Department of Special Education and Literacy

Dual Bachelor's/Master's Degree Programs

The following degree programs are designed to allow students to graduate with a dual bachelor's and master's degree in only 5 years. These programs also prepare students to take the New York State teacher certification exam.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

B.S./M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education/Special Education
B.S./M.S. in Childhood Education/Special Education (Autism Concentration)

LITERACY PROGRAMS

B.S./M.S. in Early Childhood Education/Literacy
B.S./M.S. in Childhood Education/Literacy

B.S./M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education/Special Education
Special children need special teachers. This 5-year dual certification degree program will prepare you to be such a teacher. The program starts with a solid foundation in general childhood education (Grades 1 to 6) and then branches out into teaching elementary school children with special needs such as mental handicaps, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. You will explore the historical, social and legal foundations of special education and receive extensive clinical experience. Children from local public and private schools come to the campus for clinics during which you will assess their abilities, prescribe a plan of action and begin to teach. Not only will you become familiar with the characteristics of children with varying levels of learning difficulties but you will also learn to adapt instructional strategies and materials to fit their needs. An optional graduate concentration is also offered in Autism.

Five-Year Plan for B.S. in Childhood Education/M.S.Ed. in Special Education
Program Requirements (30 credits):

B.S. in Childhood Education/M.S. in Special Education with CASE option (Autism Concentration)
Special children need special teachers. This 5-year dual certification degree program will prepare you to be such a teacher. The program starts with a solid foundation in general childhood education (Grades 1 to 6) and then branches out into teaching elementary school children with special needs such as mental handicaps, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. You will explore the historical, social and legal foundations of special education and receive extensive clinical experience. Children from local public and private schools come to the campus for clinics during which you will assess their abilities, prescribe a plan of action and begin to teach. Not only will you become familiar with the characteristics of children with varying levels of learning difficulties but you will also learn to adapt instructional strategies and materials to fit their needs. This program has an optional graduate concentration focusing on Autism.

Graduate Concentration in Autism
One of only four such programs in the nation, this concentration prepares highly specialized educators to work with autistic children and adults. It also prepares educators to work in teams with psychologists, social workers and families to respond to the special needs of this unique population.

Five-Year Plan for B.S. in Childhood Education/M.S. in Special Education with CASE Option (Autism Concentration)

Program Requirements (30 credits):

B.S./M.S. in Early Childhood Education/Literacy
There's more to literacy than reading. There's intellectual, physical, social, emotional, motivational and moral growth. This comprehensive approach is what makes this new 5-year dual degree program distinctive. In the undergraduate portion, you'll explore the principles of child growth and development for Birth to Grade 2 and you will gain an understanding of instructional strategies and assessment methods. You'll learn about the role of play in early childhood creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and performance. The M.S. in Literacy portion of the program focuses on Birth to Grade 6 and prepares two types of literacy providers: classroom teachers and literacy professionals. Coursework covers reading comprehension, selecting appropriate literature for classroom learning, remedial instruction, and current trends in testing and reading techniques. This dual degree program prepares you to sit for the New York State teacher certification exam. You will have the opportunity to work with individual children as part of your clinical training.

B.S./M.S. in Childhood Education/Literacy
The B.S./M.S. in Childhood Education/ Literacy - is similar in structure to the B.S./M.S. in Early Childhood Education/Literacy. However, the undergraduate portion of this degree offers training for a broader age group (Birth to Grade 6) and also places an emphasis on elementary education curricula such as social studies, mathematics and science. The graduate portion in Literacy (Birth to Grade 6) is identical to the M.S. in Literacy.

Five-Year Plan for B.S. Childhood Education/M.S. in Literacy: Birth-Grade 6
Program Requirements (30 credits):