Overview

Dr. Susan M. Schultz, Program Director

Mission

The mission of the Special Education program is to provide a quality educational experience that prepares candidates for distinguished careers in Special Education and for leadership roles in schools and communities. The Special Education programs develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions special educators need in order to effectively teach all students, including those with exceptional learning needs.

Childhood Options in Special Education (Grades 1-6)

M.S. Special Education Dual Initial Certification

Prepares non-certified graduate candidates who are pursuing childhood initial certification and certification to teach students with disabilities at the same developmental level and results in the M.S. in Special Education degree. (42 credits)

M.S. Special Education Initial/Professional Certification

Prepares teachers who are initially certified in childhood and are pursuing certification to teach students with disabilities at the same developmental level and results in the M.S. in Special Education degree. (30 credits)

Special Education Advanced Certification

Prepares teachers who have completed the master’s degree requirement and are pursuing certification to teach students with disabilities in grades 1–6. (18 credits)

Admission Requirements

For information regarding application and admission to a graduate program in Special Education, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (585) 385-8161 or e-mail grad@sjfc.edu.

The Admissions Committee of the Special Education program and the graduate program director judge applicant qualifications. In addition to the general admissions materials and credentials, applicants may submit results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to strengthen their application.

For specific information regarding the Master of Science in Special Education program, please contact Dr. Susan M. Schultz, program director, through the School of Education office, (585) 385-7296, or e-mail sschultz@sjfc.edu.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the programs, candidates will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of the philosophical, historical, pedagogical, and legal foundations of special education to organize and design instruction.
• Use knowledge of human development to appreciate and address learning differences.
• Use a variety of approaches, including technology, to help students increase their understanding and command of essential knowledge and skills.
• Model communication skills to help students access, comprehend, and apply information, as well as to acquire knowledge and develop and maintain interpersonal relationships.
• Create an environment in which fairness and respect for diversity are modeled, taught, and practiced to ensure quality learning opportunities for all students.
• Utilize a core body of knowledge in the disciplines to establish curricular goals, design instruction, facilitate student learning, and assess student progress.
• Develop a sense of efficacy and independence in students to develop their character, sense of civic and social responsibility, respect for diverse individuals and groups, and the ability to work constructively and collaboratively with others.
• Design and select a variety of assessment strategies to obtain meaningful and timely information about student learning and development and to help students reflect on their own progress.
• Work collaboratively with parents, guardians, and other caregivers to set and achieve educational goals for their children.
• Provide leadership and work collaboratively with colleagues and others to improve schools and advance knowledge, policy, and practice in the field.
• Reflect, evaluate, and strengthen the quality of professional practice.

Program Requirements

Special Education and Childhood Options

• M.S. Special Education Dual Initial Certification
• M.S. Special Education Initial/Professional Certification
• Special Education Advanced Certification

M.S. Special Education Dual Initial Certification

Field experiences are required for certification and the master’s degree. Candidates must complete 150 hours of field work before student teaching. Student teaching is full-time for 14 weeks and includes two placements—one as a special education teacher and one as a general education teacher in Grades 1–6. One placement will be at the primary level and another will be at the intermediate level. One of the placements will be in a high-needs school. To qualify for student teaching, candidates must:

• Complete all degree requirements with the exception of GCED 522.
• Pass the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST).
• Pass the A.T.S.-W, Multi-Subject CST, and Students with Disabilities CST.

M.S. Special Education Initial/Professional Certification

Special Education Advanced Certification

New York State Requirements: Childhood Certificates

Candidates who are seeking the Childhood and Special Education Certificates must have an adequate knowledge base for teaching to the New York State Learning Standards. This includes coursework in Humanities; Communication; Written Analysis and Expression; History; Social Sciences; Languages Other Than English (LOTE); Scientific Process; Mathematical Process; Health; Physical Education; Family and Consumer Sciences; and Artistic Expression. Transcripts are reviewed prior to admission to determine adequate preparation for the program. Candidates with inadequate preparation will be required to take additional coursework prior to student teaching.