What is the Bilingual Extension (BE) Certificate to the Teacher for Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD)?
The Bilingual Extension (BE) to the Teacher for Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) certificate is required and granted by New York State Education Department (NYSED) if you will be serving pediatric bilingual and multilingual populations, ages 3-21 years, in educational contexts, private practices, and some medical establishments located in New York and that receive funding from NYSED.
As a matriculating Master’s student in Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD)t, our curriculum provides you with a pathway to obtain the BE certificate by completing the Bilingual Extension Track. Our curriculum enables you to learn content and fulfill clinical requirements mandated by New York State for the Bilingual Extension.
Neither New York University nor the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders awards the BE certificate to you. The Bilingual Extension to the teaching certificate is awarded by New York State. Other states may have similar requirements for bilingual SLPs, but our curriculum is only recognized as fulfilling requirements for certification in New York State.
Is the Bilingual Extension Track for You?
The BE track is for you if you:
- Self-identify as a bilingual or multilingual communicator (American Sign Language and other signed communication codes are not included in the NYS certification pathway),
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Intend to practice with pediatric populations ages 3-21 years in NYSED-funded agencies and programs
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Will be able to travel to New York City up to 5 days a week for supervised clinical experiences
What is the Required Course Work in the BE Track?
When admitted into the Bilingual Extension Track, you complete courses and clinical requirements in tandem with the coursework leading to your Master’s in Communicative Sciences and Disorders. The Bilingual Extension Track does not require enrollment in additional credits beyond those required for the MS degree.
The BE Track will cover required areas of knowledge in multilingualism, equity, and social justice as required by NYS Education Department:
- Theories of bilingual education and bilingualism;
- Multicultural perspectives in education;
- Sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics
- Methods of teaching English language arts to bilingual English language learners, including literacy, using the native language and English;
- Methods of teaching native language arts to bilingual English language learners, including literacy, using the native language and English; and
- Methods of teaching other content appropriate to the teaching certificate to bilingual English language learners, using the native language and English.
This content is distributed in the following courses:
Core Courses (required of all students)
All students in the MS in CSD program benefit from content that is centered on equity and culturally responsive and sustaining practices.
CSCD-GE 2025
CSCD-GE 2035
Required BE Course (available as an elective to all students)
Students in the BE Track use 3 elective credits to enroll in a required course that provides specialized content focused on linguistically responsive and sustaining assessments and interventions. While this course is required for students in the BE Track, it is also available as an elective for non-BE students.
CSCD-GE 2079
What are the Clinical Requirements in the BE Track?
As a student in the BE Track, you are also required to meet the NYS bilingual clinical requirements: Earning at least 50 direct clinical contact hours in diagnostic and/or treatment with a pediatric bilingual population (ages 3-21 years) under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist with their TSSLD-BE. You'll complete these 50 hours as part of the 400 direct clinical hours required for the MS degree.
When you are admitted to and enroll in the BE Track you are expected to travel to New York City up to 5 days a week during one or more of your field placements (i.e., Practicum III, IV and/or V) to complete the required 50 direct contact hours. While we make every effort to identify and secure clinical opportunities in your target language (i.e., any spoken variety of a language in addition to English), we cannot guarantee linguistically-matched clinical experiences.
How Do You Gain Certification?
The Bilingual Extension certificate, awarded by New York State, requires not only completing coursework and clinical experiences, but also earning a passing score on the Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) in a target language other than English. This assessment is offered by the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) and it is the final step you need to complete to be awarded the extension credential to the TSSLD. The BEA assesses your content knowledge in multilingualism covered in your courses, as well as your proficiency in a target language, including comprehension, spoken language skills, and literacy.
How to Apply
Admission to the MS program does not guarantee admission to the Bilingual Extension Track. This track has limited capacity due to a shortage of BE-credentialed field supervisors who can provide the required supervision in New York City sites.
Contact us at csdadmissions@nyu.edu to attend a BE Track information session or webinar.
On-Campus Students
Students will be accepted through a lottery following the last student to deposit.
To apply to the BE Track:
- Express interest in your CSDCAS application to the MS in CSD program.
- Following the last student to deposit (typically around the mid to end of May), we will notify you if you have been accepted to the BE Track and let you know of the next steps to enroll.
Deferral policy: NYU Steinhardt does not allow deferrals into the BET. Applicants who wish to be considered for a future semester must reapply by submitting a new application with all supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, by the application deadline.
Online Students
Students will be accepted through a lottery.
To apply to the BE Track:
- Express interest in the BE Track on your application when you apply for admission to the MS in CSD program.
- Once you’re accepted to the MS program and you pay your deposit by the deposit deadline, we will send you a Confirmation of Interest form for the BE Track. Please return this form within 48 hours.
- We will notify you following the lottery if you have been accepted into the BE Track and of the next steps to enroll in the BE Track.
Deferral policy: NYU Steinhardt does not allow deferrals into the BET. Applicants who wish to be considered for a future semester must reapply by submitting a new application with all supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, by the application deadline.
Questions
If you have any additional questions about the BEP, please feel free to contact Dr. María Brea at mrb17@nyu.edu.
Meet BEP Alum Paola Ocampo (MS '21)
Read a Q&A from Paola's time as a student to learn more about her inspiration for becoming a bilingual speech-language pathologist and her fieldwork experience serving multilingual preschoolers.
Meet Paola
Learn More About the MS in CSD
Master of Science
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
On-Campus Degree
This degree prepares you for eligibility to become a professionally licensed speech-language pathologist.
Master of Science
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Online Degree
The online speech-language pathology (SLP) master’s program prepares students to address speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Complete in as few as two years.