Master of Science
Special Education and Literacy (II)
Get Certified to Teach Students with Special Needs without a Teaching Background
Move into a career teaching students in grades 1-6 who find learning challenging.
This 67-credit program is specifically designed for applicants without initial teacher certification in childhood education. It's the only program at UAlbany that lets you pursue initial certification for teaching students with disabilities without first obtaining initial certification to teach grades 1-6, and the only program that leads to certification in elementary education.
Earning this degree enables you to achieve initial/professional certification to teach students with disabilities in grades 1-6, and to teach literacy from birth through grade six. It also fulfills your graduate degree requirement for receiving professional certification in elementary education.
Program of Study
To fully prepare you to work with exceptional children in elementary classrooms, this curriculum includes intensive practicum and internship experiences.
Child Development and Learning
- Development in Childhood
- Application of Cognitive Theories to Content Area Instruction
Teaching Literacy to Diverse Students
- Literacy in Society
- Early Literacy Development, B-2
- Classroom Literacy Instruction
- Teaching Written Expression to Students with Disabilities
- Developing Reading Comprehension and Content Knowledge for Students with Disabilities
Practica in Literacy Instruction
- Instruction to Prevent Literacy Difficulties
- Writing in the Classroom, 1-6
Teaching Children with Special Needs
- Introduction to Human Exceptionality
- Instructional Environments and Practices for Students with Disabilities
- Math and Inquiry Instruction for Students with Disabilities
- Teaching Students with Severe and Multiple Disabilities
- Educating Students with Emotional Disorders and Challenging Behaviors: Advanced Tiers of Support
- Assessment of Students with Disabilities
Practica in Special Education
- Differentiated Instruction and Coaching, B-6
- Teaching Students with Diverse Learning Needs
Curriculum Development and Classroom Management
- Effective Teaching and Curricula for Diverse Learners
- Managing School and Classroom-Wide Student Behavior to Promote Efficient and Effective Instruction
Clinical Internship with Integrated Seminar in Teaching Students with Disabilities
In this full-time internship, you gain supervised clinical experience working with students with disabilities in education settings. The accompanying seminar covers special topics to help you succeed in your fieldwork.
Master's Project
NYSED Training Requirements
- Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act (SAVE)
- Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
- Needs of Students with Autism
- Substance Abuse Prevention
- Dignity for All Students Act
TEAC Program Accreditation
This teacher preparation program is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) for the ten-year period of April 30, 2011 to April 30, 2021.
To pursue professional certification once you complete the program, you must request the University recommend you to the New York State Department of Education.
See graduate bulletin for details.
For more information email Dr. Saddler at bsaddler@albany.edu.
NYS Teacher Certification
This is the only program at UAlbany that leads to initial certification in childhood education in New York State. All other graduate programs in childhood education, literacy, and/or special education require you to hold initial certification to teach grades 1-6 prior to your enrollment.
Earning this master's degree makes you eligible to apply for three different NYS teacher certifications:
- Childhood Education (Grades 1-6)
- Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
- Literacy (Birth-Grade 6)
Graduates are commonly employed as elementary school, special education, and literacy teachers for grades 1-6 within public and private schools, and as specialists in disability services and community agencies.
Careers and Advisement
The Pathways Into Education (PIE) Center is the central office on campus serving undergraduate, graduate, and prospective students interested in pursuing careers in education and programs leading to teacher certification.
Please call or email to schedule an appointment.
Graduate Advisement:
Email Graduate Advisement
(518) 442-3529