Initial Early Childhood and Special Education, M.Ed.
[Early Childhood and Special Education, M.Ed.-0823]
The Initial Certification in Early Childhood with Special Education program is designed for candidates holding a bachelor's degree in an area other than education. Students enrolled in the program have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills needed for teaching both general and special education students. The program is designed for post-baccalaureate students seeking a Master of Education degree leading to initial and professional certification.
Available Concentrations:
- Historical and Social Sciences
- Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Language Arts
- Math, Science, & Technology - Math emphasis
- Math, Science, & Technology - Science emphasis
- Social Studies
- Spanish
Admission Criteria:
- Writing Sample - Please attach an essay of 300-500 words explaining why you seek admission to this program. Include how this program will help you achieve your personal and/or career goals.
- Resume - Please attach a one-page professional resume highlighting your professional experience. Please include teaching, coaching, or mentoring experiences.
- Transcripts - One official transcript from all colleges/universities attended. The department seeks a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0. A transcript review by an Admissions Counselor is required to determine if any additional courses are needed for enrollment based on NYSED certification guidelines.
- Recommendations - Two professional recommendations are needed; please send us the form from the application and a recommendation letter.
SPECIFICS OF THE INITIAL EARLY CHILDHOOD & SWD, M.Ed. DEGREE
Minimum Total Hours: 45
Minimum Requirements: Overall and major GPA of 3.0 with no grade less than B-.
Major Requirements: 45 credits
- GEDU 5010 (3) Planning, Instruction & Assessment
- GEDU 5011 (3) Social Foundations of Education
- GEDU 5012 (3) Historical Foundations of Special Education
- GEDU 5014 (3) Language & Literacy I
- GEDU 5019 (3) Student Behavior & Learning Environments
- GEDU 5023 (3) Assessment in Inclusive Settings
- GEDU 5026 (3) Master's Project
- GEDU 5027 (3) Child & Adolescent Development & Learning
- GEDU 5029 (3) Teaching Mathematics in the Inclusive Classroom
- GEDU 5031 (3) Instructional & Adaptive Technology
- GEDU 5034 (3) Language & Literacy in Early Childhood Classrooms
- GEDU 5035 (3) Early Childhood Curriculum & Methods
- GEDU 6001* (2) Capstone Seminar
- GEDU 6004* (2) Student Teaching in Birth-K
- GEDU 6005* (2) Student Teaching in Grades 1-2
- GEDU 6010* (3) Student Teaching Special Education
Field Experience Requirement | Students must complete 150 hours of fieldwork prior to student teaching
Student Teaching Practicum | 14 Weeks
*Additional requirements must be met for these courses. Please see the Fieldwork Handbook for more information.
In order to obtain New York State certification, the following requirements must be met:
- CST | Multi-Subject Content Specialty Test
- CST | Students with Disabilities Test
- EAS | Educating All Students Test
- edTPA | Teacher Portfolio Assessment
- SAVE | Mandatory Workshop
- Child Abuse | Mandatory Workshop
- DASA - Dignity for All Students | Mandatory Workshop
- Autism Training | Mandatory Workshop
- Fingerprinting clearance
Upon successfully completing all academic requirements and completing all required workshops, the student will be recommended to the state by Roberts Wesleyan College. A student who has not completed the required workshops will not be recommended to the state until completing the mandatory workshops. Six months after the student's conferral date, if a student has not completed all the successful workshops, they must apply for certification through individual evaluation. Roberts Wesleyan College will not recommend the student for certification.
Transfer Policy:
Master of Education program applicants may request that the College accept graduate courses from other institutions for transfer credit. The following conditions apply to such requests:
- Courses must have been taken within five years of application to the Roberts Wesleyan College M.Ed. degree program.
- A formal course description (for example, from a course catalog or course syllabus) must be provided for each course the applicant wishes Roberts Wesleyan College to consider. The Program Advisor and the Director will compare the course description with similar courses in the Roberts Wesleyan College M.Ed. program to determine equivalence. The course description will also be presented to the Registrar’s office as evidence of equivalence, just as an official transcript is presented as evidence of successful course completion.
- More than a 12-hour limit may be granted in unusual cases after review by the Program Advisor, the Program Director, and the Department Chair. Examples of possible exceptions are students transferring into a program from another Roberts Wesleyan College program (such as an Initial Adolescence or Transition B Adolescence graduate seeking further study and certification in Special Education). The percentage of courses accepted for credit will be limited to 50% (NOTE: this is consistent with practice at the undergraduate level when a 2-year student is accepted as a junior, representing a 50% transfer of credit).
Stop Out Policy:
Once a Stop Out is directed due to a failing grade, the student must submit a written request to show intention of re-joining the program with the next cohort. The request must be sent to the Program Director and must explicitly state steps that will be taken to ensure success upon return (i.e., taking a writing course to improve writing skills, sorting out home-life issues, getting settled into a new job, etc.). Once the written request is received, the Program Director will first consult with the Steering Committee and will then meet with the student to develop a plan for re-entry. The student must adhere to all stipulations of the plan and must earn a passing grade in the failed course on the second attempt in order to be able to continue on in the program.