Backed by a world-class faculty in science and agriculture and by teacher educators intensely devoted to teaching, Cornell prepares the kind of science teachers who exemplify the motto: Those who can, do. Those who can do more, teach. Hallmarks of our program are small classes, intensive advising, and many opportunities for campus teaching experience through Cornell's extensive community outreach and teaching assistant programs.

Certification Areas

Cornell offers New York State teacher certification in the areas below. Through interstate reciprocity agreements, our graduates are able to teach in public schools not just in New York but throughout the country.

• Agriculture K-12
• Biology 7-12
• Chemistry 7-12
• Earth Science 7-12
• Physics 7-12
• General Science Extension (entitles holder to teach 7th and 8th grade "physical science" and "integrated science" courses)
• Grades 5-6 Extension (entitles holder to teach science to younger students)

Requirements At a Glance

• Minimum of 30 credit hours must be completed at Cornell while enrolled in the M.A.T. program. (Note that the semester of student teaching counts for 15 hours—see below.)
• Education courses: educational psychology, social and political context of schools, instructional methods, content-area literacy, diversity, and students with disabilities. (Some or all of this coursework may be completed while an undergraduate at Cornell or elsewhere.)
• Content-area courses (minimum 30 credit hours) in one of our certification areas that meet specific requirements for depth and breadth. (Although most of this requirement is typically met as an undergraduate, you may round out your content-area courses once you are a graduate student.)
• Student teaching semester with portfolio (9 credit hours)
• Seminar accompanying student teaching (6 credit hours)
• Demonstration of basic foreign-language proficiency
• Teacher certification exams for New York State

Complete information about program requirements can be found in our Program Handbook and Student Teaching Handbook.

Applying to the M.A.T./Certification Program

• Current Cornell undergraduates
• All other applicants

Financial Support

Competitive sources of funding for those pursuing teacher certification, especially in high-need areas such as the sciences and for under-served areas of the country, are available.

For Cornell undergraduates who are from New York State and who are from historically under-represented backgrounds, the CSTEP program offers competitive funding to cover certification exams, test preparation, and travel related to networking and job search.

All Cornell undergraduates interested in becoming certified teachers can apply for similar funding through CPOP, a sister program of CSTEP.