Initial Childhood and Special Education, M.Ed.
[Initial Childhood (1-6) & SWD (All Grades), M.Ed.-0802]
The Initial Certification in 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 can gain the knowledge and skills needed for teaching 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
- English Language Arts
- Math
- Science
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 N.Y.S.E.D. certification guidelines.
- Recommendations - Two professional recommendations are needed.
SPECIFICS OF THE INITIAL CHILDHOOD & SWD, M.Ed. DEGREE
Minimum Total Hours: 45
Minimum Requirements: Overall and major G.P.A. of 3.0 with no grade less than B-.
Major Requirements: 45
- 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 5018 (3) Language & Literacy in Childhood Classrooms
- GEDU 5019 (3) Student Behavior & Learning Environments
- GEDU 5023 (3) Assessment in Inclusive Classrooms
- GEDU 5026 (3) Master's Project
- GEDU 5027 (3) Child & Adolescent Development & Learning
- GEDU 5029 (3) Teaching Mathematics in the Inclusive Classroom
- GEDU 5030 (3) Elementary Curriculum & Methods (1-6)
- GEDU 5031 (3) Instructional & Adaptive Technology
- GEDU 6000* (2) Capstone Seminar
- GEDU 6002* (7) Student Teaching Special Education
Field Experience Requirement | Students must complete 100 hours of fieldwork
Student Teaching Practicum | 14 Weeks
*Students must meet additional requirements for these courses. Please see the Fieldwork Handbook for more information.
To obtain New York State certification, students must meet the following requirements:
- C.S.T. | Multi-Subject Content Specialty Test
- C.S.T. | Students with Disabilities Test
- E.A.S. | Educating All Students Test
- T.P.A. | Teacher Portfolio Assessment
- S.A.V.E. | Mandatory Workshop
- Child Abuse | Mandatory Workshop
- D.A.S.A. - Dignity for All Students | Mandatory Workshop
- Autism Training | Mandatory Workshop
After completing all academic requirements and all required workshops, the student will be recommended to the state by Roberts Wesleyan University. A student who has not completed the required workshops will not be recommended to the state until completing the mandatory workshops. If a student has not completed all workshops six months after the student's conferral date, they must apply for certification through individual evaluation. R.W.U. will not recommend the student for certification.
Transfer Policy:
Master of Education program applicants may request that the University 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 the date of application to the Roberts Wesleyan University 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 University to consider. To determine equivalence, the Program Advisor and Program Director will compare the course description with similar courses in the Roberts Wesleyan University M.Ed. program. 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 program (such as an Initial 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 an intention of re-joining the program with the next cohort. The student must send the request to the Program Director. It must explicitly state steps the student will take 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 then meet with the student to develop a re-entry plan. The student must adhere to all stipulations of the plan and earn a passing grade in the failed course on the second attempt to continue in the program.