Empire State University’s Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Adolescent (grades 7-12) Special Education program is a 45-credit, Residency or Transitional B certification program available in the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Saratoga Springs, and New York City areas. The program’s philosophy and subsequent courses are based on an inclusive model that prepares teacher candidates for collaboration and co-teaching in the inclusion classroom. Completion of the program (and passing the appropriate certification exams) leads to Students with Disabilities 7-12 Generalist Initial and Professional Certification.

Program Delivery and Tuition Rate

Curriculum delivery is blended using multiple delivery formats including online, face-to-face, video conference, webinars and other technologies. It is billed at the non-MBA rate.

Admission

Admission to this program is selective. This program enrolls new students in the fall term only. A candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.

An ideal candidate will:

• possess 24 credits in the liberal arts and sciences distribution (6 credits in Math, Science, Social Studies and English); and
• have a cumulative GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent.

An applicant who meets all other admissions requirements and has no more than 6 credits of content area course deficiencies may be admitted to the program. The student must make up the deficiencies by the end of the second term in the program.

Application

Please see the Graduate Admissions pages of this catalog for a complete listing of materials required to complete a graduate application.

Program Curriculum

Three pathways to certification are available to students in the M.A.T. in Adolescent Special Education program:

• Transitional B 
• Clinically-Rich Residency 
• Classroom Academy Residency

The pathways offer an assortment of enrollment sequences. The enrollment sequence chosen will depend on the required clinical coursework that aligns with a student's chosen track. Regardless of the track chosen, all sequence types contain the same first-year coursework.

Please Note: The clinical supervision courses (i.e., Mentored Teaching or Residency courses) in both tracks must be completed with a B or better. If the course grade results in less than a B, students may repeat the course in accordance with the Graduate Evaluation and Grading Policy found in the Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.

Transitional B Enrollment Sequence

The Adolescent Transitional B certification pathway is a part-time option designed for working adults who would like to become certified teachers of record while simultaneously completing their M.A.T. degree. The blended course delivery (in-person and online) requires that students are computer literate in order to engage in this technology-rich program.

Transitional B certification is a full New York State teaching certification that allows qualified M.A.T. students to seek employment as teachers of record after just one year in the program.  First-year requirements include successful completion of:

• 18 credits of introductory special education coursework
• 50 hours of field experience in New York State schools
• Appropriate New York State Certification Exams
• Child Abuse, School Violence, Autism, & DASA training
• any liberal arts and sciences course deficiencies identified at admission

During the second and third years of the Transitional B certification pathway, students may continue their coursework while working as a full or part-time 7-12 special education teacher in a New York state school. In this setting, students will be mentored by faculty members and networked with other Transitional B certification teachers across the state. The program culminates in the Mentored Teaching Capstone course. In addition to completing the 45-credit program, students must pass the Students with Disabilities CST exam in order to qualify for Initial certification.

Clinically-Rich Residency Enrollment Sequence

Upon completing all certification requirements, program completers are eligible for New York State Students with Disabilities 7-12 Generalist initial certification (and Professional certification with three years of teaching experience).

Classroom Academy Residency Enrollment Sequence

During the Classroom Academy residency experience, students will complete additional coursework that links theory to classroom practice. Residents receive intensive mentoring by faculty members and field supervisors. The program concludes with the capstone project within the M.A.T. in Special Education program.

Upon completing all certification requirements, program completers are eligible for New York State Students with Disabilities 7-12 Generalist initial certification (and Professional certification with three years of teaching experience).

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Each course integrates structured field experiences in New York State schools.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Collaborate with families, related service providers, and other school personnel to design and implement individualized curricula for students with disabilities;
• Develop transition services in consultation with relevant stakeholders;
• Critically evaluate research in special education;
• Articulate the philosophy and classroom application of inclusive education;
• Make instructional and environmental modifications based on students’ learning needs;
• Assess behavior to develop and implement a behavior intervention plan;
• Demonstrate effective classroom management practices involving students with disabilities;
• Assess and interpret data to design and implement individualized instruction;
• Implement evidence-based practices to instruct students with disabilities;
• Conduct formative and summative assessments to inform instruction; and
• Demonstrate reflective professional growth practices.