The five-year adolescent/students with disabilities M.S. Ed. program is seamless, and Manhattan College undergraduate secondary education majors to obtain their master’s degrees with an additional year of study. It is designed for students seeking dual certification in one of the follow areas:
- Adolescent education English
- Adolescent education mathematics
- Adolescent education social studies
Additionally, you can opt to complete a generalist extension for students with disabilities in grades 7-12 in:
- English
- Mathematics
- Social studies
Fast Track to Certification
In this accelerated program, you will enroll in graduate-level study during your fourth year and complete four courses. These courses will teach you to assess and instruct at-risk, English Language Learners (ELL) and disabled adolescent students. In addition, you will learn how to conduct educational and psychological research. These are essential skills to keep you on top of an evolving field.
The Experience
The best way to learn is by doing. As a student in the five-year adolescent/students with disabilities program, you will start getting classroom experience as soon as your sophomore year at Manhattan. Field experiences are designed to help you develop as a teacher and test your skills in the real world. It begins with classroom observations and culminates with student teaching in a general education setting in your fourth year of a minimum of 40 full days of on-site experience in grades 7-9 and 10-12 in your specific subject area. In your fifth year, you will complete an internship of a minimum of 40 full days in a special education or inclusive secondary setting in some of the most socially and economically diverse school districts in the nation.
Co-curricular Opportunities
There are so many ways to get involved on campus, locally and across the globe:
- Council for Exceptional Children - join a group of students and professionals to promote understanding and acceptance of exceptional individuals.
- Best Buddies - join a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of the mentally retarded by providing opportunities for socialization.
- Kappa Delta Pi – become an invited member of the international honor society for education and participate in outreach projects locally and internationally in locations such as Namibia, Italy, Turkey, Israel and Palestine.
- The Center for Optimal College Readiness (COCR) - work with kids, teachers and counselors, while collaborating with a team and making a difference in the local community.
- Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience (L.O.V.E) trips - volunteer to work with disabled, orphaned children in Jamaica or at a summer camp for children with kidney diseases in Texas.
- Saturday Program of Recreation and Teaching (SPORT) Program – volunteer in a recreation program for local individuals with disabilities.
- The Manhattan College Games – participate in an annual day of non-competitive sports and physical activities for persons with special needs.