Dual Certification-Childhood Special Education: Behavior Disorders
Program Overview
This graduate program will prepare you to be an effective teacher of students with special needs. The Behavior Disorders Specialization within Childhood Special Education will allow you to focus not only classroom management, but will also provide you with the tools to work specifically with elementary school students who have emotional behavior disorders, learning disabilities and speech and language disorders. Graduates of this program go on to teach in a variety of educational settings, including inclusive settings or self-contained settings in public, charter, private or parochial schools, as well as hospitals and clinics.
Coursework and Clinical Experiences
Courses are offered in the afternoon and evening. Some courses may be available in an online or hybrid format. Select courses have required hours of classroom experience (fieldwork) in a New York City public school. Students also 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 at least one semester.
Credits
43 to 55 credits
Certification
Dual Certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and Students with Disabilities (Grades 1 to 6)
Eligibility and Admission Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 3.0; or a master’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 3.5
- A liberal arts or science major or interdisciplinary concentration of at least 30 credits
- General education core in the liberal arts and sciences including coursework in artistic expression, communication, information retrieval, concepts in history and social sciences, humanities, a world language other than English, scientific and mathematical processes, and written analysis and expression (Waived for Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 applicants)
- Two letters of recommendation
- A statement of purpose
- An official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score report (Waived for Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 applicants)
To Apply
Applications are accepted each Fall and Spring semester.
To start your application, visit the Hunter College Online Application.
If interested in the Dual Certification option: When applying to this program under Program of Study, select School of Education – Special Education and Childhood Special Ed Dual Cert.
Application Deadlines
Fall Start
- March 15 (Priority Deadline)
- April 15 (Extended Deadline)
Spring Start
- October 15 (Priority Deadline)
- November 1 (Extended Deadline)
Visit How to Apply for information about deadline extensions.
Related Programs
If you hold Initial Certification in Students with Disabilities, Grades 1-6, you may be eligible for the Professional Certification in Childhood Special Education program.
If you hold Initial Certification in Childhood Education and seek Students with Disabilities, Grades 1-6 certification, you may be eligible for our Childhood Special Education: Behavior Disorders program for NYS Certified Teachers.
If you hold a master’s degree and certification in Childhood Education, you may be eligible for the all-online Specialized Additional Teaching Certificate program in Childhood Special Education: Behavior Disorders.
In partnership with NYC Teaching Fellows, we offer an Alternative Certification program in Childhood Special Education.
Contact an Admissions Advisor
Program Coordinator