SUNY Potsdam Adds Virtual/Hybrid Option for Master's Program in Childhood Education

SUNY Potsdam to Welcome Virtual/Hybrid Cohort for its Master of Science in Teaching Program in Childhood Education

Potsdam, NY (11/05/2020) — No matter what you studied as an undergraduate, the path to becoming an educator just became a little easier. SUNY Potsdam's Master of Science in Teaching (MST) degree program in childhood education is now offering a virtual/hybrid cohort -- giving the flexibility of a mostly online learning environment to enable candidates to juggle their studies with work and family obligations.

Seventy percent of the coursework for the MST classes for the virtual/hybrid cohorts will be conducted online, with graduate students only required to come to campus for three weekend seminar sessions spaced throughout the semester. The "executive" weekend sessions will incorporate the course components that are best suited for in-person classes, and will give students the opportunity to meet and work with their classmates and professors face-to-face.

"Our MST program allows you to bring experience from whatever walk of life and career background you come from -- no matter what it is, we have a strong belief that there is a place for that expertise in the teaching world. Our program allows you to embrace your background and bring it into the educational experience to mold the minds of children," said K. Chad Graham, the assistant chair of the Department of Elementary Education and a clinical faculty member.

Elementary field experience placements are offered across the North Country, coordinated by the SUNY Potsdam Center for School Partnerships and Teacher Certification. The MST program leads to certification in childhood education (Grades 1 to 6), with a pathway for an additional B-2 (Birth to Grade 2) certification available.

The virtual/hybrid option will be available to students beginning at the main SUNY Potsdam campus in Spring and Summer 2021. The option will be expanded to students at the Watertown Extension Center, based at Jefferson Community College, beginning in Fall 2021.

"We're excited to offer this new option, which we believe is ideally suited for working professionals and nontraditional students living across Northern New York and Canada, who may not be able to commute to campus on a daily basis but still desire a closer connection to their classmates and professors," Graham said.

Full-time students who begin their course of study during the Summer Session can complete the MST within one calendar year. Part-time study options are also available to fit students' schedules.

Graham pointed out that the traditional face-to-face instructional model will still be available for interested applicants. When designing their schedules, students can opt for a flexible balance of the virtual/hybrid classes and in-person instruction, depending on their preferences.

To find out more about the MST in childhood education, visit https://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/teacher-education/programs-study/mst-childhood-education.

The School of Education and Professional Studies at SUNY Potsdam has been preparing educators for more than 200 years. Today, that legacy of educational excellence also stretches to undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, public health and human performance, to help students prepare for professions in the global economy. For more information, visit https://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS.

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