History Intensive | At least 41 credits

Designed for aspiring social studies teachers who need additional preparation in history and education. This pathway combines graduate study in history and the social sciences with teaching methods, educational foundations, and supervised classroom experience.

Best suited for: Candidates seeking initial Social Studies 7–12 certification who need additional history and education coursework.

Undergraduate Education Minor | 30 credits

Designed for candidates who completed an undergraduate education minor or equivalent education coursework. This pathway builds on previous educational preparation through advanced history and social science study, social studies teaching methods, and student teaching.

Best suited for: Candidates who have already completed qualifying undergraduate education coursework and seek initial certification.

History or Social Science Major | 30 credits

Designed for graduates with a major in history or a social science who need professional teacher preparation. Coursework emphasizes educational foundations, social studies teaching methods, and supervised classroom experience.

Best suited for: History or social science graduates pursuing initial Social Studies 7–12 certification.

Dual Certification | 39 credits

Prepare for dual certification in Social Studies 7–12 and Students with Disabilities 7–12 Generalist. This pathway integrates social studies teaching methods with specialized preparation for teaching diverse learners in inclusive secondary classrooms.

Best suited for: Candidates seeking initial certification in both social studies and special education.

Residency and Dual Certification | 42 credits

This residency pathway combines preparation in social studies education, inclusive instructional practices, and clinical teaching experiences. Candidates pursue dual certification in Social Studies 7–12 and Students with Disabilities 7–12 Generalist.

Best suited for: Eligible candidates entering the dual-certification residency pathway.

• To be eligible for fall admission, complete the application by April 15 (with supporting documentation by May 15). 

  To be eligible for spring admission, complete the application by November 15 (with supporting documentation by December 15).  

  Apply here. 

CUNY offers highly competitive tuition rates here. 

Graduation is the official completion of your program and conferral of an academic credential. To graduate, students must apply for graduation using CUNYFirst the semester before the semester of their planned graduation and complete any outstanding requirements by the stated deadlines. Always check the academic calendar here. 

The MA Social Studies Education program leads to New York State certification in grades 7-12 Social Studies and an option to include Students with Disabilities. Students should visit the certification webpage here for more information and contact information. 

New York State requires a minimum of 100 field hours of observations and participation before entering the final semester of student/internship teaching. The field hours will be attached to most of the courses as you move through the program. Candidates must arrange for background checks and fingerprinting before beginning the program.  

In the semester before the last semester of the program, candidates will apply for student or internship teaching. The application deadline for a fall placement is April 1. The application deadline for a spring placement is November 1. 

Please visit The Clinical Practice & Partnership webpage for information related to fingerprinting, field hours, and student/internship teaching. 

Internship Certificate 

New York State allows master’s program candidates in an Initial Certification program (SST-MA) to seek fulltime employment as a teacher-of-record after completing at least one-half of the credits in the program. If you are interested, talk to the adviser about entering the profession while completing the second half of the program. 

Types of Certifications 

Students are recommended for both initial and professional certification in SST-MA and for the professional certification in SSTPRF-MA: 

• The Initial Certificate is the entry-level teaching certificate and is valid for five years. Students who graduate from a Lehman College master’s degree certification program without prior certification will be recommended for initial certification. 

• The Professional Certificate is an advanced certificate. Once teachers have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience including one year of mentored teaching, they can apply for professional certification.