CUNY Teacher Academy

About the Program:

The Teacher Academy is an innovative and exciting program geared toward training and rewarding the mathematics and science teachers of tomorrow. Students are selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants who demonstrate exceptional academic skills and have a passion for mathematics or science.

However, due to the financial constraints, currently admission to a new class of Teacher Academy has been suspended.

The CUNY Teacher Academy offers:

  • A four-year scholarship covering full tuition and fees for students who graduate and teach at least two years in New York City public schools;
  • Paid internships each year to work with high school or middle school students;
  • An additional Lehman College Foundation Scholarship for up to four years for qualified candidates;
  • Study with exceptional faculty in science and/or mathematics;
  • Hands-on experiences in New York City public middle schools or high schools;
  • A full-time teaching position in a New York City middle school or high school after successful completion of the program;
  • Opportunities to do research in math or science with CUNY faculty; and
  • For a select group of Teacher Academy graduates, support for a master's degree in your field at a CUNY college.

Students in the Teacher Academy are challenged and inspired to make a difference—a difference in their own lives with an exciting new career in education and a difference in the lives of others, helping the next generation of students discover the wonder of science and the power of mathematics.

The Teacher Academy combines a rigorous academic program with early participation in the schools. Beginning their first semester, Teacher Academy students have the opportunity to observe the ways expert teachers connect with their students and motivate them to learn.

Lehman College is dedicated to preparing Teacher Academy graduates who:

  • are committed to students’ learning;
  • are sensitive to students with special needs;
  • care about justice and equity;
  • respect linguistic and cultural diversity;
  • make a positive difference in the lives of their students;
  • see students as having power over their own learning; and
  • inspire a passion for learning.
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The Curriculum

Teacher Academy students at Lehman College acquire the background and tools needed to become effective and well-rounded educators in mathematics and science. They major in mathematics or science, with a minor in middle and high school education, and learn in a “college within a college” environment. They receive special advisement, as well as placement in small classes, and become part of a supportive community of fellow students and faculty.

Teacher Academy students have opportunities to work with nationally and internationally recognized faculty and to pursue undergraduate research with the guidance of faculty mentors. Students also take part in fieldwork in a local school setting. Fieldwork begins during the freshman year with observations and culminates with student teaching during the senior year. All fieldwork is linked to courses, providing a bridge between theory and practice.

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About the Director

Dr. Gaoyin Qian is Director of the Teacher Academy. He taught in middle and high school before coming to Lehman College, where he has been a professor of literacy studies for 15 years. If you have any questions about the program, Dr. Qian can be reached by telephone at 718-960-8307 or by email at: gaoyin.qian@lehman.cuny.edu.

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More Information

  • For more information, contact the Admissions Office at 1-877-Lehman-1 or call 1-718-960-7101.
  • Read more about the CUNY Teacher Academy on the CUNY Portal.
  • Read more about the Programs of Study in the CUNY Teacher Academy at Lehman College:
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