Blind and Visually Impaired - MSEd

Admission Requirements

Program 1

For applicants who do not hold New York State Certification

1. Undergraduate BA or BS degree from an approved college, with a GPA of 3.0 or better

or

A graduate degree from an approved college with a GPA of 3.5 or better

plus

2. A liberal arts or science major or interdisciplinary concentration of at least 30 credits.

3. General education core in liberal arts and sciences to include a minimum of 6 credits in English including a course in English composition with a grade of B or better (or a writing intensive course in any discipline with a grade of B or better), 6 credits in social studies (with at least one course in history or geography), 9 credits in math and science with at least one course in math and one course in science (a college course in calculus meets 6 credits of this requirement), 3 credits in the arts, and 3 credits in information retrieval (library studies, research, computer literacy, or educational technology).

Program 2

For applicants who hold early childhood, childhood, PreK-grade 6, middle school or adolescent education New York State teacher certification

1. An undergraduate BA or BS degree from an approved college with a GPA of 3.0 or higher

or

A graduate degree from an approved college with a GPA of 3.5 or better

plus

2. New York State initial, professional, or permanent teacher certification in early childhood, childhood, PreK-grade 6, middle school or adolescent education. Those holding permanent certification must either show proof that they have satisfied the New York State requirements regarding wellness, child abuse, drug abuse, fire safety, and violence prevention or take HED 715, a 1-credit course covering these topics.

Progress Standards

A. 12-Credit Progress Standards for Matriculated Students

1. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to continue in the program.

2. Students with more than one course grade below B in the first 12 credits will not be allowed to continue in the program.

3. A student who receives a grade of F in any course in the first 12 credits will not be allowed to continue in the program.

4. Students with one grade of IN (Incomplete) within the first 12 credits are restricted from registering for more than one additional course. Those with two or more INs will not be allowed to register for any courses. Any student who receives an F will not be allowed to continue.

5. Program 1 students must take the Liberal Arts and Science Test (LAST) of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations and submit their scores to the Office of Educational Services (Room 1000 West Building) before they complete 12 credits of course work. Any student who does not receive a passing score on the LAST must enroll in the School’s reading/writing workshop before being permitted to register for any courses.

B. Fieldwork Benchmark

All field experiences and student teaching will take place in New York City public schools.

Students must receive a grade of at least B in fieldwork and clinical teaching courses (e.g., SPED 782, SPED 784, CEDC 729; ECC 712; SPEDE 776 or SPEDE 767). Any student who receives a grade of B-, C+ or C must apply to the chair of the department for permission to retake the course, which may be repeated only once.

C. A student with two or more INs is prohibited from registering for any course.

Note: It is recommended that when not enrolled in any course students take an official leave of absence to complete their INs.

D. In order to enroll in student teaching or supervised practicum, all students must:

Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0

Have no outstanding INs.

Complete at least 15 SPED credits, including the pre-student teaching field assignments that are part of SPED 700, 701 or 791 and 702 or 702.50 Have taken or be registered concurrently for one methods course (e.g., SPED 706, 706.50, 731, 741, 751, 781, 781.50) Students in early childhood special education must complete SPEDE 776 or 767.

Blind and Visually Impaired Course of Study

Program 2

Total Credits: 40-41 credits

Cross-Categorical Core Courses (12 cr)

• SPED 70000 - Issues and Practices in Educating Students with Disabilities
• SPED 70250 - Classroom Management in Special Education and Inclusive Settings
• SPED 70650 - Strategies and Curriculum Adaptations for Learners with Severe/Multiple Disabilities
• SPED 70700 - Research Seminar: Issues in Special Education

Blind and Visually Impaired Specialization

• SPED 74000 - Medical Aspects and Educational Implications of Visual Impairments
• SPED 74100 - Education and Rehabilitation of Individuals with Visual Impairments
• SPED 79100 - Alternative Assessment for Learners with Low Incidence Disabilities: Visual Impairment, Deafblindness, and Severe Disabilities
• SPED 74200 - Curriculum and Instructional Strategies for Learners with Visual Impairments
• SPED 74300 - Braille Literacy and Communication Skills for Learners with Visual Impairments
• SPED 74400 - Assistive Technology for Learners with Visual Impairments
• SPED 74500 - Mathematical Literacy and Nemeth Code for Learners with Visual Impairments
• SPED 74600 - Educational Implications of Learners Who Are Deafblind
• SPED 74700 - Principles and Practices in Orientation and Mobility for Teachers of Learners with Visual Impairments

Additional Requirements for Program 1

Program 1

Total Credits: 47-60 credits

Students must take between 7-19 credits of childhood education credits in addition to the special education courses required for their degrees. Students can be exempted from up to 12 credits of the general education requirements listed below on the basis of equivalent courses taken at either the graduate or undergraduate level. However, students may not be exempted from CEDC 72900 (Fieldwork in Childhood Education for Special Educators).

• CEDF 70650 - Social, Historical, Philosophical Foundations of Education: The American School
• CEDF 70900 - Child Development Grades 1-9
• CEDC 72250 - Social Studies Curriculum and Instruction: Integrating Literature, the Arts, and Technology
• CEDC 70350 - Teaching Science in the Elementary School
• CEDC 70450 - Teaching Developmental Reading
• CEDC 70550 - Mathematics Curriculum and Methods
• CEDC 72900 - Fieldwork in Childhood Education for Special Educators
• HED 71500 - Health Education for Special Educators

Exit Standards

1. An overall GPA of 3.0.

2. Students must demonstrate consistently satisfactory written English in all course work.

3. Student Teaching, Supervised Practicum, and Clinical Teaching Lab

    A. Students are required to attain a minimum grade of B in all student teaching, practica and clinical teaching lab courses. No grade less than B is acceptable for these teaching skill courses. Students receiving B-, C+, or C for any one of these courses must apply to the department chairperson for permission to repeat that course, which may be repeated only once. Any student who receives a grade of F in a fieldwork or clinical teaching course will not be allowed to continue in the program.

    B. Students must complete all required days and hours for each of the student teaching, practica and clinical teaching lab courses. Students not completing the minimum required days and hours will receive a course grade of IN for that course, prohibiting them from graduating.

4. Culminating Activity. Students must perform satisfactorily on a two-part culminating activity (partial requirements of SPED 707, Research Seminar: Issues in Special Education):

    a comprehensive research-based oral

presentation on a current special education issue

and either
     an original written research proposal
or
    a written proposal for competitive grant funding.

5. Students must pass the School of Education technology assessment.