POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam's master of science in teaching (MST) degree program in childhood education is now offered virtual/hybrid.

Most of the MST coursework for the virtual/hybrid cohorts will be conducted online, with graduate students only required to come to campus for three weekend seminar sessions spaced throughout the semester. The "executive" weekend sessions will incorporate the course components that are best suited for in-person classes, and will give students the opportunity to meet and work with their classmates and professors face-to-face.

"Our MST program allows you to bring experience from whatever walk of life and career background you come from -- no matter what it is, we have a strong belief that there is a place for that expertise in the teaching world. Our program allows you to embrace your background and bring it into the educational experience to mold the minds of children," said K. Chad Graham, the assistant chair of the Department of Elementary Education and a clinical faculty member.

Elementary field experience placements are offered across the North Country, coordinated by the SUNY Potsdam Center for School Partnerships and Teacher Certification. The MST program leads to certification in childhood education (Grades 1 to 6), with a pathway for an additional B-2 (Birth to Grade 2) certification available.

The virtual/hybrid option will be available to students beginning at the main SUNY Potsdam campus in Spring and Summer 2021. The option will be expanded to students at the Watertown Extension Center, based at Jefferson Community College, beginning in Fall 2021.

"We're excited to offer this new option, which we believe is ideally suited for working professionals and nontraditional students living across Northern New York and Canada, who may not be able to commute to campus on a daily basis but still desire a closer connection to their classmates and professors," Graham said.

Info, www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/teacher-education/programs-study/mst-childhood-education