Comprehensive Exam, Degree Portfolio or Final Project
All Masters degrees conferred in New York State must include a culminating experience. Depending on their programs, degree candidates are required to complete one or more culminating experiences as specified for the relevant program. Different programs require comprehensive examinations at different stages of the program. SEE PROGRAM PLANS FOR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.
Comprehensive examinations in Secondary subjects, Special Subjects, Early Childhood, Literacy, and Special Education are offered twice a year, during the Fall and Spring semesters. For students whose graduation would be substantially delayed or who will be student teaching in the Fall, examinations in all areas except Literacy or Special Education may be offered in the Summer. Students must register for the relevant examination or portfolio by the beginning of the semester in which they will take it.
Students who fail any comprehensive examination or whose portfolio is rejected must re-register and retake the exam or resubmit the portfolio once. Those who fail or are rejected a second time will be required to substitute additional remediation, which may include coursework and must include a substantial writing component and will be prohibited from registering for any other graduate education courses until this requirement has been satisfied. Those who submit a portfolio for Childhood, Science Education, Computer Science Education or Education Leadership which is rejected may revise and resubmit in the same semester.
Culminating Experience Reports required for all Childhood programs, Computer Science Education, and Science Education portfolios will be due during the semester prior to student teaching, except in limited cases where students have not completed all relevant required courses. Education Leadership portfolios are due in the final semester of the student’s program.
Candidates in Teaching Languages Other Than English and in Bilingual Education must also complete the Oral Proficiency Interview and Written Proficiency Test of the American Council for Teaching Foreign Languages, through www.languagetesting.com, with scores of “Advanced-Low” or above.