SUNY New Paltz Blog

Disaster and trauma mental health are critical in a complex and challenging world. Traumatic events happen, to paraphrase a well-worn aphorism. They arrive suddenly or with little warning. Even if we can anticipate oncoming trauma, these events send shock waves through individuals and communities.

According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, at least 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced a traumatic event. Since the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, nearly no one has escaped extraordinary trauma.

There is no “typical” emergency. Disaster and trauma mental health professionals are trained to deploy where needed, offering the support and services required for the circumstances impacted communities face.

The Institute for Disaster Mental Health at SUNY New Paltz is a pioneer in this field, with decades of experience responding to disasters and training professionals for rewarding careers helping communities in need.

Institute for Disaster Mental Health at SUNY New Paltz

Founded in 2004, The Institute for Disaster Mental Health (IDMH) at SUNY New Paltz is a national leader in disaster and trauma mental health training and networking. IDMH provides graduate-level training, research, and consultation to help individuals, organizations, and communities cope with disaster.

Core to this mission, IDMH offers a Graduate Certificate in Trauma and Disaster Mental Health. The 15-credit curriculum provides students with culturally sensitive and evidence-supported trauma and disaster response skills and knowledge. Students study the individual and community impact of disaster and participate in real-world field exercises to prepare them to respond to local and global disasters.

The certificate consists of three required courses for a total of 9 credits:

• Disaster Mental Health
• Evidence-Based Assessment and Treatment for Trauma
• Assessment and Interventions with Children, Adolescents, and Families

In addition, participants choose two electives from the following three options for an additional six credits:

• Assisting Veterans and First Responders
• Assisting Vulnerable Population
• Grief, Loss, and Bereavement

All classes are held online except Disaster Mental Health, held on a summer weekend at the SUNY New Paltz campus. The weekend allows students to practice their skills in deployment simulations.

Students also apply their skills in real-life situations. “We prepare for this every semester by placing students in Red Cross sites or county emergency management sites, where they learn about preparation and planning for an event,” according to IDMH Director Amy Nitza.

“They have the knowledge from the disaster psychology courses and their Red Cross trainings but walking into a live situation really tests their ability to apply that knowledge, to see what the needs are responding on the fly and to understand why all the preparation is so vital.”

Distinguish Your Career in Mental Health and Social Work

The Trauma and Disaster Mental Health certificate program is designed with two groups in mind:

• Professionals with a Master of Arts, Master of Science, or higher degree in counseling, social work, or a related
• Students currently enrolled in master's- or doctoral-level counseling or social work program who have already completed their first year of coursework or who can demonstrate completion of a graduate-level counseling theories and skills course

The certificate can be completed in one year or extended to accommodate busy schedules.

The Institute for Disaster Mental Health at SUNY New Paltz is dedicated to training and supporting a new generation of educators, counselors, social workers, and caregivers in the science, art, and human connection of trauma and disaster response.

In addition, the annual Institute for Mental Health Conference brings together hundreds of healthcare and mental health professionals, emergency service providers, researchers, and policymakers to discuss best practices for providing trauma response and care.

The global reach of the IDMH network affords graduates many job opportunities.

Being Human

Trauma and loss are attendant components of the human condition. Not all of us have encountered the shock of natural disaster, the horror of war, or the devastation of systemic abuse. But we all have endured loss, our sense of well-being robbed, a broken heart.

In an uncertain world, these human lessons teach us the value of resilience, acceptance, and preparation. Trauma happens. We may not know precisely how or where, but we thrive as individuals and communities, even in the face of disaster, when we know how to cope.

At its core, social justice is about advocating for more sustainable, equitable and just relationships across all areas of society. Students in multicultural and diversity studies learn how to combat divisive forces that stand in the way of social justice, as well as help every person understand their own value and power.

Earning a social justice in educational studies degree allows professionals from many different career fields to learn how difficult cultures interact, and also how to become - and teach others how to become - socially responsible people in a global environment. They focus on the best practices for educating people about and promoting tolerance and acceptance of diverse cultures and ethnic groups.

These are critical skills in the current global environment, especially for educators, human services workers and business leaders.

The Need for Social Justice Experts

Social justice centers on the idea that everyone deserves economic, social, and political rights and opportunities. The National Education Association (NEA) provides an example of the need for those with expertise in humanistic and multicultural education.

The NEA notes that social justice focuses on equitable treatment of every student, including division of resources, as well as keeping them safe both physically and psychologically. But they write that this is not the case in many places: “Students in poorly funded schools don’t have the technology, new books, or art and music programs that create a well-rounded education, while students in affluent areas have the latest academic resources, school counselors, librarians, and more to help them succeed.”

That’s just one of many examples of the need for social justice. These situations occur across all areas of the economy. In healthcare, there are well-known disparities in health care and health outcomes between white patients and people of color. In business, women continue to earn less than men while working in similar jobs, and there are only a handful of Black and Hispanic CEOs leading Fortune 500 companies.

What can you do with a Social Justice Degree?

A social justice educational master’s degree focuses on developing the knowledge and skills graduate students need to apply social justice concepts in educational and other settings. Many graduates from the program work in higher education, human services and nonprofit professional settings.

K-12 teachers who want to apply social justice education principles and practices in the classroom also benefit from this degree program. Teachers also can earn their professional NY State Certification through this program.

Those in other careers also can benefit. A graduate-level program helps people develop leadership skills required to lead diverse, pluralistic communities. They include journalists, victim advocates, grant writers, community developers, lobbyists and policy analysts.

What You Learn in a Social Justice Educational Program

Those who enter a social justice degree program take courses that delve into a wide variety of topics. They include human services, sociology, psychology, conflict resolution, history, political science, English, philosophy, and management.

At SUNY New Paltz, learning outcomes in the MPS in Social Justice Educational Studies include:

• Social justice content knowledge. Understanding how systems of inequality shape lives and institutions and how to engage social justice education to foster more sustainable, equitable, and just relationships.
• Applying theory to practice. Using self-reflection and assessment processes to engage in action and reflection that center justice-oriented theories, beliefs, values, and relationships.
• Critical analyses. Drawing on reflective, critical thinking, listening, and questioning practices, students integrate critical analyses into their educational work.
• Fostering equity. Students learn to foster educational and social equity that seeks to transform relationships and share power across differences.
• Socially responsible leadership. By understanding the connections between personal, institutional, and social change, students learn how to lead as ethically and socially responsible human beings in their workplaces and communities.

The SUNY New Paltz MPS Social Justice Degree

SUNY New Paltz has a long history of providing humanistic/multicultural programs. The university first offered an MPS (Master of Professional Studies) in Humanistic Education in 1978, a program that grew out of a concentration in Humanistic Education for Elementary Education teachers.

That began a rich legacy of offering holistic, equity-based, and justice-centered education. The university renamed the program Humanistic/Multicultural Education in 1999 (along with professional certification for Special Subjects teachers) and Social Justice Educational Studies in 2021.

In 2008, the University added a 15-credit post-master's certificate of advanced study. The University also hosts an annual conference that focuses on social justice issues.

SUNY New Paltz designed its program for people who aspire to leadership positions in their career fields with a focus on supporting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in all areas of society. Over almost five decades, generations of alumni from the SUNY New Paltz program have built strong professional networks in New York State and beyond.

The 30-credit MPS Social Justice Educational Studies program is designed for students interested in developing their knowledge and skills in social justice education. The program offers students the opportunity to learn a self-reflective, process-oriented approach to diversity, equity, and social justice.

The SUNY New Paltz program centers social justice and critical thinking by using an experiential and participatory process that integrates intellectual/cognitive and social/emotional learning. Students learn to foster personal, communal, and institutional social change as well as promote more humane, democratic, and inclusive classrooms, organizations, and communities.

Teachers enter a special education career because they are motivated to help students overcome difficult challenges. It’s a rewarding field that allows educators to have a significant, positive impact on the lives of their students.

For a job that offers such a high degree of emotionally fulfilling and meaningful work, special education professionals are also in high demand. Driven by higher school enrollment and a growing need for special education services, employment of special education teachers is expected to increase at all education levels in the coming decade.

By earning a Master of Science in Special Education, teachers learn creative instructional practices that nurture academic and behavioral gains in their students. The program helps teachers excel in one of the most important and challenging jobs in education.

Who Should Earn a Special Education Degree?

Special education involves teaching children and adults with varying degrees of learning abilities. Success in a special education career requires specialized skills, a deep well of patience, and strong commitment to seeing the strengths in each and every student.

Most people entering a graduate-level special education program consider it as much a calling as it is a career. While the focus is improving the lives of children, the field also offers many benefits for teachers.

Empowering Students

Every student deserves an engaged, well-trained teacher, none more so than special education students. These students benefit greatly from working with educators who are prepared to give them the compassionate attention that may have been lacking in past teachers. Special education teachers give students the tools they need to understand their own learning style, something that benefits them for a lifetime.

Becoming an Advocate

Special education teachers make a difference beyond the classroom. With their expertise and experience, they can become ambassadors to education administrators and the larger community, advocating for the rights of students who may not be able to effectively advocate for themselves. Special education teachers can also collaborate with other teachers, therapists, and counselors in creating holistic approaches to best meet the needs of special education students.

Career Stability

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 4% increase among all special education teachers nationwide by 2031. Special education teachers with graduate degrees can also pursue a career in school administration or the non-profit sector. New York offers some of the highest average salaries in the country at the elementary level ($83,250), middle school ($97,860), and high school ($87,520) levels.

Personal Fulfillment

Many teachers consider special education to be among the most challenging careers in education, but also one of the most rewarding. Effective teachers not only develop high-quality lesson plans, but also manage students’ emotional well-being and behavioral issues. The magic for special education teachers is the deeply rewarding moment when a student makes a breakthrough.

The SUNY New Paltz Special Education Program

The graduate programs in Special Education are guided by the belief that all individuals possess intellectual, social, emotional and physical strengths that enable them to function in and contribute to their families and society as a whole. We prepare compassionate teachers to recognize these strengths in each and every student and help them develop to their greatest ability in inclusive classrooms.

The SUNY New Paltz Master of Science in Special Education program offers three pathways to rewarding careers at different educational levels:

• Early Childhood/Childhood Special Education (Birth-Grade 6). Teachers with a New York State Initial Certification in Early Childhood Education (B-2) or Childhood Education (1-6) complete 38 credit hours of coursework. After they complete the program, teachers are eligible for the New York State Education Department's initial certification in Early Childhood Special Education B-2 and Childhood Special Education 1-6.
• Childhood Special Education (Grades 1-6). Teachers with a New York State Initial Certification in Childhood Education 1-6 complete 32 credit hours of coursework. After graduation, teachers are eligible for the New York State Education Department's initial certification in Students with Disabilities (SWD), grades 1-6 (Initial/Professional and Professional).
• Adolescence (Grades 7-12). The Adolescence Special Education Program consists of at least 32 credit hours and leads to the Students with Disabilities Generalist 7-12 certificate. This New York State certificate requires that candidates have six credit hours in English, social studies, science, and math. Students without these credits must fulfill them before graduation from the master’s program.

Teacher candidates will learn from a faculty passionate about special education. The program focuses on evidence-based practices and data-driven decision-making, preparing teachers to help diverse students of varying needs at all educational levels.

Our program is guided by six core values and commitments:

Students in the program learn about specialized support and accommodations for students with learning disabilities, and a universal design for learning that offers multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. Teachers learn differentiated methods, culturally responsive practices, and how to respond to individual learning styles, all while maintaining the dignity of every student.

New York offers one of the best environments for teachers, with highly regarded school systems and pay that typically ranks at or near the top among all 50 states for teachers at all grade levels.

To become a teacher in New York, the Department of Education requires candidates to follow a step-by-step process to earn certification. Aspiring teachers must:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree
• Complete a teacher preparatory program
• Obtain initial certification
• Earn a master’s degree within five years of receiving initial certification
• And, finally, earn professional certification.

The state also provides pathways into teaching for those who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in subjects like history, mathematics, science, foreign language and English, but don’t have a background in education. One proven path is to earn a Master of Science in Teaching (MST) degree, an ideal option for those with no teaching experience or teacher certification.

The New York Teacher Certification Process

To determine which pathway works best, including whether an MST fits their career plans, future educators must first understand the New York teacher certification process. The state system allows professionals to discover the pathway that works best for them.

Learning the system prepares teachers to work in a state “widely recognized for its excellent teaching force, ranking in the nation's top 10 for ‘teaching attractiveness’ when it comes to compensation, teacher turnover, working conditions and qualifications,” according to labor union federation NYSUT.

Choosing an Area of Teaching

The first step toward teacher certification in New York involves making a choice. Teaching history to high schoolers requires different training than teaching reading to first graders. Some teachers may also want to follow a specialized track. For example, special education students or English as a Second Language students.

Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

New York requires that all teachers earn a bachelor’s degree. The specific degree field depends on your area of interest. Graduates must also complete a state-approved teacher preparation program, often part of the degree program itself. These programs give students the skills they need to succeed in the classroom, as well as fulfilling state requirements for fieldwork, experience and workshops.

Master’s programs also can serve this purpose. Graduates from the MST program at SUNY New Paltz earn an advanced childhood education degree that qualifies them for initial teacher certification in New York.

Earn Initial Teacher Certification

After earning a bachelor’s degree and completing a state-approved teacher preparation program, the next step involves passing state exams to earn initial teacher certification. Teachers must pass three state exams: the Educating All Students (EAS) exam; the Ed Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA); and the Content Specialty Test(s) in the teacher’s area of certification.

Earning Professional Certification

New York requires all teachers to hold a master’s degree within five years after qualifying for initial teacher certification. Those who already hold a master’s degree must still meet experience requirements before earning professional certification: at least three years of teaching in their certification area and one year of mentored teaching. Once earned, a professional certification remains valid throughout a teacher’s career as long as they meet the requirement of 175 hours of professional development every five years.

MST vs. MAT

The alternative route to enter the teaching profession typically involves completing an MST or Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree. Both are good for people with no prior teaching experience. The MAT is best for those wanting to teach in middle school or high school, while the MST is a better choice for those interested in teaching elementary or Pre-K. This includes career changers who transitioning into teaching.

The SUNY New Paltz MST Program

The SUNY MST program is ideal for those with bachelor’s degrees in fields outside of education who are ready to teach in New York, whether you’re changing careers or just starting out. The program focuses on preparing teachers to work with diverse student populations. It features a curriculum covering core concepts, pedagogical best practices and the broader socio-economic context of schooling in the U.S.

The MST program requires students to participate in three fieldwork placements for a minimum of 120 hours, plus completion of two student teaching placements in which they demonstrate knowledge of early childhood/childhood education best practices. The MST program offers various student learning outcomes that make graduates better teachers. They include:

• Content area mastery
• Ability to create clear, organized early childhood/childhood lessons that are standards-based and use appropriate instructional strategies and appropriate technologies
• Ability to choose, design, and implement authentic and appropriate formative and summative assessments to evaluate student learning
• Exhibit the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for practice of an ethically informed and self-reflective philosophy, as well as the ability to develop respectful relationships with students, families, communities and colleagues
• Understanding and applying practices that promote respect, inclusion and equity in teaching, learning, and student development based on social identity markers. These markers include race, gender, class, sexual orientation, disability, language, religion, culture, national origin, epistemology, and family life.

For those who earned a bachelor’s degree in another field motivated to join the teaching profession, earning an MST provides them a proven pathway to becoming a teacher in New York.

For those who aspire to business leadership, earning a Master of Business Administration remains the best way to achieve their career goals. Professionals in MBA programs develop strong leadership skills and business expertise that prepare them for management roles or launching their own business.

The development of online programs has made obtaining an MBA more accessible to more people. An online MBA program gives graduates flexibility with course times, allowing them to earn their graduate degree from wherever they live and while working a full-time job.

Graduate students develop expertise in business theory and its practical application in business strategy, as well as how to use innovative technology and data analysis in the decision-making process.

While an MBA requires a commitment of time and effort, 87% of MBA graduates say the degree made them valuable candidates for employment, according to a survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). And 76% said an MBA prepared them for leadership positions.

How Earning an MBA Changes Your Career

While many people earn a higher salary almost immediately after earning an MBA - often because they qualify for a promotion at their job - some of the benefits of an MBA take time to pay off, according to the Harvard Business Review (HBR).

When considering entering a Master of Business Administration program, it’s important for working professionals to have a clear idea of where they are in their careers, where they want to go, and how the benefits of earning an MBA can help them reach their goals.

Expansion in Career Opportunities

In the GMAC survey, the largest percentage of MBA students (74%) ranked expanding their job opportunities as one of the main benefits of an MBA. Graduating with an MBA opens doors to the top jobs in most industries, equipping students with skill sets applicable in a wide variety of business environments. Every year, organizations compete to hire MBA graduates for leadership or leadership track roles.

Qualifying for a Higher Salary

Getting the most economic benefit from your career is a primary consideration when deciding on graduate school. Data show that those who earn a graduate degree earn more than their peers without graduate degrees. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that professionals with a master’s degree in the United States earn $1,434 a week on average, more than the $1,198 earned by those with a bachelor’s degree. For those with an MBA, HBR reports that the average annual starting salary is about $20,000 a year more than those with an undergraduate business degree.

Expanding Professional Network

An MBA program attracts those who want to connect with like-minded, ambitious people who also want to take their careers to the next level. Graduate students make contact with fellow students, industry professionals and professors, benefitting from their experience and expertise. In many cases, contacts made in school become long-term relationships that provide benefits to both people.

Developing Strong Leadership Skills

MBA students benefit from developing an understanding of how all aspects of a business interlock to create success. They also learn the latest business strategies in a global environment where both the workforce and the marketplace are becoming increasingly diverse. Most MBA candidates aspire to lead an organization or a large department or to become entrepreneurs. The leadership skills learned in an MBA program apply to all these career paths, helping students develop the “soft skills” needed to understand, motivate, mentor and communicate with employees.

Taking On New Challenges

A quality graduate-level program challenges students. High achievers who learn quickly will be attracted to MBA programs. Many may not have felt challenged in their jobs for some time. An MBA program pushes the smartest and most ambitious students to the limits of their abilities and outside their “comfort zone.” It’s the perfect way to forge leaders who can handle whatever the real world of business throws at them.

Learning Transferable Skills

MBA programs offer students both hard business skills and “people” skills that are transferable to any industry. And high-quality managers are in demand: The number of people in management positions will increase nationwide by 9% by 2030, according to the BLS. That translates into more than 906,000 new management jobs nationwide. The number of top executives is expected to increase by 8%.

The SUNY NEW Paltz MBA Program

The MBA at SUNY New Paltz is AACSB Accredited, placing the program in the top 5% of business schools worldwide. New Paltz faculty provide students with knowledge and insights gained from decades of industry experience. They are dedicated to mentoring and providing every MBA student with customized advising.

SUNY New Paltz offers a flexible curriculum with full-time, part-time, night and weekend, and in-person and online options. Most students can complete the degree in as little as 15 months. They also have the option to go at their own pace as they balance their schoolwork with busy work and personal schedules.

Students who meet the admission requirements will enter a highly acclaimed MBA program: The College’s MBA in Accounting track has been named among the best values in New York State, and graduates from the program frequently secure rewarding careers from private practice to the Big Four accounting firms.

Teaching is as much a calling as a career, but not everyone hears the calling early in life to become a teacher. People working outside of education may feel they’ve missed their chance to work in a classroom, but that is not the case. Graduate degrees are available that focus on helping professionals gain skills and certification to transition into a career in education.

For many, the prior experience they bring to these programs helps them become better teachers. They bring a fresh perspective to the classroom that can help students succeed academically and grow personally.

Statistically, about a third of all teachers changed careers to get into the field. One of the most convenient pathways to bridging the gap from their current career to becoming a teacher is a Master of Science in Teaching degree.

Making an Impact as an Educator

The professional world provides many benefits for those committed to excellence in their chosen field. But few can offer what a career in education gives: the opportunity every day to make a significant impact on the life of a child.

However, aspiring teachers often hit snags along the way, many of their own making. Some of the most common fears expressed by those who want to change careers to become a teacher are easily disproven by the facts.

It’s hard to find a job. Not true! Demand for teachers remains high across the country. Federal data projects an increase in the need for teachers at all levels, including a 4% rise in kindergarten and elementary school teachers by 2030. New York ranks near the top teacher employment and salary at all education levels.

It’s difficult to switch careers. Becoming a teacher requires commitment, the proper education, and certification, but many programs and resources are available to help you navigate the process. Earning an MST in Childhood Education is a critical step, as this provides skills and knowledge to help you succeed in the classroom, and a streamlined pathway to earning teacher certification.

It takes too long: While some career changes can be time-consuming due to the need to earn another bachelor’s degree, which could take several years, the MST degree is designed to be completed in just two years, with flexible night, weekend and online classes to fit into a busy schedule.

I’m too old. It’s never too late to make a change, especially in the education profession. Teachers with wisdom and diverse professional experiences often make the best teachers!

What “Second Career” Teachers Bring to the Classroom

Teaching remains one of the most rewarding jobs available. But professionals with degrees in other fields may wonder what they can bring to the classroom. We Are Teachers interviewed four teachers who started other careers and how they make a difference for their students.

Life experience. According to We Are Teachers, career-changers going into teaching discover an opportunity to share “diversity and richness of life experience” with students. Teaching students the skills they need in the workforce benefits them while offering job satisfaction for teachers.

An innovative approach. One of the teachers interviewed once worked as a landscape architect. “I was trained to be a problem-solver and to analyze thoroughly before taking a particular path. That kind of thinking allows me to think outside the norm, which the profession needs,” she said.

Experience with children. Older teachers who have raised children have insight into children’s behavior. They can often tell when something is just a phase or a sign of a bigger problem, more so than younger teachers straight out of college.

The SUNY New Paltz MST Program: Become a Teacher

The SUNY New Paltz School of Education recognizes the benefits that professionals motivated to become teachers as a second career can bring to the classroom. The MST program is designed with these people in mind, including those with little to no teaching experience. The focus is on childhood education 1-6 and early childhood education B-2.

The program's courses cover core educational studies, core elementary content, literacy and diversity, education pedagogy, fieldwork, and student teaching.

Student outcomes include:

• Content area mastery
• The ability to plan lessons in early childhood/childhood education
• Assessment and P-12 learning
• Pedagogical practice
• Professional skills and disposition
• Culturally responsive practice and social justice
• Democratic citizenship and student advocacy
• Critical thinking
• Information management

Recent graduates with a bachelor’s degree in another field can also benefit from entering the MST program. Graduates in other fields can earn Initial Teacher Certification through alternative teacher certification programs by earning an MST.

For older professionals who want a career change and recent graduates in other fields, teaching provides a stable, well-respected profession that allows them to impact the lives of students and the community significantly.