Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it possible to enroll as a part time student?
2. What is a Petrie Fellow?
3. What is a Newton Fellow?
4. Is New York State certification transferable to other states?
5. What areas of certification do you offer?
6. Do you plan to offer other areas of certification in the future?
7. Where are MAT graduates teaching?
8. How successful are your graduates in finding teaching jobs?
9. What kind of help does the MAT provide to its students in their job search?
10. What is the starting salary range for teachers in New York State? In New York City?
11. How does one go about obtaining dual certification?
12. What are the other fees, aside from tuition, associated with the program?
13. How soon after completion of this program will I be certified?
14. Do I choose my school placement for my student teaching or does the Bard MAT place me?
15. What other NYS requirements are there to become a certified teacher?
16. Where can I find information on the additional requirements for New York State certification including exam schedules and study guides?
17. Is it possible to work while doing this program?
18. Do I need a vehicle?
19. Is there graduate housing on campus?
20. What undergraduate background do I need to be considered for acceptance to this program?
21. Are GRE's required?
22. Do I have to have had any formal teaching experience to be accepted to this program?
23. What are the age ranges of your applicants and accepted students?
24. How many students are enrolled in the program in a given year?
25. Upon completion of the Program, how do I obtain an official copy of my graduate transcript?
26. When I am applying for teaching jobs, who should I contact to have my placement file sent?

 

1. Is it possible to enroll as a part time student?

Yes. For more information about our two-year part-time option, please call our program office at (845) 758-7145.

2. What is a Petrie Fellow?

The Petrie Fellowship Program at Bard College was established in August 2004 through a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation. Full tuition grants are made by the MAT Program to qualified students through a selection process that considers academic competence, teaching and leadership potential, financial need, and a commitment to working as an educator in the New York City public schools. The expectations for Petrie Fellows include a commitment to teaching in the public schools of New York City for at least five years. The Petrie Fellowship represents a call for educational leaders who can address the needs of students in urban schools not only through their work as exemplary teachers in the classroom but also through professional relationships within the larger educational community.

3. What is a Newton Fellow?

The Newton Fellowship Program focuses on the shortage of adequately qualified mathematics teachers in our nation's public high schools. The Newton Fellows Program trains mathematically talented individuals to become high school math teachers and supports them in the early years of their careers. Newton Fellows receive the following benefits: Receive an aggregate stipend of $90,000 over five years, obtain a full tuition scholarship to master's level teacher preparation program at Bard College, New York University, or Teachers College, Columbia University, achieve a position as a high school math teacher in New York City, earn New York State Teaching Certification and New York City teacher's salary, develop your classroom skills through Math for America's mentoring, coaching, and support services, build a lifelong career through professional development activities, and become a part of a group of outstanding math teachers. For more information visit www.mathforamerica.org, e-mail information@mathforamerica.org or call 212-206-0053.

4. Is New York State certification transferable to other states?

Yes. New York State has interstate agreements with 40 other states and jurisdictions. Bard College is included as one of the teacher preparatory programs acceptable for the purposes of interstate recognition. Go to www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/teachrecother.htm for more information.

5. What areas of certification do you offer?

We currently offer certification in Biology, English, History and Mathematics for grades 7–12.

6. Do you plan to offer other areas of certification in the future?

We do plan to add other areas of certification in the future including other sciences and possibly art and music. An exact time-line for these additions has not been set.

7. Where are MAT graduates teaching?

MAT graduates are teaching in public and private schools all over the country. We have graduates teaching all across New York and in New York City as well as California, Massachusetts, Vermont and Utah, to name a few. A more complete list of schools in which MAT graduates are teaching can be found here.

8. How successful are your graduates in finding teaching jobs?

The Bard College MAT has a growing reputation across the country and our graduates are regarded very highly by the schools they apply to. We encourage and help our graduates to apply to schools in February and March and most have landed jobs before the completion of the Program.

9. What kind of help does the MAT provide to its students in their job search?

The MAT provides a one-week workshop required of all MAT students that focuses on resume and cover letter writing as well as interview techniques. The MAT also shares job postings and other job-related information with our students. Members of the MAT administration are available at any time to help with job searches, applications and interviews.

10. What is the starting salary range for teachers in New York State? In New York City?

Starting salaries for both New York State and New York City teachers vary depending on the school district. You can find information on starting salaries for schools in New York State and New York City as well as other schools across the country at: www.myshortpencil.com/newyorkteachersalaries.htm.

11. How does one go about obtaining dual certification?

Dual certification can be obtained through the New York State Education Department. The MAT has no control over dual certification. Once you have been certified in one of the four subject areas by the MAT, you send your undergraduate transcripts up to NYSED for review for certification in another area. More information can be found at www.highered.nysed.gov.

12. What are the other fees, aside from tuition, associated with the program?

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) requires all prospective teachers to be fingerprinted prior to working in schools in any capacity. The fee is $100. In addition, all graduating students must successfully complete two NYSED-approved workshops in child abuse notification and violence prevention. The cost is approximately $25 per workshop. Students must also successfully complete a sequence of three tests required by New York State; the cost is approximately $88 per test. A fee of $50 is required at the end of the academic year for submission of certification materials to the New York State Education Department. Total costs for the workshops, tests, and certification filing may vary depending on the provider and current registration fees, but should not exceed $500. Students are fully responsible for all fees associated with these requirements. More details about costs, dates, and other test information are available online at www.nystce.nesinc.com.

13. How soon after completion of this program will I be certified?

Once you have completed the MAT you are automatically awarded an MAT degree in your subject area. The MAT immediately applies for certification on your behalf. As long as you have completed the other NYS requirement for certification and have paid your certification processing fee, you should be officially certified in a couple of weeks.

14. Do I choose my school placement for my student teaching or does the Bard MAT place me?

The Bard MAT Program has close partnerships with select schools in upstate New York and in New York City. Through these partnerships, the MAT Program matches its students with appropriate mentors in both middle schools and high schools for all of the year's student teaching placements.

15. What other NYS requirements are there to become a certified teacher?

New York State requires that all applicants for certification complete and pass the Content Specialty (CST), Assessment of Teaching Skills Written (ATSW) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAST) tests. You must also be fingerprinted by NYS and complete two on-line workshops (Child Abuse Detection and Violence Prevention), as well as pay your $50 certification-processing fee.

16. Where can I find information on the additional requirements for New York State certification including exam schedules and study guides?

Additional certification requirements for New York State certification can be found on the MAT website at www.bard.edu/mat or at www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/

17. Is it possible to work while doing this program?

This is a fulltime program and it is therefore very difficult to work and do this program at the same time. In the summer and fall quarters some students were able to work part-time in between their class schedules. In the winter and spring quarters you will be in schools full days, 5 days a week and therefore would only be able to work on the nights and weekends. Due to the high workload and stress level of this program, we encourage people to take out graduate loans to cover any expenses so that they do not have to worry about working on top of doing this program.

18. Do I need a vehicle?

Bard College is a rural campus, so having a car will make life a lot easier. Especially when commuting to schools. If you are going to be up at Bard for the full year, we recommend you have a car. If you are a Petrie or Newton fellow, only at Bard for the summer- a car is not necessary, but again, would make life easier for you especially if you live off-campus.

19. Is there graduate housing on campus?

There is on-campus for graduate students. Housing cost is about $600/month (there is no meal plan).

20. What undergraduate background do I need to be considered for acceptance to this program?

Most of our accepted students either majored or have the equivalent of a major in the area they are applying in. However, we recommend that all potential applications submit an unofficial transcript for review before officially applying to the program.

21. Are GRE's required?

The Bard MAT Program does not require GRE's.

22. Do I have to have had any formal teaching experience to be accepted to this program?

You do not need to have any formal teaching experience per se, but it does help your application if you have worked with adolescents in some capacity (camp counselor, substitute teacher, etc.)

23. What are the age ranges of your applicants and accepted students?

Our applicants range in age from recent college graduates to career changers in their 40s and 50s.

24. How many students are enrolled in the program in a given year?

One of our goals at the Bard MAT Program is small class size. We will never have more than 16 students per discipline in any given year.

25. Upon completion of the Program, how do I obtain an official copy of my graduate transcript?

Official graduate transcripts can only be obtained via request to the Bard College Registrar's Office at 845-758-7458.

26. When I am applying for teaching jobs, who should I contact to have my placement file sent?

Placement files are sent to schools by Cecilia Maple. Please allow 5 business days for delivery.