Residency Program

Resident Educator Certificate

The College of Education at Southern Connecticut State University offers the Residency Program in Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Elementary Education/Bilingual Education, Sciences (7-12) in collaboration with Bridgeport Public Schools and New Haven Public Schools

This program will prepare candidates for CT certification and completion of a Master’s degree (Master of Arts in Teaching), while working in one of Connecticut’s two largest and most diverse school systems.

We are now recruiting for Fall 2024. Spaces are limited, so please apply soon!

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For the Masters of Arts in Teaching program, select the concentration in which you are seeking certification.

Program Highlights

• Candidates complete their courses in the MAT program as a cohort, providing an opportunity to form meaningful relationships with other participants and their professors.
• Candidates gain important practical experience while working in one of Connecticut’s two largest and most diverse school systems while completing the program.
• All of the program-required field work will be completed in the district. In addition, candidates in this program will not complete a traditional student-teaching experience. They will use their teaching experience under REC in lieu of student teaching.
• The program is intentionally designed to be completed in 2-3 years (depending on the area certification.) The courses are mapped out with no more than two courses a semester during the school year to allow candidates to dedicate the required time to their classrooms while serving as teachers of record.

How It Works

• In the first year, candidates will work as a para-educator or teacher assistant in one of the school districts (New Haven or Bridgeport), while completing core courses at SCSU.
• Then, candidates will work as a teacher-of-record under a Residency Educator Certificate while completing remaining course requirements of the MAT.
• Early Childhood Education candidates only
  • First year placement in PK/K
  • Second year placement in grades 1, 2 or 3
• Districts provide candidates with some financial assistance for tuition during the first year of the program (amount varies by district.)

To Apply, Complete Two Steps

1. Apply for admission to the SCSU MAT program in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Elementary Bilingual, Special Education, Sciences or Math for Fall 2024. Application Link
2. Apply to be hired by New Haven Public Schools or Bridgeport Public Schools under the Resident Teacher Certificate program.

Testimonials