Adolescent/Students with Disabilities (Grades 7-12) - B.S./M.S. Ed.

Why Choose Adolescent Education/Special Education?

Completing high school and transitioning into adulthood is a critical stage for all young people. It is important to prepare students of all abilities to finish high school and succeed in adult life.

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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.

What Will You Learn?

You will practice the art and science of teaching. You will learn how to plan and deliver standards-based instruction for grades 7-12, including how to modify and differentiate for special education and at-risk students. You will also learn how to:

• use formal and informal assessment tools
• plan and implement instruction based upon the needs of students with special needs
• implement a variety of strategies and methodologies that provide active engagement in learning
• create an environment that encourages social interaction and appropriate behavior
• understand the legal and ethical responsibilities of educators and parents in the community
• be sensitive to the cultural diversity of students in the classroom
• seamlessly integrate technology into instruction
• apply child and adolescent theory
• understand the foundations of education

See the Degree Requirements

What Will You Do?

After completing the five-year adolescent/students with disabilities generalist 7-12 extension in an English, math or social studies program and passing the New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE), you will be recommended for New York State certification. This certification is to teach general education grades 7-12 in a subject area as well as students with disabilities in grades 7-12 in a subject area in a special education or inclusive classroom.