Education

With a rich tradition rooted in Franciscan values of service and community, Siena's education programs foster collaborative learning environments where aspiring teachers are empowered to inspire minds, shape futures, and positively impact diverse educational settings. Through rigorous coursework, hands-on experiences, and mentorship from esteemed faculty, students engage in a transformative journey that prepares them to lead with compassion, integrity, and a steadfast dedication to fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments for all.

Department Offerings:

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Early Childhood and Childhood Education (B6) Program: New York State Initial Teacher Certification in Early Child (Birth- grade 2) and Childhood (grade 1- grade 6).
Adolescence Education Teacher Preparation Program: New York State Initial Teacher Certification in Adolescence Education (grades 7-12) in: Biology, Chemistry, English, French, Mathematics, Physics, Social Studies, and Spanish. Also offer programs leading to New York State Initial Teacher Certification in Business and Marketing (all grades) and Computer Science (all grades).
Educational Studies Minor: An 18 credit program that allows students to learn about the education system and explore possible pathways into educational careers.

Graduate Degree Programs

Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Early Childhood and Childhood Education (B6 - Birth to Grade 6)
The MSEd in Early Childhood & Childhood (birth-grade 6) Program is enrolling for fall 2024.
For Information or to apply contact: Dr. Kristi Fragnoli or Dr. Christina Pfister
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Adolescent Education: Includes grades 7-12 certification pathways in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, Russian, or Spanish. Also includes All Grades certification pathways in Business and Marketing, Technology, and Computer Science.
Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MAT ESOL): Grades Pre-K-12.
Master of Arts, Curriculum and Instruction (MA C & I)

Other Graduate Options

Certificates of Advanced Study: Curriculum and Instruction (CAS C & I), Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Extension Programs: Middle Childhood Extension; Career Awareness and Career Development Extension; Foreign Language Elementary School Extension (FLES Extension), Technology Supplemental

Siena’s Education Department offers students:

A commitment to coursework that addresses the full range of students’ abilities and needs.
Guidance from the Franciscan values in seeing the unique worth of each person.
Small class sizes where students work closely with faculty members.
Encouragement to think critically and become effective educators.
Valuable fieldwork experiences in local schools.
Diverse established partnerships with rural, suburban, and urban schools.
Opportunities for mentoring by professionals from the Education Department and experts in their academic disciplines.

NEW YORK STATE CERTIFICATION

Our undergraduate programs prepare students to teach at the elementary and secondary levels in the following areas:

Early Childhood/Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 6)
Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12) in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Spanish, French
All Grades (K-12) in Computer Science and Business and Marketing.

We also offer the coursework required for students to add middle grades extensions onto other certificates (e.g., add 5th and 6th grade extension to adolescence education, or add 7th-9th grade extension to childhood education).

Our graduate programs prepare students to teach at the early childhood, elementary and secondary levels in the following areas:

Early Childhood/Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 6)
Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12) in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, Spanish, and Russian
All Grades (Grades K-12) in Business and Marketing, Computer Science, English to Speakers of Other Languages, and Technology.

Our minor is major!

The Minor in Educational Studies offers students an opportunity to examine and develop informed opinions on questions about the role of education in a democracy, questions of opportunity, equity, and access, and issues of justice, the common good, and human rights. Through an integrated collection of courses, individual research, and faculty guidance, students will develop a sophisticated understanding of an education-related area of concentration of their choice.