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Special Education - Certification Tracks

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Find a Master of Education degree program customized for you!

If you possess:

  • Initial certification in Special Education, discover the Professional Certification Track
  • Initial certification in General Education, explore the Initial Certification Track
  • Initial certification in general education and wish to specialize in working with students with Severe and Multiple Disabilities, choose the Initial Certification with a Concentration in Multiple and Severe Disabilities Track

Professional Certification Track | 33 credits

This program is for teachers who have a base teaching certificate in:

  • Special Education: Childhood 1-6
  • Special Education: 7-12 or 7-12 Generalist
  • Dual Certification: Childhood Education and Special Education Grades 1-6
  • Early Childhood/Students With Disabilities & Special Education

Program Requirements

  • Complete the 33-credit program
  • Complete all relevant requirements to qualify for the additional titles/extensions as stated above.

Initial Certification Track | 36 credits

The Initial Certification Track is for teachers who have a base teaching certificate in:

  • Childhood 1-6
  • Adolescence 7-12 in Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Spanish, or French
  • Physical Education*
  • Art Education*
  • Music Education*

*Teachers with K-12 certification levels may not attach a Special Education Certification to their base title, but will earn professional certification in their base title after passing certification tests connected to their grade-level of study.

Program Requirements

  • Complete the 36-credit program (includes a 3-credit Student Teaching Practicum to be completed after all coursework is successfully completed)
  • Successfully complete 50 hours of field work experience
    • 25 hours aligned to SPED 5703: IEPs and Collaboration
    • 25 hours aligned to SPED 6743: Diagnostic and Prescriptive Teaming
  • Successfully pass Student Teaching Practicum
  • Pass all relevant Content Specialty Tests (see NYS website)

Initial Certification with a Concentration in Multiple and Severe Disabilities Track | 39 credits

This track for teachers who have a base teaching certificate in:

  • Childhood 1-6
  • Adolescence 7-12 in Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Spanish, or French
  • Physical Education*
  • Art Education*
  • Music Education*

*Teachers with K-12 certification levels may not attach a Special Education Certification to their base title, but will earn professional certification in their base title after passing certification tests connected to their grade-level of study.

Program Requirements

  • Complete the 39-credit program
  • Successfully complete 75 hours of field work experience
    • 25 hours aligned to SPED 5703: IEPs and Collaboration
    • 25 hours aligned to SPED 6741: Responsive Programming for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities
    • 25 hours aligned to SPED 6743: Diagnostic and Prescriptive Collaborative Teaming
  • Successfully pass Student Teaching Practicum
  • Pass all relevant Content Specialty Tests (see NYS website)

Special Education: 7-12

Students will be recommended for an extension to their base content-area certificate:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Science
  • English
  • French
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Social Studies
  • Spanish

This teaching title certifies you to be a special educator of your content area in a self-contained classroom.

7-12 Generalist

With 12 credits of additional coursework (a formal evaluation must be completed by our certification officer) students may complete requirements for the NYS Students with Disabilities 7-12 Generalist resource room, or as a consultant teacher or inclusion teacher in a 7-12 general education classroom.

Students completing this program will be recommended by Roberts Wesleyan University to the NYS Education Department for Professional Certification in all base teaching certificates and the NYS Extension in Severe or Multiple Disabilities. This qualifies you to teach in self-contained settings, specialized schools and agencies, and residential/treatment programs.

585.594.6600 or AGE-Admissions@roberts.edu

Related Majors

Childhood and Special Education, M.Ed. - Prepare for New York State teaching certification and earn a Masters in Childhood Education, as well as a Masters in Childhood Special Education (Grades 1-6) in an affordable and flexible dual certification program developed for time constrained adults.
Literacy Education, M.Ed. - Build on your existing certification as you take advantage of the growing demand for literacy specialists, with a Literacy Education, M.Ed. from Roberts Wesleyan University.
School Psychology, M.S. - Our Masters in School Psychology program prepares students to evaluate, diagnose, and treat children and adolescents, in consultation with parents and teachers.
Adult and Graduate Admissions - 585.594.6600 | 800.777.4792 (toll free) - AGE-Admissions@roberts.edu