Childhood Education/Special Education All Grades Catalog
Department Chair: Marya Grande, PhD and Kelly Harper, PhD
The Special Education Master of Science Degree Program at Canisius is designed for those dedicated to meet the needs of students with disabilities, placing a strong emphasis on theory, research and practicum experience. The curriculum enables candidates to develop an understanding of etiology, related psychological and social factors and techniques proven effective for teaching students with diverse learning needs.
This program results in initial New York State Certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and Teaching Students with Disabilities (All Grades - PreK-12).
Grade Requirements
Graduate students enrolled in initial certification programs must achieve a C or above in all course requirements and a B- or above in all graduate program coursework. Failure to meet these requirements will require repeating the course &/or completing additional coursework.
Licensure Disclosure
Canisius University cannot determine whether completion of this program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements outside of New York State for the intended occupation. We advise you to contact your state licensing board or appropriate licensing entity to determine whether the program meets requirements for Professional Licensure in the state where you are located or the state in which you intend to pursue licensure. Please contact the associate dean of your school if you have further questions.
Residency Program
This program may be completed through a traditional or residency pathway. Both pathways include scaffolded field experiences, but the traditional pathway culminates in two, seven-week student teaching placements while a full year paid residency is the culminating experience for the residency pathway.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDCH 509 | Literacy and the Arts in the Elementary Classroom (20 hours of field experience required) | 3 |
| EDCH 540 | Learning and Development Birth to Grade 6 | 3 |
| EDU 505 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDU 556 | Assessment for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 570 | Pre-Student Teaching (50 hours of field experience required) | 3 |
| EDU 572 | Teaching Social Studies Integrating English Language Arts | 3 |
| EDU 595 | Child Abuse Workshop | 0 |
| EDU 596 | Prevention of School Violence Workshop | 0 |
| EDU 597 | Dignity for All Students Workshop | 0 |
| EDU 598 | Student Teaching Seminar | 0 |
| EDU 615 | Research Methods | 3 |
| EDU 628 | Teaching Math & Science: Supporting STEM Education | 3 |
| SPE 541 | Inclusive Strategies | 3 |
| SPE 580 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| SPE 593 | Student Teaching | 9 |
| SPE 631 | Reading and Writing Process for Students with Learning and Behavioral Disorders (25 hours of field experience required) | 3 |
| SPE 640 | Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (LBD); Etiology and Research Based Interventions | 3 |
| SPE 649 | Transition for Adolescents with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPE 650 | Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders: Etiology & Educational Needs | 3 |
| SPE 652 | Functional Curriculum for Students with Severe Disabilities and ASD (25 hours of field experience required) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
Program Requirements
Candidates need to have met these requirements to apply for the All Grades certification. These courses may be done before or concurrently with the program. Only courses with grades of C or better will count for this requirement.
1. English - 6 credit hours
2. Math - 6 credit hours
3. Science - 6 credit hours
4. Social Studies - 6 credit hours
Early Childhood
Candidates wishing to extend their certification to include Birth to Grade 2 should consult their academic adviser for options.
Middle Childhood
Candidates wishing to obtain an extension to teach grades 7-9 (thus enabling candidates to teach in their 30 credit subject area only) must add a middle childhood extension. Consult your advisor to determine if this is possible based on an undergraduate degree audit.
Roadmap
This roadmap is for candidates that want to complete the program as quickly as possible. Students should speak to their faculty advisor if they would like to go part-time because they can also go through the program by taking fewer courses by semester.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
| EDU 505 | SPE 640 | EDCH 540 |
| EDU 595 | SPE 631 | SPE 652 |
| EDU 596 | EDU 572 | |
| EDU 597 | EDU 628 | |
| EDCH 509 | ||
| SPE 341 | ||
| SPE 650 | ||
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | Spring | |
| EDU 556 | SPE 593 | |
| SPE 580 | EDU 598 | |
| EDU 570 | EDU 615 | |
| Option to add one more course if in need of content, EDY, or EMC credits | EDAD 535 | |