Childhood Special Education – Severe/Multiple Disabilities (MSEd)
Students in the Childhood Special Education – Severe/Multiple Disabilities (MSEd) program participate in developmental field experiences (fieldwork) and supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) administered by the Office of Clinical Experiences (OCE).
Students must apply for supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) and select fieldwork experiences to gain registration permission and placement. For registration and placement processes and procedures see below. Students must obtain fingerprint clearance.
Requirements During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
We know that there are many unanswered questions. As the public health emergency around us is evolving daily we are committed to providing you with information and guidance as it becomes available. For up-to-date information visit the School of Education COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Updates page.
Fieldwork and Supervised Teaching Requirements
For a full list of fieldwork and supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) requirements consult the course catalog in conjunction with the course sequence and program trackers. The course catalog provides descriptions detailing fieldwork requirements per course, important progress standards, and exit requirements based on matriculation date. Students must meet with the faculty advisor to determine their particular course of study before registering for classes.
Course Catalog
Review the course descriptions, progress standards, and exit requirements in the Course Catalog for Program 1.
Course Sequence and Program Tracker
Consult the course sequence guides for a suggested order of education courses. Students must meet with the program advisors to determine their particular course of study before registering for classes.
Security Clearance Requirements
Fingerprinting is required for certification and select clinical experiences (fieldwork and student teaching/practicum). Visit Fingerprinting for Hunter College School of Education Students for complete requirements, processes and procedures.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is a classroom experience in a New York City Public School in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements.
Placement
For SPED courses with fieldwork components requiring 10 hours or more, students are placed by L. Beth Brady, Professor Zigman, and/or the course instructor at a Hunter College Partner School in New York City including District 75 schools and private schools.
Students working full time as assistant, associate or head teacher may be eligible to complete their fieldwork requirements in their current job if it is aligned to their pending certification/area of study.
The following are required for eligibility:
- Teaching position must be aligned with pending certification
- Site must be pre-approved by faculty and/or Office of Clinical Experiences
- Students must submit documentation from worksite/school program director
For SPED courses requiring less than 10 hours of fieldwork, after attending class and receiving instructions from the instructor, students are given a suggested list of fieldwork sites and are responsible for identifying placement within New York State. Please refer to the NYC Department of Education at schools.nyc.gov to find a school in a particular neighborhood.
Registration Permission
Students must request permission from their faculty advisor in order to register for SPED courses with fieldwork components.
Application
Students must apply for the following CEDC course with fieldwork components through the Office of Clinical Experiences before registering:
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: March 1st
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission and notifies students via their myhunter.cuny.edu email address one week before registration opens.
- Students registers for course once permission granted.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences places students at a Hunter College School of Education partner site and notifies them via their myhunter.cuny.edu email address.
Fieldwork Hours Time Record Form
Letter of Introduction
Some P-12 schools may require a letter of introduction from Hunter College for students who need to complete observation hours. Students can download this document via the link below. Please note, for reasons of confidentiality, you will need to be logged in with your huntersoe.org credentials.
Supervised Teaching: Student Teaching/Practicum
Students participate in supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) as the culmination of their course of study. Student teaching and/or practicum requires five full days per week for one semester. Students are observed by Hunter College Clinical Supervisors throughout the semester. Students may complete practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study.
Registration and Placement
All students must apply for student teaching and/or practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences for registration permission and to be placed.
Required Exams
Students must pass the following New York State exams before registration permission is granted for Supervised Teaching:
- Educating All Students (EAS)*
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grades 1 – Grades 6) (Parts 1-3)
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities
*Students with initial certification do not have to take the EAS exam.
Student Teaching Placement
Students apply for student teaching in order to be placed by L. Beth Brady and Professor Zigman with a cooperating teacher/mentor at a Hunter College Partner School in New York City. Students teach alongside the cooperating teacher/mentor throughout the semester.
Practicum
Students working full time as assistant, associate or head teacher may be eligible to complete Practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study.
The following are required for Practicum eligibility:
- The classroom must be aligned with pending certification
- Site must be pre-approved by faculty and/or Office of Clinical Experiences
- Students submit a letter from worksite/school program director
Practicum Site Approval Form
Application
All students must apply for student teaching and/or practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: N/A
Registration and Placement Process
- L. Beth Brady, Professor Zigman, and the Office of Clinical Experiences reviews student teaching/practicum applications for eligibility.
- L. Beth Brady and Professor Zigman grants registration permission.
- One week before each semester registration opens, students will be informed of next steps through their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- If students require placement, L. Beth Brady and Professor Zigman place the student at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify them via their myhunter.cuny.edu email
Internship Certificate
Current students who are eligible for practicum and secure a teaching position that requires NYS certification may apply for an internship certificate. Students must apply for practicum first and will only receive instructions thereafter.
Visit the Internship Certificate page for eligibility requirements and application processes and procedures.
Supervised Teaching Time Record Form
Support
The Office of Clinical Experiences administers and provides support for students regarding fieldwork and supervised teaching (student teaching and practicum). The Office is led by Marshall George, Olshan Professor of Clinical Practice, and the Director of the Office of Clinical Experiences Ileana Infante.
Each program has a Clinical Placement Specialist to work with students regarding fieldwork and supervised teaching.
Clinical Placement Specialist
- Zahra Ahmed, Office of Clinical Experiences (OCE)
Contact for questions concerning the following:
- Fieldwork placement
- Student Teaching/Practicum application and placement
Make An Appointment
To make an appointment please select from the options below.