Master of Arts in Curriculum and Teaching in Secondary Education
Earn Professional Certification as a Grade 7-12 English, Social Studies, Science or Mathematics Teacher in New York State
The Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Teaching with Professional Certification at the Secondary level (MA-CUSD) provides students with courses in the study of pedagogy and curriculum. This involves the critical analysis of disciplinary foundations for secondary-level subject matter and content-specific practices in the area of licensure.
This 32-point program is ideal for early teachers who bring imagination, respect for the capacities of young people, and love of teaching and learning to their work. Students in this program have already earned Initial Certification and wish to remain in the classroom to develop as teacher leaders in their school settings, with their colleagues, and in the field more broadly.
Prerequisite: Initial Certification in Secondary Education in one of these areas: Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, or English.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Master of Arts
- Points/Credits: 32
- Entry Terms: Summer, Fall
- Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Campus-Based, Part-Time Campus-Based
Certification
View Public Disclosure Notification
- NY State Professional: 7-12
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term Available | Priority Deadlines | Final Deadlines | Extended Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Summer | January 15, 2025 | April 1, 2025 | N/A |
| Fall | January 15, 2025 | April 1, 2025 | N/A |
Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines, such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.
Application Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume | |
| Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed | |
| Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable) | |
| $75 Application Fee | |
| Two (2) Letters of Recommendation | |
| Applicants must hold or be eligible for Initial NY State Certification |
For admission-related inquiries, please contact CTadmission@tc.columbia.edu.
For professional certification admission, please submit a resume and: (a) proof of elementary or secondary school teacher initial NYS certification (formerly provisional) or certification from another state, or (b) proof that you have completed an accredited Elementary or Secondary teacher preparation/student teaching program. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is a minimum requirement. Teaching experience is desirable, but not required.
Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2024-2025)
Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 terms.
Curriculum and Teaching Professional Certification in Secondary Education MA / Degree Requirements
OVERVIEW
The Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Teaching with Professional Certification at the Secondary level (MA-CUSD) provides students with courses in the study of pedagogy and curriculum. This involves the critical analysis of disciplinary foundations for secondary-level subject matter and content-specific practices in the area of licensure.
This 32-point program is ideal for early teachers who bring imagination, respect for the capacities of young people, and love of teaching and learning to their work. Students in this program have already earned Initial Certification and wish to remain in the classroom to develop as teacher leaders in their school settings, with their colleagues, and in the field more broadly.
CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE
This program is designed for early career educators currently practicing in, or intending to practice in New York State. Applicants must possess a valid initial license to teach in New York (or a comparable license from another state or jurisdiction), or be eligible for the initial license before beginning coursework. In conjunction with the satisfaction of all other requirements determined by the New York State Department of Education (NYSED), successful completers of the program are eligible for professional certification in New York State in Secondary Education (grades 7-12; English, Social Studies, Science, Technology, or Mathematics). Graduates will apply for professional certification independently with a recommendation from Teachers College if all program requirements are met. For advice on New York State licensure requirements, consult the Office of Teacher Education (OTE): www.tc.columbia.edu/office-of-teacher-education/
REQUIRED COURSES
The program is organized around a core of common coursework and a field experience, dealing with principles, history, theories, and skills of curriculum design and pedagogy. The field experience expects an alert and critical attention to social, ethical, and professional challenges facing educators, children, and young people in schools. Beyond the common core requirements, CUSD students select content pedagogy courses offered across the College and within the Department of Curriculum and Teaching that are appropriate to their area of specialty, licensure requirements, and individual interests.
| CORE COURSES | C&T 4002 Curriculum Theory and History (3 points) C&T 4005 Principles of Teaching and Learning (3 points) C&T 4052 Designing Curriculum and Instruction (3 points) C&T 4145 Critical Perspectives in Secondary Education (3 points) C&T 4200 Fieldwork in Curriculum and Teaching (0-1 point) C&T 4502 Master’s Project Seminar (0-1 point) |
CONTENT PEDAGOGY COURSES
In order to ensure depth of study, MA-CUSD students are required to earn at least 12 points in the content area of their initial certification (four courses) from the appropriate TC programs and departments, e.g.,Social Studies Education, Science Education, Mathematics Education, English Education or C&T. The following are examples of suitable courses, yet selections may vary depending on courses offered within C&T or outside the department. Students are encouraged to search the course directory and propose options to their advisor. The basic criterion for such courses is that they will extend the student’s understanding of both subject matter and pedagogies appropriate to that content area.
CONTENT AREAS | MATHEMATICS
SCIENCE OR TECHNOLOGY
SOCIAL STUDIES
ENGLISH LITERACY
|
ELECTIVE COURSES
The MA-CUSD requires a minimum of 6 elective points taken within the C&T Department.
| SOCIAL CONTEXT REQUIREMENT | At least 1 elective course (2-3 points) must address the social context of education, rather than solely the methods and practice of teaching. This course must be a minimum of 2-points; up to 3 points will count. The following SOCIAL CONTEXT courses or any of the DIVERSITY courses listed below have been pre-approved to satisfy this requirement. There are numerous other possibilities and students may seek advisor approval to use a course not on these lists. C&T 4026 Giftedness and Intelligence C&T 4032 Gender, Difference, and Curriculum C&T 4078 Curriculum and Teaching in Urban Areas C&T 4161 The Teacher: Social-Historical, Cultural Contexts of Teaching C&T 5004 School Change |
| DIVERSITY REQUIREMENT | At least 1 elective course (2-3 points) must address diversity issues relevant to education. This course must be a minimum of 2-points; up to 3 points will count.
The following courses have been pre-approved to satisfy this requirement. There are numerous other possibilities and students may seek advisor approval to use a course not on these lists. C&T 4000 Disability, Exclusion, and Schooling C&T 4001 Differentiating Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms C&T 4010 Immigration and Curriculum C&T 4021 Nature and Needs of Gifted Students C&T 4114 Integrated Curriculum: Diversity, Equity, and Technologies C&T 5037 Literacy, Culture, and the Teaching of Reading C&T 5535 Black, Latina, and Transnational Feminisms |
| SPECIAL EDUCATION COURSE | The DIVERSITY requirement is also used to fulfill the NYSED Special Education requirement. A stand-alone Special Education course aimed at developing “the skills necessary to provide instruction that will promote the participation and progress of students with disabilities in the general education curriculum” is required on your academic record (e.g.,undergraduate or graduate transcript) by NYSED. |
FIELDWORK
Core courses are strengthened through field experience that allows students to observe and critically reflect on the principles, history, theories, and skills of curriculum design and pedagogy. The field experience expects an alert and critical attention to social, ethical, and professional challenges facing educators, children, and young people in schools. Fieldwork will also prompt deepened thoughts, new insights, curiosities, and interests that will enhance readings and discussion in core courses and often leads to inquiry questions that catalyze the Integrative Project.
Recommendation for Professional Certification in Secondary Education (Grades 7-12) requires exposure to a depth of experiences in the area of licensure, such as English, Math, Social Studies, and Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics). Program staff work with teacher collaborators in New York City schools to place MA-CUSD students in classrooms aligned to their area of licensure
| FIELDWORK COURSE | Students gain field experience through a 1-point course, C&T 4200: Fieldwork in Curriculum and Teaching, to be taken over two semesters prior to or concurrent with the master’s project seminar. Students are required to register for 1-point in the Fall, and 0-point in the Spring semester. Through the course, students engage in 50-hours of independent observation and reflection on instructional practices, interactions between and among students and teachers, critical issues, curricular enactments, and design activities. These field experiences are not supervised. *Note: The C&T 4200 course is only applicable for students who have not previously taken the 4-credit version of C&T 4005: Principles of Teaching and Learning. |
INTEGRATIVE PROJECT
As a culminating activity in the program, MA-CUSD students design and conduct a disciplined and substantial inquiry into an issue, problem, and question of particular interest that emerges from fieldwork and classroom practice. The integrative project may take multiple forms, such as practice-based research, curriculum analysis, and design, an arts-based creation, or an academic paper synthesizing and critiquing prior research. Students are encouraged to think creatively and incorporate multimodality in how they design their inquiries and share their new knowledge. In all cases, an end goal is for students to arrive at a well-grounded, articulated perspective and/or a set of recommendations for their own practice and continuing thought. The C&T Programs hold a joint showcase at the end of the academic year in May to share final projects and celebrate inquiry with friends, family, students, and faculty.
| INTEGRATIVE PROJECT SEMINAR | The two-semester seminar, C&T 4502: Masters Project, is the primary site for support in conceptualizing, designing, and carrying out the integrative project. Only 1-point is earned for the course, but the work is substantial and spans two consecutive fall and spring semesters. To the extent possible, the seminar sequence is taken towards the end of a student’s studies. Full-time students ordinarily take the seminar sequence beginning in their first fall semester. Part-time students who plan to complete the degree in two or more years will ordinarily begin the seminar sequence in their second fall semester. |
ADVISING
All students are assigned a faculty advisor prior to commencing studies at Teachers College. Advisor consultation is required for initial course selection and approval before registration. Newly admitted students receive a comprehensive Program Guide with instructions to draft a Program Plan before contacting their assigned faculty advisor.
TIMELINE
The master's degree has a flexible timeline to allow students to determine their schedule for completion. Students work with their advisor to plan a course schedule that maps to their desired graduation timeline. The program can be completed in 16-months with full-time study. A 16-month accelerated timeline opens the opportunity to take courses during the summer. A two-year timeline allows students to deeply engage in coursework and take the time to fully benefit from the rich experiences and community offered by a Teachers College education. The program may also be taken part-time at your own pace. Part-time students have five years to complete the program.
GRADUATION
Degrees are awarded in October, February, and May, but TC holds one commencement ceremony in May. Students will be permitted to attend the May commencement ceremony after the completion of all coursework and the integrative project.
PROGRAM GUIDE
Additional information about all program requirements is available in the MA-CUSD Program Guide provided to all enrolled students.