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. In addition to the Biology Adolescence Education certification, candidates will be eligible for Adolescence Special Education Generalist certification.
Guidelines developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) were utilized in the development of this program. The ASPIRE 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 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:
Dr. Susan DeLuke
Literacy & Special Education Department Chair
Email: delukes@strose.edu
Dr. Frances Ihle
Literacy & Special Education Department
Email: ihlef@strose.edu
Dr. David Morrow
English Department
Email: morrowd@strose.edu
Dr. Edward Pieper
Literacy & Special Education Department
Email: piepere@strose.edu
Program Webpage:
Adolescence Education/Special Education BA/MSED
Program Requirements:
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.
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.
The program requirements are as follows:
| Undergraduate English Coursework |
(46) |
| Undergraduate Adolescence/Special Education Coursework |
(27) |
| College Liberal Education Requirements |
(41) |
| Graduate Adolescence/Special Education Coursework |
(39) |
| Total |
(153) |
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.
Required Course
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.
Required Courses
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/
Admissions and Financial Aid Information:
General Admission Information
Eligibility for admission to The College of Saint Rose graduate programs is typically based upon the following minimum requirements:
- Submission of a completed application and a Statement of Purpose of approximately 300 words detailing the applicant’s goals for graduate study.
- Evidence of the possession of a U.S. baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an accredited institution through submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary education.
- Academic and professional qualifications for graduate study, as indicated by two letters of recommendation. The Communication Sciences & Disorders program requires three letters of recommendation.
- A grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), overall and in the undergraduate major.
- Other admission criteria specified by academic programs such as submission of resumes, writing samples, portfolios, test scores, and participation in interviews or admissions workshops.
Applicants to The College of Saint Rose are responsible for completing their applications by submitting all required components. Prospective students may wish to visit our website at www.strose.edu/gradapply for online application.
See Graduate Admissions section for more information.
Financial Aid
The College of Saint Rose has long been committed to the premise that a quality education should be within the reach of qualified students. To this end, the College serves its student body through a comprehensive program of federal, state, and institutional financial aid. While the basic responsibility for financing education lies with the students and their families, scholarships, loans, and/or assistantships can supplement insufficient family resources. The amount of aid available through the College is limited and is awarded on the basis of academic merit. All financial assistance from the College is subject to adjustment if the recipients are later granted aid from other sources. Financial aid awards are contingent upon students’ maintaining good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress.
See Financial Aid section for more information.
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