Applying for Professional Certification related to your undergraduate program if your graduate program is leads to certification in a different age group/subject

If you have initial certification in one program area and a master's degree in a different but related program area, follow these instructions:

• Research the requirements for professional certification . Note that you must complete  the work experience requirement, and any other requirements needed such as INS Permanent Residence or U.S. Citizenship and  one year of mentored experience, 
• You must have initial New York State certification in effect (verify on your TEACH account).
• You must have sealed copies of all of your transcripts, which you can order from the registrar. Ask for copies to be sent to your home. Keep the transcripts in their sealed envelopes.
• You will need copies of your mandated workshop completion certificates if they are not posted on your TEACH account. Please refer to the Mandated Workshops for information about the  DASA workshop.
• The first  professional certification that you apply for should be related to the age group/subject you have been teaching. The other professional certificate applications should be based on the issuance of the first professional certificate.

Apply as Follows

• Log in to your TEACH account.
• Verify and update your profile. Complete and pay for an application for your certification area.
• Select Type of Certificate: Professional. For "Educational Preparation for this application only," do not enter a program code. Instead, select "B. No, I have not completed, nor am I enrolled in, an Approved Teacher Preparation Program at a New York State College or University for this certificate and type."
• Your pathway should be "Additional Classroom Teaching Certificate (Must hold a valid certificate)" 

Write a cover letter explaining your request, and send the cover letter with your sealed transcript(s) and your workshop certificates to:

New York State Education Department
Office of Teaching Initiatives, Room 5N-EB
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234

You may opt to send the documents by certified mail, return receipt requested. Keep copies for yourself.

What's Next

Monitor your TEACH account, and check for any application evaluations that may be posted. Allow about three months for this to be done. Automated evaluations are posted when the computer has completed an evaluation. Manual evaluations are posted when your transcript and other documentation has been examined by an officer at the Office of Teaching Initiatives.