Early Childhood Special Education, MS

Contact:

Jill Christian-Lynch, Program Coordinator, 171 Huntington Hall, jclynch@syr.edu

The Early Childhood Special Education program leads to certification in both general early childhood and early childhood special education, birth through grade 2. This program reflects the most up-to-date thinking about teaching infants, preschoolers, and primary-age children (with or without disabilities). The primary goal of the program is to prepare teachers to work effectively with children of a variety of ages and cultural and linguistic abilities, and serve children in a range of home, community, and educational settings. We seek to accomplish this through collaboration and teamwork among professionals of diverse disciplines and in partnership with the families we serve.

The program draws upon the expertise and scholarship of faculty members who are leaders in the fields of child and family studies, early childhood, special and elementary education, literacy, and other related professional disciplines. The program has a long-standing history of providing training that infuses clinical practice with current research. As they study areas such as early assessment and intervention with infants, students work closely with faculty members who have extensive clinical experience. We have developed close ties and strong relationships with community educators and other professionals who serve high-needs populations of young children and families.

This program meets the academic requirements for both New York State early childhood birth-grade 2 and students with disabilities birth-grade 2 teaching certificates. We admit:

students who have backgrounds or certification in one (but not both) of these areas (early childhood or special education);
students who have certification in another teacher certification area;
qualified students who do not have previous education coursework.

Core Liberal Arts Requirements

The requirements of this program include several undergraduate liberal arts content core courses. Each applicant will have undergraduate transcripts reviewed for the liberal arts requirements listed below. Missing coursework does not need to be completed before applying but must be completed before a degree can be granted.

A liberal arts major or concentration of at least 30 credits, of which at least 9 credits represent upper division courses. (We will work with students who have non-liberal arts majors to build an appropriate liberal arts concentration and identify any additional courses needed.)
College-level courses of at least 3 credits in each of the areas below, with no grade below a C:
- Two English Language Arts courses: one emphasizing writing instruction; a second course in writing, literature, or speaking
- Two appropriate mathematics courses
- Two appropriate natural science courses
- Two social studies courses including one history course and one social science course that is not psychology

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Acquire knowledge of each child and demonstrate knowledge of child development and learning to promote achievement for all students

2. Know the content that are responsible for teaching and plan instruction that ensures growth and achievement of all young children

3. Implement instruction that engages and challenges all children to meet or exceed the learning standards

4. Work with all children to create a dynamic learning environment that supports achievement and growth

5. Use multiple measures to assess and document student growth, evaluate instructional effectiveness, and modify instruction

6. Demonstrate professional responsibility and engage relevant stakeholders to maximize child growth, development, and learning

7. Set informed goals and strive for continuous professional growth

Sample Curriculum:

As noted above, each student’s program varies according to interests, prior coursework, and professional experience. A student with equivalent coursework may have courses waived. A student with prior background may have courses waived.

A program for a student without prior study or certification in Education or Early Childhood typically includes:

EDU 606 - Understanding Learning and Teaching 4 credit(s) (Includes field experience)
EED 643 - The Parent/Caregiver-Professional Partnership 3 credit(s)
EED 654 - Teaching Mathematics, Science and Social Studies in Early Childhood Special Education 3 credit(s) (with a 60-hour field practicum)
ELL 625 - Methods of Teaching Literacy to English Language Learners 3 credit(s)
MFT 625 - Family Systems and Therapy 3 credit(s)
SPE 520 - Methods and Curricula in Early Childhood Special Education 3 credit(s) (with a 90-hour field practicum)
SPE 613 - Developmental Therapy for Children with Disabilities 3 credit(s)
SPE 618 - Augmentation of Communication in the Inclusive Classroom 3 credit(s)
SPE 623 - Families of Students with Disabilities 3 credit(s)
SPE 627 - Early Intervention for Children’s Reading Problems 3 credit(s)
SPE 633 - The High-Risk Infant: Medical Treatment and Educational Interventions 3 credit(s)
SPE 653 - Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviors 3 credit(s)
SPE 705 - Practicum in Psychoeducational Evaluation and Planning for Exceptional Children 3-6 credit(s)
SPE 706 - Seminar in Early Childhood Special Education 3 credit(s)
EDU 508 - Student Teaching 2-15 credit(s) (ECSE grades K, 1, or 2 general education) 5 credits required ECSE (Pre-K Inclusive) 6 credits total required, including seminar
Safe and Healthy Learning Environments (0 credit) or equivalent, which includes the following topics: Identifying/reporting child abuse, violence prevention, child abduction prevention, highway/general safety, alcohol/drug/tobacco prevention, fire and arson prevention, and training related to the Dignity for All Students (DASA) Act. Students who have already met requirements for a New York State certificate may already have this completed. Those who earned their other certificate in another area before the DASA requirement was instituted will have to complete DASA training. These should be completed before student teaching.
As a culminating experience, students complete a portfolio demonstrating evidence of professional competence.

Note:

The program’s credit range is 36-60. Individual undergraduate and graduate transcripts and syllabi are reviewed for evidence of previous study that may allow some required courses to be waived.
While the ECSE program accepts and seeks to accommodate graduate students who are working, it is essential that working schedules allow day-time hours when required practica and field placements can be satisfied in the fall, spring and summer terms. Otherwise, it is not possible to complete the ECSE degree.