Graduate Program in Teacher Education
(845) 848-4084,4090 or fax:(845) 359-7802
Dominican College offers five programs of study leading to the Master of Science degree (M.S. Ed.) and to eligibility for New York State certification: single certification as (CE) Teacher of Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) or (SWD)Teacher of Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6) (including additional annotation/extension for severe and multiple disabilities), (CE/SWD) dual certification as Teacher of Childhood Education/Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6), (TVI)Teacher of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired (Pre-K to Grade 12), and (ETS) Educational Technology Specialist (Pre-K-Grade 12) . Graduates of the program who hold certification in additional areas such as Early Childhood,Childhood, Middle Childhood, or Adolescence (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Math, Physics, Social Studies or World Languages) are also eligible to apply for their professional certification in those areas. Additionally, the EdMedia program, a second track to the Educational Technology Specialist program and culminating in a Master of Science degree, prepares those without prior certification to work in the media industry as an instructional designer.
Each of these programs provides a master's level curriculum to prepare teachers with the knowledge, skills, and professional ethics/attitudes to work with learners in the general education classroom or with learners who have various special educational and/or health-related needs, including severe cognitive, emotional, visual, auditory, and physical impairments, and who may be medically fragile as well. In doing so, these programs address an increasing need in society and, more specifically, in schools and agencies which require personnel adequately trained to work with growing populations of special needs students. Most courses require a minimum 8-10 hour field component or laboratory experience, and all graduate programs require a (3) three-credit Research in Education course.
All five graduate education programs are offered through the quarter schedule; 2 courses are offered each quarter. There are five weekends per quarter, meeting every other weekend. Programs in Childhood Education and the dual Childhood Education/Students with Disabilities have extended quarters in the second year of the program where students engage in student teaching Monday through Friday, attend student teaching seminar and conduct research . As presently structured, the single certification programs in Childhood Education, Educational Technology and Students with Disabilities are completed in 1 1/2 years , the Teacher of the Blind/Visually Impaired program in 7 quarters and the dual certification program in Teachers of Childhood Education/Students with Disabilities in two years. All programs meet during the summer; however, the TVI program is offered through a hybrid-online model, minimizing time on campus while the SWD program incorporates the hybrid-online model for several courses which are delineated in their course descriptions. Access to an off-campus computer/internet and possession of an external storage source (hard drive, thumb drive, etc.) are requirements for all programs as all courses have Blackboard components.
Graduate faculty supervise both student teaching and field work, and students work with experienced, certified cooperating teachers. In programs that require prior certification and student teaching, in-service teachers, if they are working with the appropriate population, can complete student teaching in their own classrooms with the Program Director's permission. Those courses of study that culminate with a student teaching experience meet on a regular basis for seminar. Seminar is viewed as integrative in nature, meshing theory with practical application. Depending on the program, the seminar is delivered on campus or online.
Students in the Childhood Education program take 27 credits in studies directly related to teaching students in grades 1-6, as per New York State certification requirements, and six (6) credits in supervised student teaching/integrative seminar. Knowledge and skills gained from course work and student teaching lead to eligibility for certification as a teacher of Childhood Education. Students must meet State Education Department pre-requisite requirements in liberal arts and content.
Students in the Teacher of Students with Disabilities program take 30-33 credits in studies directly related to teaching students with disabilities, including those with severe or multiple disabilities, and six credits of supervised student teaching/seminars. Knowledge and skills gained from program course work and student teaching lead to eligibility for certification as both a teacher of Students with Disabilities as well as a special New York State annotation in severe and multiple disabilities which extends eligibility to teach beyond the traditional Students with Disabilities certification area.
Students in the Teacher of Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired program take 21 credits in academic studies directly related to teaching students who are blind or visually impaired, a (3) three-credit supervised student teaching/seminar experience, and additional course work related to health, behavioral, and other disability concerns. Knowledge and skills gained from course work and student teaching lead to eligibility for certification as a teacher of the blind and visually impaired.
Students in the Dual Childhood Education/Students with Disabilities program take 39 credits in academic studies directly related to teaching students in general and special education settings, as per New York State certification requirements, and six (6) credits of supervised student teaching/integrative seminar. Knowledge and skills gained from course work and student teaching lead to eligibility for dual certification as a teacher of Childhood Education and Students with Disabilities. Students must meet State Education Department pre-requisite requirements in liberal arts and content.
Students in the EdMedia/Educational Technology program complete 36 credits in academic studies and internships directly related to providing teachers in general and special education—early childhood through adolescence education—with cutting edge technological resources to design and create multi-media instructional materials for the classroom and to enable them to support other teachers as a computer coordinator or professional developer. Knowledge and skills gained from course work and internships lead to eligibility for initial certification as a teacher of Instructional Technology. Because the Ed Media/Educational Technology program has two tracks, students who do not possess prior certification may pursue the Master of Science degree to prepare for their career as instructional designers. Instructional designers create documentaries, develop educational websites or support/train teachers in the use of video, web, and graphic design. Instructional designers are also hired by businesses and by television/ movie studios who seek to enhance their broadcast or video productions.
