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2010-2011 Graduate Studies Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]
Special Education, M.S.Ed.
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 Return to: Counseling, Research, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Programs
Associate Professor Schwartz, Graduate Program Director, (516) 463-5778
For students with New York state certification in childhood, middle childhood or adolescent education or literacy, to become teachers of students with disabilities (childhood-adolescence): 34-37 s.h. The program is designed to develop ethical scholar-practitioners capable of working with diverse populations of learners in a variety of school contexts. This program consists of a sequence of core courses and experiences for teaching students across the full range of disabilities and special health care needs leading to New York state initial/professional certification as a special education teacher at the prescribed developmental level: childhood, middle childhood or adolescent. Students can matriculate and complete additional requirements in order to receive the New York State Annotation to Teach Students with Severe or Multiple Disabilities.
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Admission Requirements
Applicants for admission to a Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) Special Education program in the department of counseling, research, special education, and rehabilitation (CRSR) must possess initial or professional New York state teacher certification in: childhood, middle childhood or adolescent education, or literacy. Admission is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria, including the following:
- A completed application form to the master’s program.
- A minimum grade point average of 3.0.
- Three letters of recommendation addressing the applicants potential to succeed in the teaching of students with disabilities.
- A written personal statement of professional intent.
- 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.
- Artistic Expression/Humanities, 3 s.h.
- Communication, 3 s.h.
- Information Retrieval, (0-3 s.h.; can be satisfied with passing score on exam)
- Historical and Social Science Concepts, 3 s.h.
- Language other than English, (0-3 s.h.; depending on placement)
- Scientific Processes, 3 s.h.
- Mathematical Processes, 3 s.h.
- 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: 34 to 37
Matriculated students must complete a minimum of 25 to 28 s.h. of the master of science in education program in residence at Hofstra. No more than 9 s.h. may be transferred into the program. Student teaching may be used to meet the 25 to 28 s.h. residency.
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. Knowledge Core - Semester Hours: 15
Characteristics of Learners with Mild to Moderate Disabilities:
Characteristics of Learners with Multiple Disabilities:
Select one from the following:
Associated Skills - Semester Hours: 16
Reflective Practice - Semester Hours: 3-6
Footnotes
*Fulfills requirements for the annotation for Teaching Students With Severe or
Multiple Disabilities. Field Experience Prior to Student Treaching
Field experiences are integrated extensively into course curricula. A minimum of 100 clock hours of observation is required prior to student teaching. At least one placement (SPED 201) will be spent in a site recognized by the New York State Education Department as high-needs. Placements are arranged by the Office of Field Placement.
Participation/observation field experiences which correspond to the developmental level of the certificate holder are required in each of the following courses: Student Teaching
Students will qualify for admission to Student Teaching, SPED 237, when they have satisfied the following requirements:
- Successful completion of 27 semester hours of core course work
- A grade point average of 3.0 or higher in overall graduate course work.
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.
Students registered for SPED 237 will complete two student teaching experiences at the developmental levels of their certificate.
Students registered for SPED 237A will complete a student teaching experience at two developmental levels of their certificate. Graduation Requirements
- Completion of a minimum of 34 semester hours in prescribed courses with no fewer than 25 s.h. in residence.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 in overall graduate course work and all special education core courses.
- Passing grade on the comprehensive examination.
- 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. |
Return to: Counseling, Research, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Programs
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