Effective Fall 2000, Elementary Education will offer three undergraduate programs leading to teacher certification.

1.	Early Childhood Education Program (Birth - Grade 2)

2.	Childhood Education Program (Grade 1 - Grade 6)

3.	Early Childhood /Childhood Education Program Dual Certificate (Birth - Grade 6)

In addition students will be required to complete a 30-hour concentration in an area consistent with the New York State Learning Standards. One of these concentrations is in the area of Geography. The requirements for this concentration are provided below. They are identical to the requirements for the General Geography Track under the Geography Major. The only difference relates to the concentration being more specific under the geography electives section. A student who has completed the geography concentration under the Education Program has also completed the Geography Major. Thus, it is to the advantage of the student to declare geography as a second major when electing the geography concentration. Some of the advantages are:

1.	The student will have two career paths to consider. Geography provides many career opportunities. Check out the Geography Career section under the Geography homepage.

2.	The student will have a second advisor who can guide and assist the student through various academic and career issues.

3.	If the student wants to experience an oversea learning opportunity, the flexibility of the General Geography Track can provide such an opportunity without creating major problems in the student’s education program.

The Geography Department is very active in the New York Geographical Alliance (NYGA), which seeks to promote and improve geographic education from kindergarten through university throughout New York State. Most of the NYGA's 3,500 members are K-12 teachers, but the membership also includes college and university professors, school administrators, and others interested in the NYGA's mission. As a dual major in geography and education you might want to joint the Alliance. Contact Dr. Jean Palmer-Moloney Baumanpr@Oneonta.edu within the Geography Department. The Alliance can bring one into contact with people in the education field within New York State.

The NYGA is part of a nationwide network of state geographic alliances sponsored by the National Geographic Society's Geography Education Program (GEP). The goal of the GEP is to revitalize geographic education within the nation's classrooms. Financial support for the New York Geographic Alliance comes largely from the National Geographic Society with assistance from the New York State Education Department, foundations and corporations. Membership in the New York Geographic Alliance is free and open to anyone interested in geographic education.