Students with Disabilities - All Grades(MSEd)
Department Chair & Program Director: Marya Grande, PhD
This program is designed for teachers that already hold an initial teacher certification in a related field (Ex: Childhood Education, Early Childhood Education, Adolescence Education, Physical Education/Health Education, etc.) yet are seeking a Masters Degree in Special Education, the Students with Disabilities All Grades certification, as well as Professional certification. As part of this program, candidates will complete a mentored student teaching experience in the summer which will allow them to continue working as a teacher to meet the graduate degree requirement of a student teaching experience.
Note. If candidates already have Professional certification, they should contact the Program Advisor to find out what courses are recommended for individuals wanting to go through the individual pathway evaluation through BOCES or NYSED.
Licensure Disclosure
Canisius University cannot determine whether completion of this program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements outside of New York State for the intended occupation. We advise you to contact your state licensing board or appropriate licensing entity to determine whether the program meets requirements for Professional Licensure in the state where you are located or the state in which you intend to pursue licensure. Please contact the associate dean of your school if you have further questions.
Grade Requirements
Graduate students seeking endorsement from Canisius University for certification must achieve a C or above in all program coursework and a 3.0 or above overall GPA. Failure to meet this requirement will require repeating the course and/or completing additional coursework.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SPE 580 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| SPE 631 | Reading and Writing Process for Students with Learning and Behavioral Disorders (25 hour Field Exp ) | 3 |
| SPE 556 | Assessment for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| SPE 640 | Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (LBD); Etiology and Research Based Interventions | 3 |
| SPE 649 | Transition for Adolescents with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPE 650 | Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders: Etiology & Educational Needs | 3 |
| SPE 652 | Functional Curriculum for Students with Severe Disabilities and ASD (25 hour Field Exp) | 3 |
| EDU 615 | Research Methods | 3 |
| EDCH 540 | Learning and Development Birth to Grade 6 1 | 3 |
| or EDAD 535 | Learning and Human Development: Adolescence | |
| SPE 692 | Student Teaching | 4.5 |
| Total Credits | 31.5 | |
- 1
Candidates who already have adolescence certification take EDCH 540; those with childhood certification take EDAD 535
Certification Requirements for Students with Disabilities (SWD) All Grades certification:
- Six credit hours in English
- Six credit hours in math
- Six credit hours in social studies
- Six credit hours in science
These courses may be taken before or concurrent with this graduate program.
Candidates are required to have a minimum of C in these courses to be eligible for NYS certification.
Roadmap
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
| EDY, EMC (if desired) | SPE 631 (Requires 25 hours of field experience) | SPE 652 (Requires 25 hours of field experience) |
| Content Pre-Reqs if necessary | SPE 640 | EDCH 540 (if necessary)1 |
| EDAD 535 (if needed)1 | ||
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
| SPE 580 | SPE 649 | SPE 692 |
| SPE 556 | SPE 650 | |
1 If the candidate comes in with Adolescent certification, they will take EDCH 540. If they come in with Childhood certification, they will take EDAD 535. Only one of the development courses are required.
