School of Education

SUNY Old Westbury is a dynamic and diverse public liberal arts college that fosters academic excellence through close interaction among students, faculty and staff. Old Westbury weaves the values of integrity, community engagement, and global citizenship into the fabric of its academic programs and campus life. In an environment that cultivates critical thinking, empathy, creativity and intercultural understanding, we endeavor to stimulate a passion for learning and a commitment to building a more just and sustainable world. The College is a community of students, teachers, staff, and alumni bound together in mutual support, respect, and dedication to the Mission.

The SUNY Old Westbury School of Education offers academic programs offering  master's degrees and meeting both initial and professional certification requirements of the State of New York.  Our programs are approved by the New York State Education Department and we are proud members of the American Association of Quality Educator Preparation, anticipating AAQEP Accreditation in the Fall of 2021.

These programs have been recognized as being among the strongest in the nation and are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Old Westbury degree programs provide professional courses and extensive field experience, including student teaching. All courses are designed so that students achieve competencies that have been identified by local school district personnel and prescribed by the New York State Education Department.

The mission of the School of Education is to prepare teacher candidates to be literate and progressive citizens who value human diversity and exemplify an appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and for learning as a lifelong process. The school seeks to develop teachers with the professional and personal characteristics and dispositions to facilitate the holistic development of all learners in the context of contemporary society.

Together with partners across the college and in the schools, faculty of the School of Education have developed a Conceptual Framework to implement its mission and vision. The Conceptual Framework rests on three principles: a commitment to preparing teachers as professionals; a belief in the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and practice; and an active engagement in promoting a just world.