Here’s what to expect in the childhood & early childhood education programs.

Year 1: Building a Foundation
You’ll start with math basics for teaching and learn about Earth science, biology, U.S. history and different cultures. You’ll improve your writing skills and take a class to help adjust to college. Later, you’ll continue developing writing and math skills, explore gender, race and class issues in education, study child development and take a general education course.

Year 2: Exploring Education and Development
This year focuses on early childhood and childhood education. You’ll learn how infants and toddlers grow and observe them. You’ll study how kids think and take concentration courses. You’ll learn strategies for teaching English learners, study science and special education, continue concentration courses and start learning another language. Early field observations may also happen.

Year 3: Deepening Your Teaching Knowledge
You’ll develop lesson-planning skills and learn how to work with families and communities. You’ll study health, physical activities for children, media literacy, teaching diverse students and start teaching reading and writing. More intense field experiences will likely take place.

Year 4: Putting It All Together
You’ll learn methods for teaching math, science and social studies, begin an internship in a school and continue developing reading and writing skills. In your final semester, you’ll student teach full-time and participate in seminars to reflect on your experiences.

Here’s what to expect in the adolescence education programs.

Year 1: Building Your Foundation
This year focuses on learning the basic concepts in the content area you’ll teach. You’ll study the fundamentals, work on writing skills, learn some math for science and begin studying a foreign language.

Year 2: Expanding Your Knowledge and Understanding Teenagers
You’ll deepen your content knowledge and take introductory psychology courses to understand adolescent minds. Depending on your program, you may also have an early field experience.

Year 3: Introduction to Teaching and More Content Courses
This year emphasizes teacher preparation. You’ll take your first education course focused on teaching your subject to adolescents. You’ll learn strategies for teaching English Language Learners and about health issues affecting students. You’ll also take advanced content electives.

Year 4: Practicing Teaching and Refining Your Skills
You’ll focus on practical teaching methods and learn how to teach students with disabilities. The final semester is full-time student teaching in a real classroom, supervised by an experienced teacher, along with several elective content courses.

You’ll get hands-on experience from day one, helping you grow into a confident and skilled teacher through real classroom opportunities and practical learning.

• Get real-world experience from day one through fieldwork and practicum
• Move beyond theory with early field experiences and student teaching
• Build practical teaching skills in real school settings
• Refine your teaching style and develop your professional identity
• Gain the confidence to succeed as an educator

Your program will prepare you to be a champion for inclusivity and equity in the classroom. You’ll: 

• Learn about diverse cultures and learning styles
• Gain hands-on experience in different school settings
• Develop strategies to support all learners, including special needs and ELL students
• Build social-emotional skills for positive classrooms
• Reflect on your own biases to become a culturally responsive teacher

SUNY Cortland also offers a C.U.R.E. (Culturally Responsive Urban Educators) Scholarship Program with specialized courses, personalized mentoring and strong academic support to help you succeed in college and become a successful urban educator.

Learn more: SUNY Cortland C.U.R.E. Program

You’ll get exceptional support during your student teaching experience: 

• You’ll be guided by two experienced mentors—a cooperating teacher at your placement school and a college supervisor from the university.
• Your cooperating teacher offers daily, in-class coaching and feedback.
• Your college supervisor observes your teaching, provides constructive feedback, and evaluates your overall progress.

At SUNY Cortland, the focus is on developing passionate and creative educators ready for today’s classrooms. Their teacher education programs are continuously improved to provide the most effective training.

The university gathers feedback from:

• Students, through surveys and focus groups, to enhance the program
• Alumni, who offer real-world insights to improve the curriculum
• Local schools and districts, ensuring graduates are prepared for current teaching needs

SUNY Cortland’s programs meet national quality standards for teacher preparation.

The university also offers special programs and partnerships, such as support for at-risk students, study opportunities with universities in Türkiye and transfer agreements. These initiatives help students succeed and grow as future educators.