Field Experience and School Partnerships (FESP) Office

The Field Experience and School Partnerships Office coordinates all early field experience and student teaching placements for teacher candidates within the Schools of Education, Professional Studies, and Arts and Sciences, as well as internships for students majoring in Community Health and Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies. 

In collaboration with our school and community partners, we are committed to providing diverse opportunities in a variety of settings in order to optimize student learning while meeting and exceeding programmatic, professional, partnering school district, and New York State standards and mandates.

• Early field experiences provide teacher candidates with a minimum of 100 hours of experience in various school settings.  These experiences allow teacher candidates to work with students "one-on-one" or in small groups, tutor in after-school programs, practice pedagogical skills in larger groups, and interact with school faculty and administrators.

• Student teaching provides the opportunity for teacher candidates to integrate and apply learning from coursework and early field experiences within the context of two eight-week placements typically during their last year of study.  SUNY Cortland's location in Central New York allows for diverse placements with a variety of urban, suburban, and rural school district partners in the region.

• Internships for students majoring in Community Health or Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies provide a semester-long opportunity for students to integrate theory with practice under the supervision of a faculty supervisor and a professional in the field.  The internship is intended to prepare the student for future employment and/or graduate studies and may be completed in agencies in New York State or throughout the United States.