Foundations of Career and Technical Education Microcredential

The Foundations of Career and Technical Education microcredential helps educators build the knowledge and skills needed to teach career and technical subjects. Participants learn how to plan instruction, design curriculum, and support students in career and technical education programs.

Career and technical education (CTE) prepares students for careers in skilled trades, technical fields, and applied professions. The Foundations of Career and Technical Education microcredential provides the pedagogical coursework needed to teach CTE subjects and support student success in these programs.

The Foundations of CTE microcredential is a three-course sequence that introduces key concepts in educational psychology, curriculum design, and teaching students with special needs. These courses help educators develop the instructional skills needed to teach career and technical subjects in secondary and postsecondary settings.

Courses may be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level, and an optional student teaching experience is available. Please check with your employer or certification advisor to determine whether undergraduate or graduate coursework is most appropriate. Current tuition rates are available on the Student Accounts Office website.

Upon successful completion of the microcredential, you'll receive a digital badge!

If you are interested in completing a full degree program, please visit the Career, Technical, and Science Education department website.

Required Courses

Undergraduate Microcredential

  1. SPF 303: Educational Psychology: Middle and Secondary Education. Psychological principles underlying learning and effective teaching. The effect of social and personality factors on learning, assessment, and evaluation of individual progress. Diagnosis of difficulties in learning, discipline, programming, and planning as related to instruction. Directed observation.
  2. CTE 421: Career and Technical Education for Students with Special Needs. Planning, coordinating, and delivering programs for individuals with special needs found in secondary and postsecondary schools, rehabilitation centers, and correctional facilities. Development of methods and techniques for teaching and assessing the work potential of individuals with special needs. Development of self-help devices/adaptive equipment. Identifying instructional resources.
  3. CTE 302: Curriculum and Evaluation in Career and Technical Education. Introduction to the curriculum and evaluation in business/marketing and technology education. State curriculum and standards, lesson planning, student learning, and curriculum evaluation.

Graduate Microcredential

  1. SPF 503: Educational Psychology. Psychological theories and principles of teaching and learning and their application to the classroom; effects of student and classroom characteristics on effective instruction; utilization and interpretation of assessments of learning.
  2. TED 521: Occupational and Practical Arts Education for Students with Special Needs. Nature and needs of individuals with disabilities and the disadvantaged enrolled in occupational and practical arts education; curriculum development; evaluating work potential; identifying instructional resources and teaching methods and techniques; interpreting research; identifying the function of available vocational rehabilitation and occupational and practical arts education programs.
  3. BME 602: Curriculum Development and Planning in Business and Marketing Education. Historical developments and changing concepts of curriculum; principles of curricula development; components of the curriculum-development process; dimensions of curriculum design systems; purposes and problems of curriculum evaluation.

Interesting in Applying?

All of the required courses are offered as undergraduate and graduate courses. Some school districts require that you complete the program at the graduate level, so please check with your district for their requirements. After confirming with your district, fill out the appropriate application below.

Application Information

  1. Open the Undergraduate Application for Non-Degree Students
  2. Enter your personal information
  3. If you have previously attended Buffalo State and know your Banner ID, please enter it. If you do not know it, you may leave this blank.
  4. Under “Are you planning to enter into one of our certificate programs?", please select No
  5. Under “Are you planning to enter into one of our microcredentials programs?", please select Yes
  6. In the drop-down menu that appears, please select "Foundations of Career & Technical Education"
  7. Fill out the rest of the application, then click the grey Submit button at the bottom
If you have questions about the undergraduate application, please contact Admissions at 716-878-4017 or admissions@buffalostate.edu.
  1. Open the Graduate Non-Degree and Microcredential Application
  2. Enter your personal information
  3. Under “Are you an applicant for the International Graduate Program for Educators?”, please select No
  4. Under “Are you part of the Work Based Learning program run out of the Continuing Professional Studies Office?", please select No
  5. Under "Are you taking Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses to apply for CTE certification through Individual Evaluation?." please select No
  6. Under "Are you applying to pursue a microcredential?," please select yet
  7. In the drop-down menu that appears, please select "Foundations of Career & Technical Education"
  8. Fill out the rest of the application
  9. The $65.00 application fee is payable online by credit card, Google Pay, or ACH.  If you cannot use any of these methods, select "Pay Later." Click the grey Submit button at the bottom.
  10. Send official transcripts from previous bachelor’s or master’s degrees to the Graduate Admissions Office.  Paper transcripts should be mailed directly from the previously attended institutions in unopened, sealed envelopes. Transcripts should be addressed to Buffalo State Graduate Admissions, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Moot Hall 110, Buffalo, NY 14222. Electronic transcripts must be sent directly to graduateadmissions@buffalostate.edu. Electronic copies sent from the applicant will not be accepted. ranscripts and Application Fee must be received within one week of online application submission.   

If you have questions about the graduate application, please contact Graduate Admissions at 716-878-4017 or graduateadmissions@buffalostate.edu.