Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities (MSEd)
The Childhood Special Education Learning Disabilities program will no longer accept new applications for admission after Spring 2025. The program is transitioning into a Special Education P-12 All Grades program.
Welcome to the Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities (MSEd) program home page. Use this page as a guide to the Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities (MSEd) program from acceptance to graduation.
The master’s degree in Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities offers two programs. Program 1 is for those who do not hold NYS certification and leads to dual certification in childhood education and students with disabilities grades 1 through 6.
Academic Plan
CSPE-MSED
Total Credits for Program 1
Earn 41 to 53 credits
Program Code for Certification
25649 – CHILDHD SP ED:LRNG DIS & BEHAV DISOR
Advisors
- Jennifer Tressa Klein, Program Leader, Advisor for A – E
- Kathryn Furlong-Silverio, Faculty Advisor, Advisor for F – O
- Virginia Gryta, Faculty Advisor, Advisor for P – Z
- Nora McCormick, Certification, Graduation and Administrative Advisor
- Robin O’Leary, 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 based on the 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 Sequences Effective Fall 2020
Students entering in fall semesters will follow these sequences.
Course Sequences Effective Spring 2018
Students entering in spring semesters will follow these sequences.
Course Sequences Effective Fall 2017
Students entering in fall semesters will follow these sequences.
Hunter College Catalog
Use the Hunter College Course Catalog to review descriptions of specific courses and academic progress standards for the program along with exit requirements.
Clinical Experiences
Students in the Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities (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.
Placement
For courses with fieldwork components requiring greater than 10 days or 50 hours, students must apply to the Office of Clinical Experience and will be placed at a Hunter College Partner School in New York City.
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 with 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 courses requiring less than 10 days or 50 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.
Application
Students must apply for the following courses with fieldwork components through the Office of Clinical Experiences before registering:
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Winter Semester: October 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 register for the course once permission is 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
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. 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 Educating All Students (EAS) exam
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grades 1 – Grades 6) (Parts 1-3)
Student Teaching Placement
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 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 informs students of the 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
The Internship Certificate allows a teacher or educational leadership candidate to serve as a teacher or leader of record while completing the master’s degree program. The Internship Certificate is reserved for graduate teacher or leader education students who meet certain New York State Education Department (NYSED) and Hunter College School of Education requirements. Visit the Internship Certificate page for eligibility requirements and application processes and procedures.
Supervised Teaching Time Record Form
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.
Certification and Licensure
The Childhood Special Education – Learning Disabilities (MSEd) program leads to dual certification in childhood education and students with disabilities grades 1-6. Students must wait to apply for certification until they receive an email from the School of Education indicating their recommendation has been entered. This usually occurs six to eight weeks after the conferral of your degree.
Types of Certification
Students are recommended for both initial and professional certification:
- The Initial Certificate is the entry-level teaching certificate and is valid for five years. Students who graduate from a Hunter master’s degree certification program without prior certification will be recommended for initial certification.
- The Professional Certificate is an advanced certificate. Once teachers have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience including one year of mentored teaching, they can apply for professional certification.
Application Checklist
Review Your Fingerprint Status
All students in programs leading to New York State certification need to have their fingerprints cleared by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Visit the Fingerprinting for Hunter College School of Education Students to learn how to obtain fingerprint clearance. You can check your state clearance status on your TEACH account.
Take Required Certification Exams and Workshops
Exams
All students must fulfill the following exam requirements over the course of their program:
- Educating All Students (EAS)
- Students who have completed Educating All Students (EAS) for a prior certification, do not need to take the exam again.
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subject Childhood (Grades 1-6)
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities
Exam Registration and Test Preparation
Register for an exam at the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations website. Need help preparing? Learn about upcoming Test Preparation Workshops.
Hunter International Students who hold F1 Visas but do not have a Social Security number must email soeoasa@hunter.cuny.edu to request a TEACH Access Number (TAN). The TEACH Access Number (TAN) must be used in lieu of a Social Security Number for registering for New York State Teacher Certification exams and applying for New York State (NYS) certification.
If you get a Social Security Number, you must update your information on your TEACH Account by requesting a Social Security Number change via the New York State Education Department. You must also update the information on your New York State (NYS) Teacher Certification Exam account. Your social security number will replace your TEACH Access Number (TAN).
Workshops
All students must fulfill the following workshop requirements over the course of their program:
- School Violence Prevention and Intervention
- This workshop is included in coursework.
- Prevention and Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
- This workshop is included in coursework.
- Autism Workshop
- This workshop is included in coursework.
- Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) workshop
- Students may take the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) workshop through Hunter College’s Continuing Education department or with another approved provider through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website. Once you complete the DASA workshop, submit copies of DASA workshop certification to the Office of Academic and Student Affairs so that their CUNYfirst account can be updated via the Workshop or Exam Completion Form.
- Educating All Students (EAS)
Apply for Graduation
In order to be recommended for certification, all students in all programs including advanced certificate programs, must complete their program and apply for graduation. For more information on the graduation process, please visit the School of Education Graduation and Commencement page.
Apply for Certification
Certification candidates must wait to apply for certification until receiving an email from the School of Education indicating their recommendation has been entered. This will occur six to eight weeks after the Hunter College conferral dates of June 1 for spring grads, September 1 for summer grads and January 1 for fall grads. Candidates will be recommended for Initial and Professional certification. There are 4 steps in the application process:
1. Create/Log in to your TEACH Account
Students must create/log in to their New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Account. From your Teach Online Services Home page, select Apply for Certificate which is found under “Online Application.” This will start a new application.
Hunter International Students who hold F1 Visas but do not have a Social Security number must email soeoasa@hunter.cuny.edu to request a TEACH Access Number (TAN). The TEACH Access Number (TAN) must be used in lieu of a Social Security Number to apply for New York State (NYS) certification.
If you get a Social Security Number, you must update your information on your TEACH Account by requesting a Social Security Number change via the New York State Education Department. You must also update the information on your New York State (NYS) Teacher Certification Exam account. Your social security number will replace your TEACH Access Number (TAN).
2. Verify/Update Profile
The Verify/Update Profile section will ask for education and employment history.
For educational history, provide information from bachelor’s degree to present. For the drop down next to Degree and Major, select the option that corresponds to the degree and major earned.
For employment history enter all full-time, paid teaching experiences in both public, private and charter schools.
3. Select Certificate(s)
Enter the following information for the certificates section depending on whether you are applying for initial or professional certification.
Initial Certification
In order to apply for two certifications, you will be required to submit two separate applications. Submit one full application and then restart the application process and submit the second application.
- Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
- Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
- Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
- Select the Title: Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
- Select your Certificate Type: Initial
and
- Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
- Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
- Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
- Select the Title: Childhood Education (Grades 1-6)
- Select your Certificate Type: Initial
On the next page you will be prompted to enter the program code:
- 25649 – CHILDHD SP ED:LRNG DIS & BEHAV DISOR
Professional Certification
In order to apply for two certifications, you will be required to submit two separate applications. Submit one full application and then restart the application process and submit the second application.
- Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
- Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
- Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
- Select the Title: Childhood Education (Grades 1-6)
- Select your Certificate Type: Professional
and
- Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
- Select your Subject Area: Childhood Education
- Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
- Select the Title: Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
- Select your Certificate Type: Professional
On the next page you will be prompted to enter the program code:
- 25649 – CHILDHD SP ED:LRNG DIS & BEHAV DISOR
4. Complete application (sign affidavit, sign application, make payment)
Read and sign the required affidavit and confirm and sign the application. Finally, make payment.
Additional Resources
Expiring Certifications
If you will not graduate from the Advanced Certificate program prior to the expiration of your initial certificate, you may be eligible for an extension through NYSED’s TEACH Online Services. Create/Log in to your TEACH account and select “Apply for a Time Extension.”
Out of State Certification or Licensure
Students applying for certification or licensure in states other than New York must complete the Out of State Certification and Licensure Form and upload the required completed form for the state they are applying to.
For students applying in states that have a web-based form (ex. New Jersey), please send the access information to Melissa Boronkas, Certification Officer at mb74@hunter.cuny.edu.
For more information on certification or licensure requirements in other states, please review the interstate agreement information on the National Associate of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification site.
Hunter International Students (F1 Visa Holder) Certification or Licensure
Hunter International Students who hold F1 Visas but do not have a Social Security number must email soeoasa@hunter.cuny.edu to request a TEACH Access Number (TAN). The TEACH Access Number (TAN) must be used in lieu of a Social Security Number for all processes involving certification such as fingerprinting, creating your TEACH Account, registering for New York State Teacher Certification exams, and applying for New York State (NYS) certification.
If you get a Social Security Number, you must update your information on your TEACH Account by requesting a Social Security Number change via the New York State Education Department. You must also update the information on your New York State (NYS) Teacher Certification Exam account. Your social security number will replace your TEACH Access Number (TAN).
Letter Requests
Please use the School of Education Letter Request Form to request a letter from the School of Education to verify your education experience.
Internship Certification for Graduate Teacher Education Students
The Internship Certificate allows a teacher or educational leadership candidate to serve as a teacher or leader of record while completing the master’s degree program. The Internship Certificate is reserved for graduate teacher or leader education students who meet certain New York State Education Department (NYSED) and Hunter College School of Education requirements. Visit the Internship Certificate page for eligibility requirements and application processes and procedures.