School of Education

Eric Martone, Ph.D., Dean
914-674-7618
emartone@mercy.edu

Mary Ellen Hoffman, M.S., Associate Dean for Administration
914-674-7334
mehoffman@mercy.edu

JungKang Miller, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
914-674-7333
jkmiller@mercy.edu

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Helge Wasmuth, Ph.D., Chair

Childhood Education: 1-6
Early Childhood Education: Birth-Grade 2

DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

Meghan Marrero, Ed.D., Chair

Adolescence Education

DEPARTMENT OF LITERACY AND MULTILINGUAL STUDIES

Mi-Hyun Chung, Ph.D., Chair

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Sudha Ramaswamy, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Chair

Teaching Students with Disabilities

All initial certification programs are nationally recognized by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Mission Statement of the School of Education

The Mercy University educational unit is dedicated to preparing effective educators, including teachers and other school professionals who are reflective practitioners, equipped with the knowledge base, technological skills, research tools, and professional strategies and insights to empower them to help diverse populations of students succeed in their learning and community environments. The values of competency, diversity and ethical practice support the proficient development of candidates enabling them to become skilled professionals and lifelong learners. The unit is committed to creating innovative, flexible and accessible programs of study for its candidates, and to developing partnerships and opportunities for collaboration and clinical experiences within Mercy University and with external communities.

Goals of the School of Education

The unit goals establish the shared vision, mission, philosophy and guiding principles agreed to by members of the faculty and other stakeholders in the learning community. The unit’s proficiencies, strategies and assessments are designed to ensure that candidates acquire the academic, pedagogical, professional and interpersonal skills required of teachers and other school professionals who prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing global environment. The six goals reflect the integrated knowledge, skills, and dispositions that together ensure that candidates develop as effective educators and reflective practitioners. These goals are as follows:

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE: Candidates demonstrate a solid content knowledge base that enables them to deliver effective educational and professional services based on current research, theory and practice.

PEDAGOGICAL AND PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Candidates employ multiple pedagogical and professional strategies and tools to enable them to be effective practitioners in educational settings and deliver services that promote students’ intellectual, social and emotional development.

DIVERSITY: Candidates understand the diverse cultural, linguistic, learning and social strengths and needs of all populations, and incorporate and demonstrate sensitivity to the richness of diverse cultures when providing educational and other school-services.

TECHNOLOGY: Candidates employ technology to deliver information, instruction and professional services to all members of the school community.

REFLECTION: Candidates reflect on professional practice to make educational decisions and enhance student learning.

DISPOSITIONS: Candidates demonstrate positive dispositions that enable them to work as effective educators, citizens and practitioners within the school and broader community.

The six unit goals are supported by the professional literature including theories, research, and wisdom of practice and education policies.

Teaching Certification in New York State

In order to become certified as a teacher in New York State, candidates are required to achieve qualifying scores on the Educating All Students test (EAS), and the Content Specialty Tests (CST), in the area of each certificate being requested.

Admissions Requirements

To be accepted into a B.S. Education program, a new student must:

Be a high school graduate who has earned a New York State Regents Diploma with an 80 average or better.
A completed application for admission.
Submit an Effective Educator Statement

To be accepted into a B.S.. Education program, a transfer student must:

Have a 2.5 or higher overall GPA on their undergraduate coursework
A completed application for admission
Official transcripts from all undergraduate courses
Submit an Effective Educator Statement

Students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 each semester at Mercy University to remain in good academic standing for both degree conferral and reccomendation for teacher certifcation.

To remain in Five-Year Program in partnership with the Schools of Liberal Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Health and Natural Sciences, a student must:

Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 each semester at Mercy University.
Register for an introductory 3-credit graduate education course in the second semester of their junior year, or upon completion of 70-75 undergraduate credits with a B or better average.
Register for 12 credits in graduate education courses in the senior year.

Please note that all graduate course descriptions as well as specific teacher certification parameters can be found in the Mercy University Graduate Catalog.

Advisement

Upon matriculation, the candidate is assigned a mentor from the PACT (Personalized Achievement Contract) Office. Each candidate must consult with the advisor, program chair or their designee regarding required courses and electives for the program of study selected, and to develop a plan of study for degree completion.

Academic Probation

A student in any School of Education program may be placed on academic probation for any of the following reasons:

Failure to maintain good academic standing (see “Maintenance of Good Academic Standing” above). All students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.5 will be placed on academic probation. If a student will not be able to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.5 within a reasonable time, the student faces dismissal from the program. All students must achieve a minimum overall GPA of a 2.5 in order to be eligible for degree conferral. In all subsequent terms in which the student is on academic probation, the student is required to achieve a term GPA of 2.5 or better. If the 2.5 or higher is not achieved the student will be dismissed. If a student receives a grade of F or FW in any course, the student will be subject to academic probation or dismissal from the program. Except for the clinical course, students receiving a grade of F or FW and placed on academic probation may retake the course no more than two times. Students who fail the same course three times will automatically be dismissed from their program of study. Students who receive a grade of F or FW in the clinical course and who are placed on academic probation may repeat the course only once with approval of the Dean, Associate Dean, and Clinical Placement Coordinator provided the student is able to present extraordinary circumstances that prevented the student from successfully completing the course. In such cases where the student’s request to repeat the clinical course is approved, the student will be required to complete and sign a program completion plan. In the subsequent term(s) in which a student on academic probation is permitted to retake a course, if the grade of F or FW is not replaced with a satisfactory grade, the student will be dismissed.
Two or more incompletes. Students who have two or more Incompletes on their academic record will be put on an academic probation and will not be allowed to register for subsequent courses without the permission of the Dean or Associate Dean. Permission will not be granted until all but one of the incompletes are resolved and graded. Students who have not maintained matriculation nor enrolled for one year are required to file an application for re-admission through the Admissions office.
Other academic violations. Students with academic violations not specified in this section can be placed on academic probation by the Dean or Associate Dean. Such violations can include, but are not limited to, violations of the Academic Integrity Policy.

For all students on academic probation, future registrations may be limited or restricted and must be reviewed and approved by the Dean or Associate Dean.

Please refer to the university policies in the Academic Regulations and Procedures and Student Policies .

Academic Dismissals and Review

An academic dismissal from a program may occur if a student does not meet criteria to remain in good academic standing. A student in any School of Education program may be dismissed from the program for any of the following reasons:

If a student on academic probation as a result of the failure to maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA does not achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.5 within a reasonable time, the student will be dismissed from the program.
If a student receives a grade of F or FW in any course, the student will be subject to academic probation or dismissal from the program. In the subsequent term(s) in which a student on academic probation is permitted to retake a course, if the grade of F or FW is not replaced with a satisfactory grade, the student will be dismissed.
Unprofessional and/or inappropriate conduct in class settings, during fieldwork, and/or written or verbal communications are grounds for program dismissal.

Academic performance includes interpersonal skills, dispositions, attitudes, and professional character. Unprofessional/inappropriate conduct includes, but is not limited to:

Engaging in teaching or professional practices under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Behavior that jeopardizes student welfare
Participating or condoning dishonesty, fraud, intentional misrepresentation or deception in the context of one’s educational or professional role
Engaging in any form of discrimination
Breach of student confidentiality or any laws regarding professional conduct in the field of education
Behavior that is disruptive or disrespectful to the host site’s educational operations, faculty, or administration
Excessive tardiness and absences

Students dismissed from any School of Education program for unprofessional and/or inappropriate conduct are permanently ineligible for recommendation from Mercy University for NYS certification.

4. Students with academic violations not specified in this section can be dismissed from a program. Such violations can include, but are not limited to, violations of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Dismissal Review

In cases where a student has been dismissed from a program for poor academic performance, the student may request a dismissal review to appeal this decision.