Siena will soon see its graduate student population nearly double as it absorbs 16 teacher education programs from Clarkson University.
Pending official approval by the New York State Education Department, Clarkson’s Capital Region campus in Schenectady will transfer its master of arts in teaching degree and other graduate-level offerings to Siena, effective in June. As part of the joint agreement, Clarkson and Siena will provide a seamless transition for approximately 100 students currently enrolled in the fully-accredited master’s and certificate programs over the coming months. Eight full-time Clarkson faculty and administrators will also transfer to Siena.
The adoption of the teacher education programs fits with Siena’s strategic plan to develop mission-aligned graduate degree opportunities with high market and workforce demand, according to President Chuck Seifert, Ph.D.
“This represents an excellent opportunity for Siena to respond to the tremendous need for teacher education in the Capital Region by integrating a nationally-recognized, fully-accredited suite of programs into its current teacher education offerings,” he said. “These programs are vital to secondary schools throughout the area and beyond.”
“Demand for K-12 teachers is at an all-time high,” said Provost Margaret Madden, Ph.D. “Siena’s newly-enhanced programming will have a large and positive impact on education in the region by graduating thoroughly-prepared new teachers ready to face the challenges of today’s classrooms.”
The distinguishing feature of the master of arts in teaching program is the full-year teacher residency, where candidates work side-by-side with individually selected mentor teachers who receive specialized training from the program. In addition to the master of arts in teaching, Siena will also add a master of arts in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and a master of arts in curriculum and instruction. Courses will be offered with in-person, hybrid and online modalities, depending on the program.
The administrators noted that the master of arts in teaching program currently has a 100 percent job placement rate, with an exceptionally high industry five-year retention rate of 93 percent, compared to 50-80 percent nationally.
Lindsey Harwood ’23 and Keri Lockhart ’22 enrolled in Clarkson’s M.A.T. program after graduating from Siena. Harwood, who graduates in June, is completing her teaching residency in U.S. history this school year at Van Antwerp Middle School in Niskayuna.
“Receiving the ‘education for a lifetime’ at Siena was one of the best decisions I ever made,” she said. “The community is supportive and the professors are top-tier. They held high expectations for me, and in turn I am able to hold those high expectations for my students.”
Lockhart will now transfer back to her alma mater to finish her master’s. She teaches English as a new language (E.N.L.) at Shaker Middle School in Latham, is pleased to see Siena add graduate level study to their education program.
“My Siena professors taught me to think outside the box, and that really prepared me for seeking new ways to impact my students,” she said. “I loved Siena and its Franciscan values, and I’m so glad I can return here to finish my master’s degree.”
Catherine Snyder, Ph.D. just transferred from Clarkson to Siena to head up the master of arts in teaching program.
“The faculty and staff are excited to launch the new programs here at Siena,” said Snyder. “It is an excellent complement to their well-known undergraduate education programs. We have worked collaboratively with the current Siena education faculty for years, and the decision to bring the programs here makes sense for Siena students as well as schools in the Capital Region and throughout New York. There is a tremendous shortage of teachers right now, so if students have ever thought about a career in teaching, now is the time to learn more!”
Jesse Moya, Ph.D., department chair and associate professor of education, said Siena’s education department is excited to welcome the Clarkson faculty and students to Siena College.
“The exceptional graduate education programs they bring with them will provide additional opportunities for students to pursue careers in teaching at Siena,” he said.
Clarkson is transferring the teacher education programs as the result of a strategic decision to “refine their identity and better align with their historical technological mission,” according to President Marc Christensen, Ph.D. Clarkson acquired Union Graduate College in 2016, which included Union’s longstanding teacher education programs. During the past eight years, the education programs have provided a much-needed source of exceptional teaching talent for regional schools. The master of arts has graduated more than 800 teachers, 500 of whom currently teach in the Capital Region.
Clarkson and Siena are also collaborating on developing additional pathways for certification and advanced study for Siena alumni. Siena currently has a nationally accredited undergraduate teacher preparation program and a robust minor in educational studies. Students who complete these programs will now be poised to move directly into a master’s program to earn additional credentials in education.
The programs transferring from Clarkson to Siena fall into four categories:
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)
● M.A.T., Adolescent Education - includes grades 7-12 certification pathways in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Computer Science (K-12), Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, Russian, or Spanish.
● M.A.T., Business and Marketing - grades K-12
● M.A.T., Technology - grades K-12
Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MAT ESOL)
● M.A.T., ESOL - grades K-12
● Certificate of Advanced Study, ESOL (CAS ESOL)
● Certificate of Advanced Study, ESOL - Clinically Rich Intensive Teaching Institute (CAS ESOL)
Extension Programs
● Middle Childhood Extension - a 6-credit extension program for individuals certified in secondary disciplines who wish to extend their certification to 5th grade.
● Career Awareness and Career Development Extension - a 6-credit extension typically sought by individuals certified to teach Business and Marketing. This extension program allows teachers to develop and facilitate work-related internship programs within their schools.
● Foreign Language Elementary School Extension (FLES Extension) - a 3-credit extension program for world language teachers seeking to extend their certification to first grade.
Other
● Master of Arts, Curriculum and Instruction (MA C & I)
● Certificate of Advanced Study, Curriculum and Instruction (CAS C & I)
● Certificate of Advanced Study, Teacher Leadership and National Board (CAS NB)
