Admission Requirements

Students may apply through the Office of Graduate Admissions. Admission to the M.S. in Education program in Inclusive Elementary Special Education program in the department of counseling, research, special education, and rehabilitation is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria, including the following:

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a liberal arts and sciences concentration.
2. A completed application form to the master’s program
3. A minimum grade point average of 3.0.
4. Three letters of recommendation addressing the applicant’s potential to succeed in the teaching of students with disabilities.
5. A written personal statement of professional intent.
6. Interview with a faculty member in Special Education.

The department understands that any single criterion may not reliably predict a candidate’s potential for success in a graduate program. Consequently, candidates are welcome to apply if they do not meet one of the criteria but feel that other aspects of their experience may compensate.

General Education Core Requirements

In order to ensure that prospective teachers have a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences, all students must have completed undergraduate course work from each of the content areas below.

1.   Artistic Expression/Humanities, 3 s.h.
2.   Communication, 3 s.h.
3.   Information Retrieval, (0-3 s.h.; can be satisfied with passing score on exam)
4.   Historical and Social Science Concepts, 3 s.h.
5.   Language other than English, (0-3 s.h.; depending on placement)
6.   Scientific Processes, 3 s.h.
7.   Mathematical Processes, 3 s.h.
8.   Written Analysis and Expression, 6 s.h.

Please note that programs may have general education requirements that exceed the minimum registered with the state. Degrees will not be conferred unless all general education core deficiencies have been met.

Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 49

Note: to qualify for the New York State Annotation for Teaching Students with Severe or Multiple Disabilities, students must complete SPED 248: Education of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders  or SPED 249: Understanding Physical, Health and Sensory Disabilities. Students will also be required to complete an additional field experience (SPED 238) for a minimum of 50 hours and complete the content specialty test in severe or multiple disabilities. In order to receive the annotation, students must be matriculated in this program.

A maximum of 12 s.h. of graduate course work leading to the master of science in education degree may be completed prior to matriculation in the program.

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in order to remain in the program. Courses in which students receive grades below C- confer no credit toward the graduate degree but are included in determining grade point average.

Field Experiences Before Student Teaching

Prospective teachers in the inclusive elementary special education program complete a minimum of 120 clock hours as participant observers in designated schools prior to student teaching. At least one placement will be spent in a site recognized by the New York State Education Department as high-needs. Field experiences in both grades 1 through 3, and 4 through 6, are integrated extensively into course curricula. Placements are arranged by the Office of Field Placement and the Special Education program director.

• ELED 202 - Teaching Reading, Writing, and Language Arts: PreK-Grade 3 Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours in Grades 1-3

• ELED 205 - Language in the Curriculum Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours in Grades 4-6

• ELED 206 - Social Studies in the Curriculum Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours in Grades 5-6

• ELED 208 - Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Teaching Mathematics and Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Curriculum Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours in Grades 1-6

• SPED 201 - The Exceptional Child Semester Hours: 3

• 20 clock hours in high-needs district

• SPED 210 - The Creative Arts in Special Education Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours in K-6

• SPED 211 - Knowledge and Strategies for Teaching Students With Cognitive Disabilities Semester Hours: 3

• 10 clock hours in Grades 1-6

• SPED 241 - Identification and Interventions for Children and Adolescents With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders Semester Hours: 3

• 10 clock hours in Special K-6 Programs

• SPED 242 - Psychoeducational Assessment in Special Education Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours of individualized assessment with a student with special learning needs

• SPED 245 - Curriculum and Methods for Students With Diverse Learning Needs Semester Hours: 4

• 20 clock hours in Individualized Instruction

• SPED 248 - Education of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours in Special K-6 Programs

• SPED 249 - Understanding Physical, Sensory and Health Disabilities Semester Hours: 3

• 15 clock hours in Grades 1-6

Student Teaching

Students will qualify for admission to Student Teaching SPED 219G-219S, (219C) when they have satisfied the following requirements:

1. Successful completion of 37 semester hours of core course work, including all courses from Phase I and II;
2. A grade point average of 3.0 or higher in overall graduate course work and all special education core courses.

Admission by permission of the graduate program director and application to the Office of Field Placement and the department of counseling, research, special education, and rehabilitation, due on May 1 for the succeeding spring semester and February 15 for the succeeding fall semester. Application forms are available in Hagedorn Hall, Room 118.

Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of General Education Core.
2. Completion of 49 s.h. with no fewer than 40 s.h. in residence.
3. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in overall graduate course work and all special education core courses.
4. Passing grade on the comprehensive examination.
5. All course work taken in satisfaction of the degree requirements must have been completed within a five-year period.

Teacher Certification Requirements

Upon successful completion of a school-based program, students will be eligible to apply for the University’s recommendation for New York state certification. The state requires applicants to have passing scores on each of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE): the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W), and the appropriate Content Specialty Tests (CSTs). The state will not issue certification to individuals not receiving passing scores on all New York examinations.

In addition to fulfilling the required courses of study, the Commissioner’s Regulations mandate that all prospective teachers, pupil personnel and education leaders receive instructions regarding:
    1.     Identification of Child Abuse and Maltreatment.
    2.     Fire and Arson Prevention.
    3.     School Violence Prevention and Intervention.
    4.     Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Abuse.
    5.     Highway and School Safety/Prevention of Child Abduction.

New York State legislation also requires all persons seeking certification as special education teachers or school administrators working in special education to have training in the area of children with autism. All of these requirements must be completed before the conferral of the degree and recommendation for certification. Candidates for certification in New York state must also demonstrate satisfactory performance on the requisite state assessment. No degrees will be conferred without the completion of all of these requirements. Please contact the Office of Certification and Educational Support Services for information regarding fingerprinting, examinations and seminars.