Frequently Asked Questions

NYC Paraprofessional Program FAQ

Q: What courses are available for paraprofessionals?

A: Course selection will include classes offered from the Educational Studies department (EDST), Human Services department (HUSV), and Human Development department (HUDV) to name a few.

A: Course credits are four (4) and two (2) credits classes.

Q: What are the different types of courses I can take?

A: As a member of our School of Undergraduate Studies, you can take any type of course that is open to all our undergraduate students, including location-based study groups, online courses, residencies, and independent studies.

Q: Why is it important to matriculate?

A: Matriculating provides you with a mentor to support and advise you as you work your way toward earning your degree. It is often the case that Paraprofessionals earn enough credits to have received a degree. However, the only way to receive a degree from SUNY Empire, is as a matriculated student. 

Q: What courses and degrees am I allowed to take?

A: Paraprofessional students can take the full range of courses and degrees available to all of our undergraduate students.

Q: What is degree planning, and why is it important?

A: SUNY Empire begins with the premise that your degree program should serve your goals and aspirations, ensuring that every course you take is relevant to you and your future. The degree program planning process allows you a unique opportunity to take control of your academic experience as you map out a plan to enhance your life and shape your future.

To achieve this, you will work closely with an academic mentor in the degree program planning process to identify the best degree program possible for your needs. From what and how you study, the objective is to ensure you engage in a meaningful and relevant academic experience. There are many possibilities depending on your individual goals, but here is a sample degree plan for an Associate degree in Educational Studies.

For more examples of sample degree plans, please visit the Educational Studies Degree Planning Resources.

Q: I have an approved degree plan. Will the LABR courses that I have already taken count?

A: Yes. Courses on your approved degree plan that you have taken through the Harry Van Arsdale Center for Labor Studies (HVACLS) will continue to count towards your degree.

If you do not have an approved degree plan yet then you will still receive credit for the courses you completed at Harry Van Arsdale, but whether those credits can be applied towards the degree you are seeking will depend on your degree program plan. Please consult your mentor as soon as possible to develop a degree program plan.

Q: How do I search the college Catalog and Term Guide to see what courses are available for registration, and where these courses are offered?

A: The college has two main listings of courses. The course Catalog lists the courses that the college makes available. Many of these courses are offered as study groups and online courses, while some are offered only as independent studies.

A: Term Guide lists the courses scheduled to be offered in a particular term (e.g., Fall 2021), and includes information about the mode of study, location, meeting times, and so on.

Students can find both the course catalog and a number of term guides by signing into MyESC. There, you will find course information, a registration quick guide, and more helpful information to get you registered.

When looking at the term guide, you can search for specific class locations, classes carrying CTLE status, different subjects, and several other options.

Q: Will courses still be offered at the borough locations?

A: All downstate study groups will be virtual for Fall 2021, but we expect to return to face-to-face study groups for many paraprofessional courses in the various boroughs for Spring 2022. Paraprofessionals will still have access to online courses for Fall 2021. College locations in Brooklyn and Staten Island will be accessible for Spring 2022. Other locations are expected to be accessible by Summer 2022.

Q: Where can I find resources to help me plan my degree?

A: For matriculated students, your mentor will be your main point of contact for degree-planning assistance.

MyESC has additional degree-planning resources: See the "Degree Planning (Undergraduate)" icon link on MyESC Student Home.

Q: If the courses on my approved degree plan are no longer offered through HVACLS, can I substitute other courses?

A: In many cases, you will be able to substitute courses on an approved degree plan. However, you must work with your assigned mentor to formally amend your degree plan to reflect the new course titles. Each case will be slightly different, so close collaboration with your mentor will be important.

Matriculating means that you join the college as a degree-seeking student by submitting an undergraduate degree application. When you matriculate, SUNY Empire will assign you a faculty mentor to support and advise you as you work your way toward earning your degree. It is often the case that Paraprofessionals earn enough credits to have received a degree. However, the only way to receive a degree from Empire State College is as a matriculated student by having worked with a mentor on an approved degree plan. 

Paraprofessional students at SUNY Empire can take advantage of the full range of degrees available to all of our undergraduate students. For a listing of degrees, visit our Undergraduate Programs page. 

As a member of our School of Undergraduate Studies, you can take any type of course that is open to all our undergraduate students, including location-based study groups, online courses, residencies, and independent studies.

All of the undergraduate courses offered each term are available to Paraprofessional students. A full list of course offerings for the current can be found through the term guide. 

In addition, a subset of recommended courses for Paraprofessional students are listed on this page under the Recommende Courses Page. 

Contact your faculty mentor for academic advisement every term. If you don't have a mentor, contact the Paraprofessional Office for guidance.  

The Course Catalog lists the courses that the college has created and may be taken by students. The course catalog is a great resource for long-term planning of your degree program. 

The Term Guide lists the courses scheduled to be offered in a particular term (e.g., Fall 2022, Spring 2023), and includes information about each section's mode of study, location, meeting times, CTLE attribute, etc.

When looking at the term guide, you can search for specific course modality and location, CTLE attribute, different subjects, credit load, and other attributes. You can select options under each of those fields to refine the search for the courses that best fit your needs. Consult your faculty mentor when selecting courses.

Empire State College begins with the premise that your degree program should serve your goals and aspirations, ensuring that every course you take is relevant to you and your future. The degree program planning process allows you a unique opportunity to take control of your academic experience as you map out a plan to enhance your life and shape your future.

To achieve this, you will work closely with an faculty mentor in the degree program planning process to identify the best degree program possible for your needs. The objective is to ensure you engage in a meaningful and relevant academic experience. 

The Academic Departments have created degree planning resources that include degree plan samples. The list below includes links to degree planning resources for many of our departments:

View degree planning resources from other departments by visiting our Undergraduate Studies Page.

Yes. Courses on your approved degree plan that you have taken through the Harry Van Arsdale Center for Labor Studies (HVACLS) will continue to count towards your degree.

If you do not have an approved degree plan yet then you will still receive credit for the courses you completed at Harry Van Arsdale, but whether those credits can be applied towards the degree you are seeking will depend on your degree program plan. Please consult your mentor as soon as possible to develop a degree program plan.

If you do not have a mentor, contact the Paraprofessional Program office. 

In many cases, you will be able to substitute courses on an approved degree plan. However, you must work with your assigned mentor to formally amend your degree plan to reflect the new course titles. Each case will be slightly different, so close collaboration with your mentor will be important. You and your mentor can begin by reviewing our course crosswalk webpage.

The Registrar’s Office will supply a CTLE certificate to a student who has successfully completed a course section approved for CTLE credit. Once a final grade is posted, please email the Registrar’s Office at RegistrarsOffice@esc.edu to request the certificate (or to order a misplaced certificate). Be sure to include your full name, the course title, course number, section and the term in which it was completed in your request.

For more information about Continuing Teacher and Leader Education at SUNY Empire visit our CTLE page. 

For more information, please contact Chanel Clark at chanel.clark@sunyempire.edu or (347) 695-9606, ext #1733.