or SAT score to admissions. As an incoming transfer student, you may choose elementary education during the college application process if you have an
overall college GPA of 3.0 and have submitted an ACT or SAT score to admissions.

Qualifications
CEDW, UNC, and students with other SUNY Buffalo State majors need to have achieved a Buffalo State overall GPA of 3.0 and have submitted ACT or SAT scores to admissions. Following the application process discussed above, you will receive a letter of acceptance if you qualify.

Apply to Undergraduate Admissions
Prospective first-year and transfer students interested in entering the childhood education programs at Buffalo State must apply through the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Current students should contact the department directly for program admission requirements.
 
The Elementary Education, Literacy, and Educational Leadership Major
At the time of application and admission to the department, you will choose a specific program and concentration and you will begin to take observation and methods courses. Upon successful completion of each level, you will progress to the next sequential level in preparation for the student teaching placements which you will complete in your final semester.

Graduation
Upon successfully completing all coursework and student teaching, you will be eligible to apply for your bachelor's degree, as the first step toward your recommendation for initial certification.

Initial Certification
The Initial Certificate is the entry-level classroom teaching certificate in New York State and is issued by the State for a specific subject and grade level. In addition to the bachelor's degree, fingerprinting/background check, three certification exams, and five seminars are required for certification. The institution may recommend you for initial certification upon degree and seminar completion, but the State will not issue the certificate until all state requirements are met.
 
Professional Certification
To become permanently certified to teach in New York State, you must hold Initial Certification, and then complete additional requirements in order to be recommended for a Professional Certificate. Teachers are expected to meet the requirements for a Professional Certificate by completing a master's (or higher) degree program as well as three years of teaching experience in an approved setting. The requirements for the Professional Certificate must be met within five years of the granting of Initial Certification.

Master's Including Initial Teaching Certification (MIITC)
The MIITC program is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree in one of the liberal arts and sciences. It leads to an M.S. in education and eligibility to apply for initial certification in childhood and early childhood education from the New York State. To receive initial certification, students must also pass the applicable New York State certification exams and fulfill all other State certification requirements.

Graduate Admissions

Requirements

The university welcomes qualified applicants seeking intellectual enrichment and professional advancement through advanced study.

For admission to graduate study, students must hold an approved baccalaureate degree from an institution that is accredited by an approved regional accrediting agency.

Admission is granted jointly by the Elementary Education, Literacy, and Educational Leadership Department and the Graduate Studies Office.

Graduate Studies Office

Application Materials

Application materials are available from the Graduate Studies Office.

All applications must be submitted online.

All required parts of the application, including supplemental materials, must be submitted by the deadline(s) indicated on the Graduate Studies website.

If you have questions or require more information about these programs please email eergradprogram@buffalostate.edu.

Graduate Studies Office

Application materials