MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is one of the top nationally ranked master’s degree programs in the country. The newly created course of study, recently approved by the New York State Education Department, leads to certification in both regular early childhood and early childhood special education. The program offers teacher training that focuses on the years from Birth through Grade 2 and includes a wealth of exemplary field experience and clinical practice, as students learn about working with infants, young children, and their families in home, school, and community-based educational settings. Students, upon completion of their programs, are prepared to assume professional positions as home-based itinerant teachers, early childhood special educators, regular preschool teachers, teacher consultants, and public school teachers in kindergarten and the early primary grades.

Nationally Recognized Faculty and Reputation for Excellence

The Early Childhood Special Education Program draws upon the expertise and scholarship of faculty who are leaders in the fields of child and family studies, early childhood, special and elementary education, communication disorders, and other related professional disciplines such as neonatology and physical and occupational therapy. Students work closely with faculty with extensive clinical experience in the areas of early assessment and intervention with infants, young children, and families in home, medical, and educational settings. The program has a longstanding history of training that infuses clinical practice with cutting edge research. In addition, ECSE is noted for its acceptance of a widely diverse group of graduate students, as well as its close ties to community educators and other related professionals, who serve high-need populations of young children and families.

What Can We Offer You?

The graduate program in ECSE includes master’s level students who enter the program with or without a background or certification in Special Education. For those students having the necessary prerequisite courses, teaching experience, and certification in Special Education or Early Childhood, the program may consist of as few as 36 graduate credit hours. These students, on a full-time basis, can complete their courses of study in two semesters and two summer sessions. Part-time students are expected to complete the program within 3 years. Students admitted with undergraduate training in Childhood Regular and Special Education also have the very attractive opportunity of earning in 1 year and 2 summers two additional certifications in Regular and Special Education Early Childhood. Finally, for those students who are admitted without any certification or prior training in Education or Special Education, programs typically will require a total of 60 credit hours, though each person’s credentials will be evaluated on an individual basis.

In addition to these graduate credits, each applicant will have previous transcripts reviewed to see if any additional undergraduate liberal arts courses are required either before entering the program. or during the program. These courses include:

• *A liberal arts major or concentration of 30 credits, with half upper division;
• A college writing course with a B- or better, or equivalent writing competency;
• Two appropriate college level mathematics courses with no grade less than a C and averaging to a B- or better;
• Two appropriate natural science courses with laboratories with no grade less than a C and averaging to a B- or better; in some cases, two appropriate non-laboratory sciences may be substituted for one laboratory science;
• *A social science course other than psychology or history;
• *A humanities course other than history or artistic expression;
• *An artistic expression course, or significant college or later experience in one or more of the arts;
• *A history course;
• *A language other than English (can include American Sign Language) through the first level of college study (typically 4-6 credits, if starting at the beginning, depending on the college). This can also be met through passing of Level 3 of a language in high school.

Those who already have an active New York initital certificate in Childhood 1-6 or Early Childhood B-2 will be considered as having met the asterisked requirements.

The master’s program in ECSE reflects the most up-to-date thinking about teaching infants, young children, and primary age children with and without special needs. In sum, the overriding goal of the program is to prepare master teachers to work effectively with children of diverse ages, of diverse abilities, reflecting culturally and linguistically diverse family systems, serving children in a range of home, community, and educational settings. Moreover, we seek to accomplish this goal within the context of collaboration and teamwork with other professionals of diverse disciplines and in partnership with families.

What Might the Program Look Like?

As noted above, any given individual program is tailored to student needs and will vary, depending upon prior coursework and experience.

Program for Students with No Prior Experience or Certifications in Education or Early Childhood might look like the following. A student with prior background may have courses waived.

Year 1, Summer Session 1

EED 655 – Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education (3)
SPE 613 – Developmental Therapy (3) or
PSY 734 – Psychology of Infancy and Childhood (3)

EED 604 – Learning and Learners in Inclusive Classrooms (3)
EED 654 – Math, Science, and Social Studies in Early Childhood (3)

Year 1, Fall

CSD 523 -- Language Development and Disorders (3)
CSD 623 – Language Disorders in Early Childhood (3) or
SPE 520 – Methods and Curricula in Early Childhood Special Education (3) or
SPE 609 – Teaching Children and Adolescents with Autism (3)
SPE 627 – Early Intervention for Children’s Reading Problems (3)
SPE 706 – Seminar in Early Childhood Special Education (3)

Year 1, Spring

MFT 625 – Family Systems and Therapy (3)
SPE 623 – Families of Children with Disabilities (3)
SPE 705 – Psychoeducational Evaluation Seminar/Early Child (6)

Year 2, Summer Session

EDU 508 – Student Teaching in ECSE (6)
SPE 633 – The High Risk Infant (3)

SPE 653 – Positive Approaches to Managing Challenging Classroom Behavior (3)

Year 2, Fall

CFS 667 – Children and Families in Cross Cultural Perspectives (3)
EDU 508 – Student Teaching in Regular Early Childhood (6)
[Half-time/ 8 weeks in regular kindergarten; full-time/5 weeks in Grades 1 or 2]

For students at Syracuse University who are admitted to the graduate program in ECSE and who continue their coursework immediately following graduation, there are special opportunities for tuition scholarships. For further information, please inquire about these opportunities from Dr. Gail Ensher, Coordinator of the ECSE program.

How Do I Apply?

To obtain an application for graduate study in the School of Education, please visit our website http://soeweb.syr.edu. There you will find a link to the online version of the application. A copy of the application also can be obtained by contacting the School of Education Graduate Admissions Recruiter at 315-443-2505 or by email at gradcrt@gwmail.syr.edu.

All application materials, upon completion, should be sent to the Graduate Enrollment Management Center (GEMC), Syracuse University, 303 Bowne Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244-1200. You can get in touch with the GEMC by calling 315-443-4492 or by email at grad@glmail.syr.edu.

You should submit two official copies of all previous college or university transcripts, along with your application to the GEMC. On the application form, indicate your interest in the Early Childhood Special Education Master’s Degree Program and any interest in funding support such as a graduate assistantship. Applications are accepted throughout the academic year, as well as in the summer.

Official GRE scores should be submitted directly to the GEMC. The GRE general examination is required, only if your undergraduate grade point average was below a 3.0 (a B average). For further clarification regarding this requirement, please speak with the Program Coordinator.

Along with the completed application and GRE scores, you also must submit three letters of recommendation. These letters should come from professors at institutions or administrators who are familiar with your professional experience and/or your work with children.

Finally, all applicants must complete a Supplementary Information Form available from the ECSE Program. This additional form should be completed and returned to Dr. Gail Ensher, Coordinator, ECSE Program, Teaching and Leadership, Syracuse University, 155 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244-2340. If you would like to make an appointment with Dr. Ensher, please call 315-443-9659 (her secretary, Helen Anderson) or 315-443-9650.