Program Overview

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Master of Science in Special Education

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Special Education program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to teach students with varying ability levels in inclusive settings. The program leads to initial certification in teaching students with disabilities across all grades and fulfills the graduate degree requirement for New York State classroom teacher professional certification.

Program of Study

The program can be completed either full-time over 12 months, starting in the summer, or part-time. The program includes coursework and a full-time internship in local schools, working with students both with and without disabilities.

Core Courses

• Classroom Literacy Instruction
• Literature for Children and Young Adults or Academic Literacy Across Instructional Contexts
• Culturally Responsive Literacy Intervention in the Content Areas
• Anti-Racist Math and Science Inquiry Instruction
• Fostering Safe and Supportive Educational Environments
• Teaching Students with High Support Needs
• Inclusive Assessment Practices
• Curriculum and Instruction: Collaboration, Strategies, and Differentiation
• Educating Students with Emotional Disorders and Challenging Behaviors: Advanced Tiers of Support

Clinical Internship

The Special Education MS program requires a full-time clinical internship working with students with disabilities. This internship is accompanied by a seminar led by a faculty member.

Additional Program/NYSED Requirements

• Needs of Students with Autism Training
• Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Training
• Child Abuse Identification and Reporting Training (You must complete the new Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect Training as of January 2025)
• School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE) Training

Admissions Requirements

Deadlines

• Fall: April 15
• Spring: Not Available
• Summer: April 15

Required Application Materials

• Transcripts from all schools attended
• Three letters of recommendation (one must be from a faculty member attesting to academic ability)

Supplemental Documents

• Valid New York Initial or Professional Classroom Teacher Certificate

Accreditation

The University at Albany is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Student Learning Objectives

• Students will demonstrate a broad knowledge of the theoretical basis of educational psychology.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the research basis of educational psychology and will have methodological competence to carry out primary statistical analyses and to evaluate the credibility of research findings.
• Students will be able to design and carry out a small-scale research study that addresses a relevant issue in the field of educational psychology.

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.

Supplemental Degree Programs

Graduate students can typically request a supplemental degree in one or more subordinate degrees without needing to go through the full admissions process again.

Supplemental Programs Available with this Degree

• Africana Studies CGS
• Community College Leadership CGS
• Demography CGS
• International Education Management CGS