Master of Science in Special Education
Master of Science in Special Education

Special Education: Requirements & Procedures

Applicants must submit:

For the Master of Science in Early Childhood / Childhood Special Education, evidence of:

  • Initial (provisional) or pending certification in either Early Childhood Education (birth - second grade) or Childhood Education (1st – 6th grade)

For the Master of Science in Childhood Special Education, evidence of:

  • Initial (provisional) or pending certification in one of the following:
    • Childhood Education (1 - 6)
    • Candidates holding an Initial teaching certificate in an area other than Childhood 1-6 (e.g., Visual Arts Education, Music Education, Students with Disabilities 1-6, etc.) must also meet the requirements for Initial Childhood 1-6 certification before program completion.

For the Master of Science in Adolescence Special Education, evidence of:

  • Initial (provisional) or pending certification in a 7-12 content area (e.g., Physics, English)
  • Initial (provisional) or pending certification in Visual Arts Education, Music Education, Health Education, TESOL
  • 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. Including the following courses:
    • 6 credits of English composition courses with a grade of at least B
    • 6 credits of History
    • 6 credits of Science
    • 6 credits of Mathematics

Successful applicants who are deficient in any of these credits must fulfill them before graduation from the Adolescence Special Education master's program.

Upon completion of the program, you will also be recommended for an extension on the Students with Disabilities Generalist 7-12 certification in that content area. Extensions for the following areas are available:

    • SWD- Earth Science (grades 7-12)
    • SWD- Biology (grades 7-12)
    • SWD- Chemistry (grades 7-12)
    • SWD- Physics (grades 7-12)
    • SWD- Social Studies (grades 7-12)
    • SWD- Mathematics (grades 7-12)
    • SWD- English Language Arts (grades 7-12)

Applicants for any of these Special Education Master’s Programs must submit:

  • One official transcript of all your undergraduate and graduate work providing evidence of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
  • A typed statement that describes your educational aspirations, your experiences in working with students in educational settings, and how the training in the Master's Program in Early Childhood Special Education, Childhood Special Education or Adolescence Special Education will help you achieve your personal and 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.
  • Three letters of professional recommendation written on professional letterhead. All letters must:
    • be dated and current.
    • address how long the writer has known you and in what capacity.
    • address your suitability for graduate work in special education, referring to your academic abilities, ability to work with students and others, and your professional commitment.
    • Two letters should be written by faculty with whom you have taken a college level class. These letters of reference should address your academic performance and your ability to successfully complete a rigorous graduate program in Special Education. We prefer that these letters come from full-time faculty at a college or university.
    • One letter should be written by one of the following individuals: a student teaching supervisor, a cooperating teacher, an administrator in a school, or a supervisor in an agency that is related to education. This letter of reference should address your ability to work with children or adolescents.

 

Complete your application online or send your completed application to:

The Graduate School
SUNY New Paltz
800 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, New York 12561-2443

This application package must include:

  1. The completed graduate admissions application.
  2. One official transcript of all your undergraduate and graduate work providing evidence of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
  3. Typed description of your objectives for graduate study.
  4. Proof of certification(s) held.
  5. GRE scores
  6. Three letters of professional recommendation as specified under "Entrance Requirements and Procedures."
  7. Non-refundable application fee.

The Graduate School will not process incomplete applications.

Graduate Application Deadlines

Summer/Fall: April 1

Spring: November 1

Contact Us

Admission Information:

Alana Matuszewski, Director of Graduate Admissions
gradadmissions@newpaltz.edu

 

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