Make a difference. Designed for Transfer Students.
Bridge2Teaching is a specially designed program so that all students — but especially transfer students — can easily pursue their goal of becoming a teacher. Students who choose this program can enroll in our B.S. program in Educational Studies and at the same time gain acceptance to our acclaimed Master of Science in Teaching (MST) program. Bridge2Teaching is a program that has been specifically designed to meet the needs of transfer students. Once you earn your degree in Educational Studies, you can transition into the MST Program, and accelerate your path to a graduate degree in Teacher Education.
Applicants who have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 will be granted joint admission to both programs. Applicants with a GPA of 2.7 or above will be accepted into the B.S. in Educational Studies program with conditional acceptance into the MST Program. Students can start the program in either the fall or spring semester. During the final semester of their undergraduate studies, all students must apply to the MST Program. At that time, all students will also meet with a graduate advisor to continue their academic journey.
THE GOAL OF BRIDGE2TEACHING IS TO SIMPLIFY THE PATH TO YOUR TEACHING CAREER.
The BRIDGE program helps students prepare themselves for jobs created by recent teacher shortages.
The BRIDGE program creates an easy, seamless transfer for students from community colleges into our highly regarded Master of Science in Teaching program.
DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS?
Reports keep coming in about local and national teacher shortages. And the need has been growing further after the COVID-19 pandemic. New York State United Teachers estimates that 180,000 teachers need to be hired in the state in the next decade. Jobs for those holding certifications in math, science, and special education are especially sought after.
HOW BRIDGE2TEACHING WORKS
Students who transfer into the St. Thomas Aquinas Educational Studies program will be simultaneously accepted into our Graduate School and will be working toward their MST degree. Students who maintain a GPA of 3.0 and above may take graduate education courses as electives while they are still in the Ed Studies program. Once students complete their BS in Ed Studies, they are given advanced standing in the graduate MST program, and a minimum of 9-12 credits earned in the Ed Studies program will be applied to the MST program.In this way, Bridge2Teaching gets you on track for Childhood or Adolescence certification, even in Special Education, which is an area where the teacher shortage is most pronounced.