Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd)

The Professional Certification Special Education Behavior Disorders program will no longer accept new applications for admission after Spring 2025.

Welcome to the Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd). Use this page as a guide to the program from acceptance to graduation for Track 2.

This master’s degree program is designed to provide advanced training to certified special education teachers who need graduate work leading to a master’s degree for professional certification in special education. It is also designed for those with special education certification who are seeking to further their knowledge/skills and gain an additional age-level certificate (birth to grade 2 or grades 1-6).

Academic Plan

SEAPR-MSED

Sub Plan

SEAPRBD

Total Credits

30 credits

Program Code for Certification

31868 – SPEC ED:ADVANCED PRE IN LRNG DISABILS

Advisors

Thomas McIntyre, Program Leader
Elizabeth Klein, Faculty Advisor
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
- Please contact your faculty advisor for information.
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

Students must meet with their faculty advisor to determine their particular course of study before registering for classes. For technical registration support and troubleshooting, please visit the Register for Classes page.

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

Information forthcoming.

Certification and Licensure

The Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Behavior Disorders (MSEd) program leads to New York State professional certification in Students with Disabilities Grades 1-6 with a concentration in Behavior Disorders. Once teachers have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience including one year of mentored teaching, they can apply for professional certification.

Types of Certification

Students are recommended for professional 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:

Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities
- Students who have completed this exams for a prior certification do not need to take them again.
Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-subject Teachers of Early Childhood (Grades 1-6)
- Students who have completed this exams for a prior certification do not need to take them again.

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.

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

Once teachers have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience including one year of mentored teaching, they can apply for professional certification.

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.

1. 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.

2. Select Certificate(s)

Enter the following information for the certificates section:

Professional Certification

Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
Select your Subject Area: Students with Disabilities
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:

31868 – SPEC ED:ADVANCED PRE IN LRNG DISABILS

3. 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.

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.

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.