Program Overview

Program Coordinator Barbara Chorzempa, (845) 257-2851, chorzemb@newpaltz.edu
Program ID 060C
Credits 32
Program Length The MSEd can be completed in 3 semesters if enrolled full-time, but students must complete degree within 5 years
Modality In-person
Full-time/Part-time Full-time
Transfer Credits 6
Capstone Practicum
Licensure/Certification NYSED Initial/Professional SWD Childhood 1-6

Program Description

The graduate program in Special Education has been carefully designed to prepare teacher candidates with the skills and qualifications needed to begin a fulfilling career. Applicants with NYS Initial Certification in Childhood Education 1-6 will complete 32 credit hours of course work. Upon successful completion of the program, teacher candidates are eligible for the NYS Education Department initial certification in Students with Disabilities (SWD), grades 1-6 (Initial/Professional and Professional).

Apply to a SUNY New Paltz graduate programAdmission Requirements

You must submit:

  • Evidence of NYS Initial Teaching Certification in:
    • Childhood Education 1-6; or
    • One of the following certification areas:
      Visual Arts Education (all grades), Music Education (all grades), Physical Education (all grades), Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (all grades); Teaching Students with Speech and Language Disabilities, Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired (all grades), or Teaching Students who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing (all grades), 
      NOTE: Candidates holding an Initial teaching certificate in an area other than Childhood 1-6 must also meet the requirements for Initial Childhood 1-6 certification before program completion.
  • One official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate work providing evidence of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
  • Describe your personal and professional experience that led you to apply to the New Paltz Special Education program. How do you see the New Paltz Special Education program helping you advance toward your professional goals? The response should be 300- 400 words in length. The special education faculty will examine the writing sample with respect to content, clarity, and organization of ideas, grammar, and style.
  • Contact information for three references capable of addressing your ability to successfully complete a rigorous graduate program in Special Education.

Application Deadlines

April 1 Fall and Summer Admission
November 1 Spring Admission

Curriculum Requirements

The Childhood Special Education program consists of 32 credit hours. The plan below illustrates full-time study; however, students may elect to enroll part-time.

Fall One (12 Credits)
SPE566Introduction to Special Education3
SPE567Educational Assessment of Students with Disabilities3
SPE715Issues and Research in Sp Ed3
SPE735Foundations of Literacy for Childhood Students with Disabilities3
Choose one:
SPE583
Fieldwork III: Primary (Grades 1-3)
SPE584
Fieldwork IV: Intermediate (Grades 4-6)
Spring One (12 Credits)
SPE559Instructional and Behavioral Environments3
SPE573Collaboration Strategies3
SPE736Literacy Instruction for Childhood Students with Disabilities3
SPE737Instructional Practices in the Content Areas for Childhood Students with Disabilities3
Choose one:
SPE583
Fieldwork III: Primary (Grades 1-3)
SPE584
Fieldwork IV: Intermediate (Grades 4-6)
Fall Two (8 Credits)
SPE572Tchg. Learners of Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds3
SPE763Practicum Seminar in Special Education1
Practicum in Childhood Special Education4
Total Credits32

Program Requirements

  • Complete the prescribed course work and other requirements within five years after matriculation.
  • Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better, with no more than two grades below B-.

Additional Requirements

  • This program is field-based. As a result, a significant amount of your teacher preparation program will be conducted in the professional field under supervision with students and cooperating teachers. The required practicum is offered during the spring and fall. Summer practicum is available to those meeting certain criteria. This is important to consider in planning your program since working in the field demands that you have time available to spend in schools, clinics, and classrooms. This may necessitate an adjustment to your daily schedule. You must have a 3.0 average in graduate courses and no more than two courses with a B- in order to enroll in the practicum course, SPE733.
  • Deadlines for practicum application forms are available in the Educational Studies Office, Old Main Building 108.

Graduate Checklist

  • Apply for graduation via my.newpaltz.edu under “Graduation” tab according to the schedule in the academic calendar.   

  • Resolve any pending admission conditions (outlined in your acceptance letter) and/or missing documents if applicable. 

  • Review your progress report via my.newpaltz.edu to ensure that you have completed all program requirements.  

  • Remember that only two grades below a B- may be applied to your plan of study 

  • Contact your advisor if you need to amend your plan or process transfer credit. 

  • Ensure that you are in good academic standing with a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.0 or higher. 

  • Pass your capstone or culminating assessment. 

  • Complete your degree within the specified time limit outlined in the Program Overview. 

Graduation Requirements

  • Certification Exam
  • In order for SUNY New Paltz to recommend a student for certification, you must pass the Students with Disabilities Content Specialty Test.

Program Learning Outcomes 

Special Education: Childhood Education (MSEd) 

Program: Special Education  
Coordinator: Barbara Chorzempa  
SPA: CEC  

  • Content Knowledge: Teacher candidates who successfully complete the Special Education Master’s Degree program will develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to demonstrate content mastery of the a) legal, social, and historical foundations of the field of special education, b) characteristics of learners with disabilities, c) general and specialized curricula, d) state/national, professional and ethical standards; and e) current policies and issues within the field of special education.  
  • Planning: Teacher candidates who successfully complete the Special Education Master’s Degree program will develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to plan universally designed lessons in the core content areas that a) address appropriate standards, b) include differentiated instructional strategies, c) utilize assistive and adaptive technologies (where appropriate), and d) promote the valuing of diversity, respect, and inclusion in safe, democratic, and equitable learning environments.  
  • P-12 learning: Teacher candidates who successfully complete the Special Education Master’s Degree program will develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to design, administer, score, and interpret informal and formal assessments that inform the educator’s comprehensive understanding of a student’s interests, strengths and needs, and guide educational decisions.  
  • Dispositions: Teacher candidates who successfully complete the Special Education Master’s Degree program will develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to demonstrate the use of professional ethical principles and professional practice standards; conduct themselves as reflective practitioners; participate effectively in institutional change, social justice, and student advocacy; and establish positive, professional interpersonal relationships with students, families, colleagues, staff and administrators. 
  • Pedagogical practice: Teacher candidates who successfully complete the Special Education Master’s Degree program will develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to select, implement, and evaluate curriculum, instructional materials and practices, and behavior management techniques needed to promote active student engagement and maximize student learning--including a variety of developmentally and contextually appropriate evidence-based practices and culturally responsive practices.  

  • Critical Thinking and Reasoning:  Clearly articulate an issue or problem; identify, analyze, and evaluate ideas, data, and arguments as they engage in planning, assessing, and teaching; and acknowledge limitations such as perspective and bias as they develop well-reasoned arguments to form judgements and/or draw conclusions that support pedagogical decisions. 

  • Information Literacy:  Locate appropriate resources effectively using appropriate tools; evaluate information with an awareness of authority, validity, and bias; and demonstrate an understanding of the ethical dimensions of information use, creation, and dissemination as they relate to the field of education.