A student who satisfactorily meets the following requirements is awarded a degree of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts. Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Social Work or Bachelor of Science. All majors incorporate liberal arts coursework and experiential learning opportunities or professional preparation. In accordance with Massachusetts regulations, Education students must have a liberal arts major to qualify for initial licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and have NASDTEC contract endorsement. Successful completion of the program meets certification requirements in 48 states. Both the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Art and Design are regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and the College of Art and Design is also an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Professional and Personal Requirements
Professional Goals: Demonstrate and maintain a sense of direction and commitment to a career in one's chosen profession.
Professional Competence: Demonstrate a high level of performance or potential in the practical application or chosen area of professional preparation as defined by the program of study.
Personal: Demonstrate a high level of social and emotional adjustment, which may indicate ability to serve effectively in one's chosen field or major.
Academic Requirements
Credits:
Bachelor of Arts (CLAS): Earn a minimum of 120 credits with a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.0. Ninety (90) credits must be earned in courses designated as liberal arts. Specific majors may have additional or more specific requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. A minimum of thirty (30) credits must be earned at Lesley University.
Bachelor of Arts (LA+D): Earn a minimum of 120 credits with a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.3. Fifty one (51) credits must be earned in studio and art history required courses and sixty nine (69) must be earned in general education and electives.
Bachelor of Fine Arts: Earn a minimum of 120-123 credits (varies by program) with a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.3. Eighty one (81) credits must be earned in studio required courses and electives and forty two (42) credits must be earned in course comprising of general education, liberal arts and art history. Fifty Seven (57) credits must be earned at Lesley University.
Bachelor of Science: Earn a minimum of 120 credits with a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.0. Sixty (60) credits must be earned in the liberal arts. Specific majors may have additional or more specific requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree. A minimum of thirty (30) credits must be earned at Lesley University.
Communication Skills: Demonstrate capacity to employ basic communication skills (e.g., listening, speaking, writing) sufficient for effective performance in chosen professional career.
Competencies: Fulfill all competencies assigned to competency-based courses.
Teacher Licensure
Successful completion of graduation requirements as well as approved professional majors in Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, Secondary Education, and Special Education provide Lesley undergraduates with eligibility for initial licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The requirements of each licensure program are outlined under the degree requirements for Education majors. Students must also pass state examinations in order to be licensed.
Massachusetts has a two-stage licensure process. The first stage in that process is initial licensure. The second stage, professional licensure, is reached after additional coursework and at least three years of appropriate teaching experience.
Educator Licensure Regulations
The educational programs at Lesley fulfill the Massachusetts educator licensure regulations overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Because of this approval, Lesley programs are also recognized by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement 2020-2025. The NASDTEC Interstate Agreement means that undergraduate and graduate educators with an initial or professional license are have a pathway to certification in other member states.
The Lesley Educator License and Certification website, www.lesley.edu/certification is the primary source for information on educator licensure. This website has MTEL workshop and math course schedules and registration instructions. The process for applying for Initial and Professional license, and frequently asked questions for both licensure and Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) are highlighted. Information regarding license renewal and licensure regulations outside Massachusetts is also available, along with the latest MTEL information and study resources. Specific links to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education keep the Lesley community aware of changes to regulations and procedures.
The Lesley Certification and Educator Licensure Office is located in the Graduate School of Education, 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 617.349.8427. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is at 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA, 02148-5023, or call 781.338.6600, M-F, 9am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 5 pm.
Massachusetts Educator Licensure Requirements:
Educator Licensure and Recruitment (ELAR) Account
ELAR is the state's online portal that enables you to complete most licensure-related transactions on the Internet. Through ELAR, you can apply for or advance a license online, renew a Professional license, check the status of a license/application, make a payment, view what documents are scanned into your file, request a hard copy license, update contact information, view correspondence from the MA Office of Educator Licensure, and print unofficial license information.
To set up an ELAR account at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, go to www.doe.mass.edu/licensure/. You will be assigned a unique Massachusetts Educator Personnel ID number, or MEPID, which must be reported to Lesley University through Self-Service.
Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement
In response to the new SEI requirements effective June 2012, Lesley has modified all initial and professional licensure programs to include an approved 4-credit Sheltered English Instruction course. Candidates for Initial teacher licensure will be required to have an SEI endorsement if completing a program and seeking licensure after July 1, 2014. License renewals, extensions, or advances after July 1, 2016 will require a Sheltered English Immersion Endorsement.
As of July 1, 2016, Professional Development Plans will require at least 15 Professional Development Points (PDPs) related to SEI or English as a second language and at least 15 PDPs related to training strategies for effective schooling for students with disabilities and instruction of students with diverse learning styles.
Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
Candidates seeking Initial license as a teacher, specialist, or counselor are required by the state to pass Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL), a series of pass/fail tests designed to measure readiness for educator licensure. The Communication and Literacy Skills MTEL has a reading subtest and writing subtest, is required for all educator licenses, and is offered year-round as a computer-based test and through online proctoring. Candidates can opt to take both subtests in the same test administration (4 hours), or each subtest can be taken in a separate 4-hour administration. In addition, subject matter tests are required for teaching and specialist licenses (not for counseling or Instructional Technology Specialist), and some licenses require the Foundations of Reading MTEL. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) website contains a list of required MTEL exams for each license area, as does Lesley’s MTEL Student Guide.
In recognition of the need for increased and enhanced math proficiency for teachers and students, the General Curriculum (GC) MTEL subject test includes a separately-scored mathematics subtest and a multi-subject subtest. GC is required for students in Elementary Education, Moderate Disabilities, and Severe Disabilities programs. Candidates in these license areas take an online math diagnostic; Elementary and/or Moderate Disabilities license candidates take the diagnostic in EEDUC 5012 Teaching Elementary School Mathematics, or earlier if desired. Online math diagnostic results will help determine whether students should register for an 18-hour Math General Curriculum workshop or 36-hour Math General Curriculum course.