Program Overview

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Childhood Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd)

The Childhood Special Education Behavior Disorders program will no longer accept new applications for admission after Spring 2025. The program is transitioning into a Special Education P-12 All Grades program.

Program Overview

The master’s degree in Childhood Special Education: Behavior Disorders offers two programs. Program 1 is for those who do not hold NYS certification.

Academic Plan

• CSPE-MSED

Total Credits

Earn 43 to 55 credits

Program Code for Certification

• 25649 – CHILDHD SP ED:LRNG DIS & BEHAV DISOR

Advisors

• Tom McIntyre, Faculty Advisor
• Claudine Schwartz, Certification, Graduation and Administrative Advisor
• Robin O’Leary, Clinical Placement Specialist

Program Sequences

Students must consult with their faculty advisor to determine their particular course of study before registering for classes.

Clinical Experiences

Students in the Childhood Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd) program participate in developmental field experiences (fieldwork) and supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum).

Fieldwork

Fieldwork is a classroom experience in a New York City Public School in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements.

Registration, Placement and Application Processes and Procedures

For courses with fieldwork components requiring 50 hours or more, students must apply to the Office of Clinical Experience and will be placed at a Hunter College Partner School in New York City.

• Teacher Candidates working full time as assistant, associate or head teacher may be eligible to complete their fieldwork requirements in their current job if it is aligned to their pending certification/area of study.
  • Teaching position must be aligned with pending certification
  • Site must be pre-approved by faculty and/or Office of Clinical Experiences
  • Teacher candidates must submit documentation from worksite/school program director

Application

Teacher candidates must apply for the following courses with fieldwork components through the Office of Clinical Experiences before registering:

• CEDC 729 and 729.5 Application

Registration and Placement Process

• The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews applications for eligibility.
• The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission and notifies you via your myhunter.cuny.edu email address one week before registration opens.
• Teacher Candidate registers for course once permission granted.
• The Office of Clinical Experiences places teacher candidates at a Hunter College School of Education partner site and notifies you via myhunter.cuny.edu email address

Supervised Teaching: Student Teaching/Practicum

Students participate in supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) as the culmination of their course of study. Student teaching and/or practicum requires five full days per week for one semester. Students are observed by Hunter College Clinical Supervisors throughout the semester. Students may complete practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study.

Registration and Placement

All students must apply for student teaching and/or practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences for registration permission and to be placed.

Required Exams

Students must pass the following New York State exams before registration permission is granted for Supervised Teaching:

• Educating All Students (EAS)
  • Students with initial certification do not have to take the EAS exam.
• Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grades 1 – 6)
• Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities

Student Teaching Placement

Student Teachers are placed by Professor Klein with a mentor/cooperating teacher at a Hunter College Partner School in New York City. Students teach alongside the mentor/cooperating teacher throughout the semester.

Practicum

Students working full time as assistant, associate or head teacher may be eligible to complete Practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study.

• The classroom must be aligned with pending certification
• Site must be pre-approved by faculty and/or Office of Clinical Experiences
• Students submit a letter from worksite/school program director

Practicum Site Approval Form

• Practicum Site Approval Form

Application

All teacher candidates must apply for student teaching and/or practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences.

• Student Teaching and Practicum Application

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester: April 1st
• Winter Semester: October 1st
• Spring Semester: November 1st
• Summer Semester: March 1st

Registration and Placement Process

• Professor Klein reviews student teaching/practicum applications for eligibility.
• Professor Klein and Dr. McIntyre (program coordinator of Behavior Disorders) grant registration permission.
• One week before each semester registration opens, the Office of Clinical Experiences or Professor Klein will inform you of next steps through your myhunter.cuny.edu email.
• If you require placement, Professor Klein and the Office of Clinical Experiences will place you at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify your myhunter.cuny.edu email

Graduation

Graduation is the official completion of your program and conferral of an academic degree. In order to graduate, students must apply for graduation using CUNYFirst the semester before the semester of their planned graduation and complete any outstanding requirements by the stated deadlines.

Certification and Licensure

The Childhood Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd) program leads to dual certification in childhood education and students with disabilities grades 1-6. Students must wait to apply for certification until they receive an email from the School of Education indicating their recommendation has been entered. This usually occurs six to eight week’s after the conferral of your degree.

Types of Certification

Students are recommended for both initial and professional certification:

• The Initial Certificate is the entry-level teaching certificate and is valid for five years. Students who graduate from a Hunter master’s degree certification program without prior certification will be recommended for initial certification.
• The Professional Certificate is an advanced certificate. Once teachers have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience including one year of mentored teaching, they can apply for professional certification.

Application Checklist

Review Your Fingerprint Status

All students in programs leading to New York State certification need to have their fingerprints cleared by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Take Required Certification Exams and Workshops

Exams

All students must fulfill the following exam requirements over the course of their program:

• Educating All Students (EAS)
  • Students who have completed Educating All Students (EAS) for a prior certification, do not need to take the exam again.
• Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subject Childhood (Grades 1-6)
• Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities

Workshops

All students must fulfill the following workshop requirements over the course of their program:

• School Violence Prevention and Intervention
  • This workshop is included in coursework.
• Prevention and Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
  • This workshop is included in coursework.
• Autism Workshop
  • This workshop is included in coursework.
• Dignity for All Students (DASA) workshop
  • Students may take the Dignity for All Students (DASA) workshop through Hunter College’s Continuing Education department or with another approved provider through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website.

Apply for Graduation

In order to be recommended for certification, all students in all programs including advanced certificate programs, must complete their program and apply for graduation.

Apply for Certification

Certification candidates must wait to apply for certification until receiving an email from the School of Education indicating their recommendation has been entered. This will occur six to eight weeks after the Hunter College conferral dates of June 1 for spring grads, September 1 for summer grads and January 1 for fall grads. Candidates will be recommended for Initial and Professional certification.

1. Create/Log in to your TEACH Account

Students must create/log in to their New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Account.

2. Verify/Update Profile

The Verify/Update Profile section will ask for education and employment history.

3. Select Certificate(s)

Enter the following information for the certificates section depending on whether you are applying for initial or professional certification.

Initial Certification

• Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
• Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
• Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
• Select the Title: Childhood Education
• Select your Certificate Type: Initial

and

• Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
• Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
• Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
• Select the Title: Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
• Select your Certificate Type: Initial

On the next page you will be prompted to enter the program code:

• 25649 – CHILDHD SP ED:LRNG DIS & BEHAV DISOR

Professional Certification

• Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
• Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
• Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
• Select the Title: Childhood Education (Grades 1-6)
• Select your Certificate Type: Professional

and

• Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
• Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
• Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
• Select the Title: Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
• Select your Certificate Type: Professional

On the next page you will be prompted to enter the program code:

• 25649 – CHILDHD SP ED:LRNG DIS & BEHAV DISOR

4. Complete application (sign affidavit, sign application, make payment)

Read and sign the required affidavit and confirm and sign the application. Finally, make payment.

Additional Resources

Expiring Certifications

If you will not graduate from the Advanced Certificate program prior to the expiration of your initial certificate, you may be eligible for an extension through NYSED’s TEACH Online Services.

Out of State Certification or Licensure

Students applying for certification or licensure in states other than New York must complete the Out of State Certification and Licensure Form and upload the required completed form for the state they are applying to.

Hunter International Students (F1 Visa Holder) Certification or Licensure

Hunter International Students who hold F1 Visas but do not have a Social Security number must email to request a TEACH Access Number (TAN). The TEACH Access Number (TAN) must be used in lieu of a Social Security Number for all processes involving certification.

Letter Requests

Please use the School of Education Letter Request Form to request a letter from the School of Education to verify your education experience.

Internship Certification for Graduate Teacher Education Students

The Internship Certificate allows a teacher or educational leadership candidate to serve as a teacher or leader of record while completing the master’s degree program. The Internship Certificate is reserved for graduate teacher or leader education students who meet certain New York State Education Department (NYSED) and Hunter College School of Education requirements.