Curriculum

The 128-credit BS in Teaching Adolescents allows emerging teachers to blend a thorough study of their chosen subject specialization with a robust foundation in secondary school pedagogy, including deep knowledge of adolescent development, inclusive instruction, and effective classroom management. You’ll enter the teaching profession with a strong grasp of educational policy, social advocacy, and the systemic factors affecting schooling. Additionally, you’ll emerge equipped with the skills to address equity and opportunity gaps, utilize culturally sustaining practices, and adopt innovative, technology-integrated approaches to content-area instruction.

Core Course Sequence

This program's coursework is comprehensive, covering a wide range of areas, including the NYU College Core Curriculum, which includes studies in liberal arts, humanities, and social sciences. As you deepen your knowledge of your chosen subject through coursework in math, sciences, English, and history, you’ll also take foundational classes in education and education policy and dive deep into pedagogical content in your chosen subject discipline and adolescent education. The program culminates in two semesters of teaching in a public middle and high school setting, where you will practice approaches, theories, and practical strategies for teaching middle and high school students. 

Areas of Concentration & Certification Tracks

Students customize their academic pathway by choosing a specific discipline, leading to initial certification for grades 7–12, with options to add middle childhood and elementary extension credentials depending on the track:

• World Languages: Concentration in Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish (Grades 7–12 Initial Certification; with options for 5–6 Extension and 1–6 Extension).
• STEM Fields: Concentration in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Mathematics, or Physics (Grades 7–12 Initial Certification; with option for 5–6 Extension).
• Humanities & Social Sciences: Concentration in English or Social Studies (Grades 7–12 Initial Certification; with option for 5–6 Extension).