Blind and Visually Impaired (MSEd)
Welcome to the Blind and Visually Impaired (MSEd) program home page. Use this page as a guide to the Blind and Visually Impaired (MSEd) program from acceptance to graduation.
The master’s degree in Blind and Visually Impaired offers two programs. Program 1 is for those who do not hold New York State certification.
Academic Plan
BVI-MSED
Total Credits
Earn at least 43 credits
Advisors
- L. Beth Brady, Faculty Advisor
- Valerie J. Lyons, Administrative Advisor
- Ileana Infante, Clinical Placement Specialist
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.
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.
Program Sequences
Consult the program sequences for a suggested order of courses for the program. 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.
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 Blind and Visually Impaired (MSEd) program participate in developmental field experiences (fieldwork), and supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum).
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is a classroom experience in a New York City Public School in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements.
Requesting Permission and Placement
For SPED courses with fieldwork components requiring 10 hours or more, students must request permission from their faculty advisor/program coordinator to register. There is no application. Students are placed by L. Beth Brady in Hunter College Partner sites including District 75 schools and private schools.
For SPED courses with fieldwork components requiring less than 10 hours and CEDF, and CEDC courses requiring less than 15 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 in a particular neighborhood.
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
Application
Students must apply for CEDC 729 through the Office of Clinical Experiences before registering and to be placed:
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.
- Student 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 myhunter.cuny.edu email address.
Fieldwork Hours Time Record Form
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.
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) – Blind and Visually Impaired
Student Teaching
Students not working full time as assistant, associate or head teacher 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 eligibility is approved by L. Beth Brady.
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 and the Office of Clinical Experiences reviews student teaching/practicum applications for eligibility.
- L. Beth Brady 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 placement is required, L. Beth Brady places students at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City.
- L. Beth Brady notifies students via their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- 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 dual certification in childhood education and blind and visually impaired. 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.