Adolescent Special Education – Generalist (MSEd) Online
Welcome to the Adolescent Special Education – Generalist (MSEd) Online program home page. Use this page as a guide to the program from acceptance to graduation.
The master’s program is designed to prepare individuals to become special education generalist teachers at the adolescent level.
Academic Plan
AG712-MSED
Total Credits
Earn at least 36 credits
Advisors
- Gina Riley, Faculty Advisor and Clinical Placement Specialist for fieldwork, student teaching and practicum placement
- Bonnie M. Veronico, Administrative Advisor
- Rebecca Cushman, Clinical Placement Specialist for administrative process for placement support
Newly Accepted Students
Getting Started and Orientation
New Student Checklist
Welcome to the School of Education! Visit the Newly Accepted Students page for a checklist to get you started at Hunter College.
New Student Support
If at any point you need support, please reach out to our New Student Liaison at newsoest@hunter.cuny.edu or make an appointment.
Orientations
Students will attend three orientations to cover all the information needed to start your program:
- General New Student Orientation
- Program Advising Session
- Clinical Experiences and Fingerprinting Orientation
See “Program Related Events” for details about upcoming sessions.
Financing Your Degree
Visit the Financing Your Degree page for information.
Program Sequences
The program sequence provides a suggested order of education courses for the program based on start date. It also includes when to take certification exams and apply for clinical experiences in addition to other important non-course requirements. For technical registration support and troubleshooting, please visit the Register for Classes page.
Program Sequence
Hunter College Catalog
To review descriptions of specific courses and academic progress standards for the program along with exit requirements please use the course catalog for the year you were admitted to the program.
Course Catalog Summer 2022 onward
Course Catalog prior to Summer 2022
Clinical Experiences
Students in the Adolescent Special Education – Generalist (MSEd) Online program participate in developmental field experiences (fieldwork), and supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum).
Fingerprint Clearance Requirements
All students in teacher preparation programs as well as programs in school counseling need to be fingerprinted so that they are cleared to work with children in various settings including New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) public schools, charter networks, and other organizations. Visit the Fingerprinting page for requirements 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.
Registration and Placement
Registration permission is not required for courses with fieldwork components.
For courses with fieldwork components requiring 25 hours or more (SPED 772, SPED 774), students will be placed (or can place themselves) in a learning lab setting in which they are paired 1:1 with a student for tutoring.
For courses requiring less than 25 hours of fieldwork, after attending class and receiving instructions from the instructor, students 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.
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
Fieldwork Hours Time Record Form
Supervised: 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)
- Students with initial certification do not have to take the EAS exam.
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi Subject – ELA, Math, Arts and Sciences (grades 7-12)
Student Teaching Placement
Students not working full time as assistant, associate or head teachers in an area aligned with their pending certification/area of study complete Student Teaching. Student Teachers are placed by the Office of Clinical Experience with a mentor/cooperating teacher at a Hunter College Partner School in New York City. Students teach alongside the mentor/cooperating teacher 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 enabled one month prior to application deadline.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: N/A
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews student teaching/practicum applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission.
- One week before each semester registration opens, the Office of Clinical Experiences will inform students of next steps through their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- If students require placement, the Office of Clinical Experiences places the student at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences notifies students via their myhunter.cuny.edu email of mandatory orientation.
- Educating All Students (EAS)
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
Certification and Licensure
This program leads to New York State certification in Students with Disabilities Grades 7-12, Generalist, rather than certification in a specific subject area. Visit the Certification and Licensure page for information and support.
Graduation
Graduation is the official completion of your program and conferral of an academic degree. In order to graduate, students must apply for graduation using CUNYFirst the semester before the semester of their planned graduation and complete any outstanding requirements by the stated deadlines. Visit the Graduation and Commencement page for complete information.