Adolescence Ed/Students with Disabilities (All Grades) (MSEd)
Department Chair: Marya Grande, PhD & Kelly Harper, PhD
This Master of Science Degree Program at Canisius is designed for those dedicated to meet the needs of adolescent students as well as students with disabilities at all grade levels, placing a strong emphasis on theory, research and practicum experience. The curriculum enables candidates to develop an understanding of etiology, related psychological and social factors and techniques proven effective for teaching students with diverse learning needs.
This program prepares candidates for Initial and Professional Certification in Special Education All Grades (PreK-12), and provides and option for candidates to earn a second Initial and Professional Certification in Adolescence Education (Gr. 7-12) in a specific content area.
Grade Requirements
Graduate students enrolled in initial certification programs must achieve a C or above in all course requirements and a B- or above in all graduate program coursework. Failure to meet these requirements will require repeating the course &/or completing additional coursework.
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.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDAD 502 | Foundations of Adolescent Literacy (20 hours field experience) | 3 |
| EDAD 535 | Learning and Human Development: Adolescence | 3 |
| EDAD 572 | Pedagogical Strategies and Methods (30 hours field experience required) | 3 |
| EDCH 540 | Learning and Development Birth to Grade 6 | 3 |
| EDU 505 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDU 556 | Assessment for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 595 | Child Abuse Workshop | 0 |
| EDU 596 | Prevention of School Violence Workshop | 0 |
| EDU 597 | Dignity for All Students Workshop | 0 |
| EDU 615 | Research Methods | 3 |
| SPE 541 | Inclusive Strategies | 3 |
| SPE 580 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| SPE 631 | Reading and Writing Process for Students with Learning and Behavioral Disorders (25 hour Field Exp ) | 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 |
| SPE 698 | Seminar in Teaching and Assessment (50 hours field experience required) | 3 |
| Student Teaching: | ||
| SPE 692 | Student Teaching | 4.5 |
| SPE 694 | Student Teaching - Placement 2 | 4.5 |
| SPE 697 | Student Teaching Seminar | 0 |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
Course Requirements for Students with Disabilities (SWD) for ALL candidates.
- Six credit hours in English
- Six credit hours in math
- Six credit hours in social studies
- Six credit hours in science
Prerequisites for Adolescence 7-12 Certification in the Content Area:
- English: 30 credit hours are required in English. Topics that need to be covered include linguistics/grammar, American Literature, World Literature, Young Adult Literature, British Literature, and writing/composition (plus electives needed to meet the credit hour requirement)
- Math: 30 credit hours are required in Math. Topics that need to be covered include Calculus I, II, and III, differential equations, abstract math, linear algebra, abstract algebra, geometry, and statistics. (plus electives needed to meet the credit hour requirement)
- Biology: 30 credit hours are required in Biology. Topics that need to be covered include botany, evolution, microbiology, biochemistry, organismal biology, ecology, physiology, cell biology, zoology, genetics, and anatomy. (plus electives needed to meet the credit hour requirement)
- Chemistry: 30 credit hours are required in Chemistry. Topics that need to be covered include inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and physical chemistry. (plus electives needed to meet the credit hour requirement)
- Physics: 30 credit hours are required in Physics. Topics that need to be covered include general physics, classical mechanics, nuclear physics, optics, electricity/magnetism, quantum mechanics, electronics, and statistics & thermal dynamics. (plus electives needed to meet the credit hour requirement)
- Social Studies: 30 credit hours are required in Social Studies. Eighteen (18) credits in history are required. Three credits are also required in each of the following areas: geography, political science/government, cultural studies, and economics. The remaining credits can come from other social sciences including psychology or philosophy.
- Spanish: 30 credit hours of study in that language are required *French concentration available to graduate students with 30-credits.
Middle Childhood
Candidates wishing to obtain an extension to teach grades 5-6 in their content area must add a middle childhood extension. To acquire the middle childhood extension in a content area, candidates can take EMC 552 and 553 in addition to passing the Content Specialty Test in their content area.
Roadmap
Adolescence/Special Ed Roadmap (Traditional Path)
The courses are in the recommended sequence. For candidates wanting to go through the program full time, they can follow the schedule for teacher residents. The roadmap below is for candidates wanting to take 2 classes a semester. Candidates may be required to take additional prerequisites based upon their undergraduate studies since there are content requirements to receive the Students with Disabilities All Graders certificate. Keep in mind that graduate students are required to be enrolled in 4.5 credits per semester towards their degree certification program in order to qualify for financial aid.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
| SPE 541 | EDAD 535 | EDCH 540 |
| EDAD 502 (20 hours of field experience required) | EDAD 572 (30 hours of required field experience) | EDU 505 |
| EDU 595 | ||
| EDU 596 | ||
| EDU 597 | ||
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
| EDU 556 | SPE 631 (25 hours required field experience) | SPE 652 (25 hours of field experience required) |
| SPE 650 | SPE 640 | Pre-requisite content courses (if applicable) |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
| SPE 580 | EDU 598 | EDU 615 |
| EDU 570 (50 hours of field experience required) | SPE 593 | |
| SPE 649 | ||
Optional Extension Courses
Middle Childhood Extension- 3 credits each
- EMC 552 Human Growth and Development (Online; Offered in Spring)
- EMC 553 Cognition, Learning, Assessment and Diagnostic Teaching (Online; Offered in Fall)
*candidates must have 30 credit hours in academic content area: English, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History or LOTE (Language other than English) as well as 6 credit hours of Math, Science and Social Studies.
