FAQ

The certificate prepares students to teach English in private language schools, community colleges, universities, adult education language programs, and private businesses. Individuals from all walks of life in the United States and around the world also hire trained personal tutors to help them learn English.

Many institutions in the New York City area that normally require that candidates hold master's degrees will hire our certificate holders. One administrator told us recently, "If I get a job application from someone with a New School certificate, I always interview that applicant."

When applying abroad, our students report that prospective employers are always impressed that our program includes a minimum of 50 hours of student-teaching time — that's three to four times more than many certificate programs.

You may teach adults in adult education programs, non-profits, private language schools and tutoring centers, businesses, libraries, and community colleges domestically or abroad. 

The CTE program does not prepare you for K-12, which requires specialized teaching licenses.

The program maintains an extensive list of contacts and hosts private networking events for MATESOL and CTE students as well as public events in which students and alumni have the opportunity to meet prospective employers.

No. The Certificate in TESOL curriculum focuses on teaching English to adults. This program has no connection with New York State Department of Education K–12 certification.

After you apply to CTE, you should create an account on the Continuing and Professional Education Website at cpe.newschool.edu. Once you are admitted, you will get a notification from elsc@newschool.edu about when your account has been given permission to register. After you receive the notification, you should follow the registration instructions here to register and pay. 

The N Number is also sometimes called the “Student Number”; it’s made up of N00 and 6 numbers, e.g. N00123456; you can find your N number by following this guide. You need your N numbers to access many New School services and forms.

The NetID is the user ID you will need to access New School digital resources, such as my.newschool.edu, your New School email, and Canvas for coursework. To find your NetID, you should visit account.newschool.edu and click "Look Up Your NetID." Then, find your NetID with your N-Number and Last Name. Lastly, click “Reset Your Password” and follow the instructions to create your password. Once you've created your password, you may log into sites such as my.newschool.edu, New School email, and Canvas. 

You can access the online coursework platform by logging into canvas.newschool.edu with your NetID. For how to find your NetID, see answer to the question "What is NetID and N-Number? How do I get them?"

Please note that you may not see any courses in your Canvas account before the start of the semester. Courses only become visible and accessible to students when the course instructor "publishes" the course. Course instructors often publish their respective courses several days before or on the day of the first class. 

Courses only become visible and accessible to students when the course instructor "publishes" the course. Course instructors often publish their respective courses several days before or on the day of the first class. 

If you still do not have access to your course on Canvas after the first day of classes, please reach out to elsc@newschool.edu and canvas@newschool.edu about the issue.

You can view the drop and refund schedule for information. Please review before withdrawing. You will need your course start and end date. 

To drop, log into the CPE Profile and visit Enrollment History. You will see an option to drop. Use this guide to assist. All students are held to our refund policies. On a mobile device? Take your time when dropping. The option to withdraw will be under Enrollment History to the right.

You must be admitted to the CTE program in order to register for classes. To apply, follow this page. You do not need to seek permission for each class you take after you are admitted.

Yes, New School employees may use a tuition waiver for these classes. Please visit this website to submit a tuition waiver form.

Students typically take 3 semesters to complete the program. It can be done in 2 or more semesters. Students must complete all 5 courses within 2 years (6 semesters).

There is a recommended sequence of courses. When you are admitted to the program, you meet with an advisor who will work with you to plan out the best sequence of courses for you.  See Student Handbook for more details.

Courses can be taken for undergraduate credit. New School undergrads may pursue the certificate as part of their degree.

You must submit a Request for Certificate Form in order to receive your Certificate in TESOL. This process does not happen automatically. Every semester the ELSC office sends a Request for CTE Certificate Form. Please complete this form in your last semester of the program.  If you have completed the certificate and did not receive the form, or if you have filled out the form but did not receive a certificate mailed to you, please email elsc@newschool.edu so we can ensure you are included on the next request cycle. All certificates are sent out throughtout the conferral period (30 days following the conferral date). The New School confers degress three times a year: on January 31 for fall, May 31 for spring, and August 31 for summer. 

We have recently launched our new website. We are still updating our past students' profiles. You can view your most current transcript at my.newschool.edu. Students who took courses with us before this semester can log in with their NetID and visit the Academics tab.

If you need documentation before receipt of your certificate, you can obtain a transcript as proof of completion of your course work by requesting one online at MyNewSchool.edu or completing a transcript request form (obtainable online or at registration). Costs vary for transcripts. You can only request a transcript after you have received your final grade. 

We can also produce a letter from the department stating that you have completed all the requirements for the certificate e.g. if you need it for a potential employer. Please contact elsc@newschool.edu if you need a letter of completion before you receive the official certificate.