Special Education, M.Ed.

All students earn professional certification in all NYS initial certificates held, and have the option to add a Multiple and Severe Disabilities annotation. Students coming into an Initial Certification Track (36 or 39 credits) also earn an initial certification in Special Education if they choose to apply for it.

The program requires:

• 33 credits for Professional Certification
• 36 credits for Initial Certification
• 39 credits for Initial Certification with a concentration in Multiple and Severe Disabilities

Upon graduating, you can pursue roles such as Teacher or Special Education Teacher in various educational settings, including public, private, and charter schools.

Those earning the Multiple and Severe Disabilities annotation are able to distinguish themselves from other Special Education Teachers when seeking positions in K-12 schools and day-program agencies.

Yes, the curriculum includes a focus on digital and assistive technology to help increase student engagement and learning.

100 hours of fieldwork are required for the Initial Certification track.

This program offers courses to build pedagogical skill in meeting the needs of diverse learners. While all students take a majority of courses together to gain practical knowledge from one another while working on course outcomes, there are specific tracks within the program that are designed to meet the distinct needs of those who either currently have a NYS certificate in special education or they are looking to get a NYS certificate in special education.

Students coming in to the program who already have initial certification in special education will be part of the Professional Certification Track (30 credits). They will advance their skills and approaches as educators of diverse learners through in-depth study to create prescriptively responsive practices and interventions to meet the varied needs of their students in a range of capacities. They will be prepared to take on any special educator role in their school.

Students coming into the program with initial certification at a general education grade band looking to obtain a NYS certificate in special education will learn how to meet the needs of students with disabilities in their classrooms, as well as gain the essential knowledge and skills to become certified as a special educator who delivers high-leverage practices and supports students with targeted interventions to make academic, emotional/social, and behavioral gains.  These students can choose to join the Initial Track (36 credits) and the Initial plus Severe Track.

Students who already have NYS special education certification and are coming into the Professional Certification Track do not have any fieldwork or student teaching requirements.  When they take their courses, they do not need to participate in any of the formalized fieldwork hours or student teaching requirements.

Students who have an initial NYS certificate in a general education grade band will come into an Initial Certification Track.  They will have to complete at least 100 hours of field work and must complete a 40-day (or equivalent 240-hour) student teaching practicum.  These experiences can often be completed at a current school the student is employed at during planning periods and/or lunch periods, although they can be supported by our fieldwork placement and student teaching placement coordinators.

This program is a fully asynchronous online program. All courses are offered through a virtual learning system. Students can engage with instructors through synchronous video meetings by setting up individual meeting times. When students are working collaboratively, they are also able to meet synchronously if all group participants desire to do this.