Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Early Childhood Special Education (MSEd)
Welcome to the Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Early Childhood Special Education (MSEd). Use this page as a guide to the program from acceptance to graduation for Track 3.
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
SEAPRECSE
Total Credits
Earn at least 30 credits
Program Code for Certification
31868 – SPEC ED:ADVANCED PRE IN LRNG DISABILS
Advisors
- Jamie Bleiweiss, Program Leader and Faculty Advisor for last names A-E
- Imani Perez, Interim Faculty Advisor for last names F to M
- Nancy Sall, Interim Faculty Advisor for last names N to Z
- Jason Riffaterre, Administrative Advisor
- Elizabeth Harrison, Clinical Placement Specialist (On Leave)
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
Program sequences provide a suggested order of 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 for Students with Prior Early Childhood Special Education Certification
Program Sequence for Students with Initial Special Education Certification Other Than Early Childhood Special Education
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
The Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Early Childhood Special Education (MSEd) program prepares candidates for professional roles in classrooms, homes, and communities across the birth through grade 2 age range. Clinical experiences are a critical component of the program and designed to provide reflective experiences in order to develop competencies in working with young children of diverse ages, abilities, cultures, and languages and their families. These experiences are purposely sequenced so candidates learn new competencies that build upon those acquired in earlier experiences.
Students participate in clinical experiences which include:
- developmental field experiences (fieldwork)
- supervised teaching (student teaching/practicum)
- Clinical experiences take place across the birth through grade 2 age range.
Supervised Teaching (student teaching/practicum) is administered by the Office of Clinical Experiences (OCE).
Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork)
Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork) are applied experiences in classrooms, homes, or community settings in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements. Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork) are not administered by the Office of Clinical Experiences. For support, please contact the course instructor. Registration, placement, and application processes for fieldwork requirements vary by course.
SPEDE 773
To receive permission to register for the first semester of SPEDE 773, students must complete the following application:
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 three full days per week for one semester if completed during the academic year or five full days per week if completed during the summer. 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 and meets specific Early Childhood Development and Learning (ECDL) practicum requirements.
Registration, Placement and Application Processes and Procedures
All students must apply for student teaching/practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences for registration permission and, for student teaching, to be placed.
Student Teaching Placement
Student Teachers are placed by the Office of Clinical Experience with a mentor/cooperating teacher at a Hunter College Partner program 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:
- Student must be responsible for teaching at least three children with IFSPs/IEPs in the birth to grade 2 age range
- Programs must be located in New York City
- Site must be pre-approved by faculty and/or Office of Clinical Experiences
- Student must submit a completed Practicum Site Approval Form 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: March 1st
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 will place them at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify their myhunter.cuny.edu email
Internship Certificate
Current students who are eligible for practicum and secure a teaching position that requires New York State 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
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 Professional Certification (Advanced Preparation) in Special Education – Early Childhood Special Education (MSEd) program leads to New York State professional certification in Students with Disabilities Birth to Grade 2. 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 Processes and Procedures 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 these exams for a prior certification do not need to take them again.
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-subject Teachers of Early Childhood
- Students who have completed these 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.
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 (DASA) workshop
- Students who began their program prior to Fall 2023 must take the workshop in addition to the courses required for their program. Students may take the DASA workshop through Hunter College’s Continuing Education department or with another approved provider through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website. For students who begin in Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, please consult with your advisor about how you will complete this workshop. For students who begin in Fall 2024 or later, this workshop will be included in the coursework requried for your program. 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.
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities
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, select Certificate of Advanced Studies.
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: Birth – Grade 2
- Select the Title: Students with Disabilities Birth to Grade 2
- 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
Registering for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE)
During the registration process enter all 9s when prompted for your Social Security Number (SSN). Once you do receive a Social Security Number, you will need to fax a copy of your Social Security Number card and Passport to the New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) with a cover letter including your assigned New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) ID number to request they change your temporary Social Security Number replacement with your assigned Social Security Number.
The fax number for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) is 413-256-7088. Follow up a few days later to ensure they have received your fax. The phone number for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) is 413-256-2882.
Applying for NYSED TEACH Account without a Social Security Number
You do not need to wait for a Social Security Number (SSN) to create an account on the NYSED TEACH system. If you do not have a valid Social Security Number, you will need to email soeoasa@hunter.cuny.edu to request a TEACH Access Number first. The access number is only for use with TEACH and meeting requirements for New York State teacher certification. If you do get a social security number, you must notify NYSED.
If you apply for OPT the process will generate a Social Security Number which you will use to create your TEACH account and apply for New York State Department of Education teaching certification. You should apply for OPT as soon as you can, but you cannot apply earlier than 90 days before your program completion date.
For general instructions on setting up your NYSED TEACH account, please refer to the Certification and Licensure section on this program page.
New York City Department of Education Employment with OPT once your NYS Certificate has issued
International students cannot apply for employment with New York City Public Schools until they have a Social Security Number (SSN). International students may qualify for employment in New York City public schools once they hold New York State certification and hold an OPT visa. You will be ineligible to apply to work for the New York City Department of Education unless you hold OPT authorization, have a Social Security Number and your New York State certification has issued. Candidates fitting the above criteria may apply online to the New York City Department of Education. Once the application is received and reviewed, further instructions will follow. This policy is subject to change at any time.
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 candidate to serve as a teacher of record while completing the master’s degree program. The Internship Certificate is reserved for graduate teacher education students who meet certain New York State Education Department (NYSED) and Hunter College School of Education requirements. For more information on the Internship Certificate with Hunter College, please review the Internship Certificate page.