Program Overview:
The Adolescence Special Education Preparation for Inclusive and Reflective Educators (ASPIRE) program is a five-year dual degree program leading to secondary education teaching roles in general education and special education. Candidates will be eligible for Adolescence Special Education Generalist certification and their Adolescence Education certification in one of the following areas: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, or Spanish. For details regarding these areas, please refer to these majors in the Undergraduate Catalog.
Guidelines developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) were utilized in the development of this program. The Special Education/Adolescence Education program provides pre-service teachers with integrated course content across the disciplines of special education, adolescence education, adolescent development, literacy, educational psychology, and instructional technology. The program prepares future educators to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of a diverse student population, collaborate with colleagues, and exhibit leadership in their professional endeavors. The program is delivered by experienced faculty and supervisors who focus on the elements of diversity, instructional planning, differentiation of instruction, reflective practice, technology, research-supported practices, and collaboration. This program requires a minimum of 63 credits of study, includes a full semester of student teaching, and involves the College-wide Liberal Education program with specific expanded course work to meet certification requirements. See the catalog description on Liberal Education requirements for additional details. The majority of the major and the academic concentration must be completed at The College of Saint Rose. Certification exam information and fingerprinting information/processing is available at the New York State Department of Education “TEACH” website http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach.
Program Contacts:
Susan DeLuke, Department of Literacy and Special Education
Frances Ihle, Department of Literacy and Special Education
Ed Pieper, Department of Literacy and Special Education
Department chair within the disciplines of study
Program Webpage:
www.strose.edu/teach
Program Requirements:
Requirement for Advancement in Dual Degree
Admission into the College does not ensure good standing in the Adolescence Education/Special Education (ASPIRE) Program, nor does good standing in this program ensure admission to student teaching. In order to maintain good standing through all stages of the Adolescence Education/Special Education program, students are required to maintain the following academic standards: 3.0 index in the education major, 3.0 index in the academic major and 2.8 overall GPA. Education courses must meet the minimum grade of C+ or higher at the undergraduate level and B or higher at the graduate level to apply to the degree. An education major course cannot be repeated more than one time with no more than 3 total education courses repeated during the 5 years of program completion. An F in any graduate education course can result in dismissal from the ASPIRE program. If a student falls below the 3.0 mark in their content major or education major, he or she must meet with the academic advisors in the academic major and School of Education to determine if continuation in the 5-year ASPIRE program is possible.
Students must apply for student teaching in accordance with program guidelines. This includes satisfactory completion of all major courses in their academic major and the education major with the exception of SED 590, SIE 580, SIE 582, and SIE 584. No additional courses beyond SED 590, SIE 580, SIE 582, and SIE 584 should be taken during the student teaching semester.
Required Courses for Major in Content Area of Study Adolescence Education
(See individual major for credits and course listings)
Required Courses for Adolescence Education/Special Education Degree (66 credits)
Undergraduate Courses
Graduate Courses
| LRC 521 | Advanced Literacy Improvement Grades 7-12 | 3 |
| LRC 528 | Reading and Writing for Adolescents with Disabilities | 3 |
| SEC 515 | Curriculum and Instruction (Discipline-Specific) | 3 |
| SEC 520 | Content Methods for Teaching English in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SED 506 | Issues and Research in Special Education | 3 |
| SED 567 | Advanced Theories and Practices in Teaching Children and Youth with Behavioral and Emotional Challenges | 3 |
| SED 590 | Research Seminar in Special Education | 3 |
| SIE 566 | Assessment for Content Instruction & Students w/ Disabilities | 3 |
| SIE 585 | Instructional Practices for Diverse Learners: Eng/LangArts/SS | 3 |
| SIE 586 | Instructional Practices for Diverse Learners: Math/Sci/Tech | 3 |
| SIE 580 | On-site Professional Experience Adolescent Education | 6 |
| SIE 582 | On-Site Professional Experience Seminar | 2 |
| SIE 584 | Portfolio in Adolescent & Special Education | 1 |
* See graduate catalog for course descriptions
Internship/Field Experiences/Service:
Candidates complete two seven week student teaching experiences, one at the grades 7-9 level and another at the grades 10-12 level. One placement is in special education, and the other in general education.
Culminating Academic Experiences:
The candidate will complete a Professional Portfolio to reflect growth as he or she progresses through the program, leading to initial teacher certification. Candidates are guided during each phase of the process beginning with early curriculum courses and culminating in the final capstone experience.
Professional Accreditation
The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.
The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.msche.org/.
Programs offered by The College of Saint Rose for the preparation of all school professionals, leading to initial and advanced certifications, are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.ncate.org/.
Career Opportunities and Graduate Studies:
- Special Education co-teacher in a content area classroom
- Special Education resource/consultant teacher
- Special Education teacher in a self-contained classroom
- Grades 7-12 content major teacher in one of following areas:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- English
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
- Spanish
Minor(s):
Complete minors listing
Program Specific Admission Requirements:
Students who are accepted into the combined, dual degree program do not receive a bachelor’s degree when undergraduate coursework is complete; rather, both the bachelor and master’s degrees are awarded when all graduate requirements are completed. Students who are accepted into the dual degree program as undergraduates, and who meet all requirements for advancement, are guaranteed acceptance into the graduate program.
Admissions and Financial Aid Information:
The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of Freshman applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete an application as early as November. The Admissions Team will return a decision on complete applications within just three weeks. The College awards academic scholarships at the same time.
What Makes an Application Complete
- Online or Paper application (fee waived for online applicants!)
- Official High School Transcripts
- Official Transcripts for any College Level Courses
- SAT or ACT scores (See Test Optional FAQ's)
- Letter of Recommendation from a Counselor or Teacher
- Essay or Graded Paper
- Applicants may also apply via the Common Application Online.
- Art applicants are required to complete a portfolio review.
Admissions contact information (telephone number, admissions web pages)
Scholarships and Financial Aid
See Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid section for more information.
The Bottom Line
The total cost of The College of Saint Rose (including tuition, fees, room and board) is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast, and we still award more than $25 million in Saint Rose scholarships, grants and financial aid.
Take a look at our bottom line, and view a cost comparison with a four-year public institution.
More about Financial Aid
Financial Aid is defined as any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity given with the express purpose of assisting you with education-related expenses to make you education affordable. Financial Aid is awarded on the basis of student need and the availability of funds.
The Admission and Financial Aid teams have designed a Guide to Scholarships and Financial Aid to help prospective students and families get to the bottom line and find that The College of Saint Rose is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast--while maintaining powerful academic opportunities.
Find Out More: