To be eligible for admission to Pace University as an education major, the transfer student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.85 from the transfer institution(s). Education majors at Pace move through the program as a "cohort," with specific education courses offered only in specific semesters. Once the Transfer Credit Evaluation form has been completed and the transfer student’s total transfer credits have been tallied, the transfer student will be placed in a freshman, sophomore or junior level cohort, defined as below:
- Freshman: 0-32 credits
- Sophomore: 33-64 credits
- Junior: 65-96 credits
A transfer student within six credits of the next cohort level may petition to be placed in the higher cohort, with a written plan demonstrating how the credit deficiencies will be met by the end of the junior year. This plan will be reviewed by the Director of Student Support Services and a determination made.
Transfer students with less than a 2.85 cumulative GPA from the transfer institution(s) are encouraged to pursue Core requirements as an "Undecided" major at Pace. If the transfer student is successful at raising their grade point in the first or subsequent semesters at Pace, the student may apply for permission to declare an Education major.
The School of Education recommends that students transferring to Pace with significantly more than 65 credits complete an undergraduate major in Liberal Arts & Sciences (for those who ultimately want to get certified in Childhood Education) or the subject area (e.g., Math, English, etc.) for those who want certification in Adolescent Education. Once the undergraduate degree is earned, the student may then apply for admission to the Masters of Science for Teachers (MST) program. This route delays certification until the graduate level and eliminates the expense of additional undergraduate semesters while meeting a state requirement for earning a Master's degree.