Thank you for visiting the MA Teaching Spanish web page. Spanish being the second most spoken language in the United States of America and the most spoken language in Lehman College neighboring communities, we are proud to be offering an opportunity for individuals wishing to specialize in teaching Spanish to do so.  The added bonus for joining our program is that we make sure that you graduate from it a bilingually competent educator!

The major requirement for being accepted in the program is to have completed a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a Spanish major (or its equivalent) and an overall index of 3.0 or higher.  The successful applicant must have completed 24 credits in advanced (300-level and above) undergraduate Spanish courses (including a minimum of 12 advanced credits in literature courses conducted in Spanish).   You need 36-39 credits in total to complete the coursework; additionally, there are state mandated examinations and workshops, as well as an Oral Proficiency Interview,  that must be fulfilled in order to achieve the  7-12 Spanish Teaching certification.

Specifically, submission of scores on Academic Literacy Skills and the Spanish Content Specialty Tests is required within the first three semesters following admissions.  Additionally, before completing 18 credits, the candidate must successfully complete the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), i.e., with at least the  Advanced Low Level check according to the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL) score sheet.

We wish to stress that ability to communicate in Spanish on top of a college degree in a subject other than Spanish, or completion of college in a Spanish speaking institution, does not make one eligible to pursue a MA in Teaching Spanish.

On a positive note, qualified Teaching Spanish 7-12 candidates may also apply to the Advanced Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL P-12), and become ESOL-certified upon successful completion of that program of study.

M.A. Teaching Spanish

This program is designed for candidates seeking a Master's degree in Teaching Spanish. Graduates of this program are eligible for New York State Certification in Teaching Spanish grades 7-12 upon completion of additional New York State Education Requirements.

Advanced Certificate, Languages Other Than English (LOTE)

This program is designed for candidates who already have a master's degree in a language other than English and who seek New York State Certification in the teaching of Languages Other than English (LOTE) grades 7-12.