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.
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.
Guidelines developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 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 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. Brian Jensen
Co-Chair, Physical & Biological Sciences Department
Email: jensenb@mail.strose.edu
Dr.Brad Bauer
Co-Chair, Physical & Biological Sciences Department
Email: bauerb@strose.edu
Dr. Frances Ihle
Co-Chair, Literacy and Special Education Department
Email: ihlef@strose.edu
Program Webpage: ASPIRE Program
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, 2.8 index in the academic major and 3.0 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 required GPA requirement in their content major, education major, or overall GPA 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.
Major in Biology: Adolescence Education (57 credits)
Biology Content
SCI 399 is required every semester.
All 4-credit science courses have a required laboratory component.
Required Courses for Adolescence Education/Special Education Degree (66 credits)
Undergraduate Courses
Graduate Courses
| LRC 521 | Adv Literacy Improvmnt G 5-12 | 3 |
| LRC 528 | Read & Write for Adol w/ Disab | 3 |
| SEC 515 | Curr & Instr in Secondary Sch | 3 |
| SEC 523 | Methods Teach Science Sec Sch. | 3 |
| SED 506 | Found/Issues/Resrch in Spec Ed | 3 |
| SED 519 | Inst Prac Divers Learn Eng Soc | 3 |
| | or | |
| SIE 585 | Instruc Div Lrnrs:ENG/SOC ST | 3 |
| SED 530 | Inst Pract Diverse Learn; MST | 3 |
| | or | |
| SIE 586 | Inst Diverse Learn:Mat/Sci/Tec | 3 |
| SED 567 | AdvThry/Prac Tch Childw/EBD | 3 |
| | or | |
| SED 522 | Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3 |
| SED 590 | Res Seminar Sp Ed | 3 |
| SIE 566 | Assess Content Instruc & Indiv | 3 |
| SIE 580 | On-Site Prof Exp Adol Educ | 6 |
| SIE 582 | On-Site Prof Exp Sem:Adol/Sp E | 2 |
| SIE 584 | Portfolio in Adoles & Spec Ed | 1 |
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.
Suggested 5 Year Course Sequence:
This suggested plan is designed to give students an idea of how to balance their coursework over 10 semesters and to graduate within 5 years. It should be used along with your Degree Works worksheet and in consultation with your faculty advisor. It is meant as a guide, not a definitive list of courses that must be taken as written. Your faculty advisor will help you make any necessary adjustments during advisement. Special education generalists (7-12) have responsibility for supporting students in the four core disciplines (i.e., English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies); it is recommended that 6 credits of coursework be taken in each of these content areas.
Year 1
Fall (16 credits)
SEE 100 - 0 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 16 cr
Spring (16 credits)
SIE 146 - 4 cr
SEE 106 - 0 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 12 cr
Year 2
Fall (18 credits)
EPY 243 - 4 cr
EDU 300 - 3 cr
EDU 111 - 0 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 11 cr
Spring (18 credits)
SEE 249 - 4 cr
EPY 370 - 4 cr
EPY 337 - 0 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 10 cr
Year 3
Fall (18 credits)
SIE 360 - 4 cr
EDU 106 - 0 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 14 cr
Spring (18 credits)
SED 506 - 3 cr
SED 567 - 3 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 12 cr
Year 4
Fall (18 credits)
SED 347 - 4 cr
SED 519 - 3 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 11 cr
Spring (18 credits)
SEC 515 - 3 cr
SED 530 - 3 cr
LRC 528 - 3 cr
EDU 102 - 0 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 9 cr
Year 5
Fall (18 credits)
SIE 566 - 3 cr
SEC 520-524 (Content Methods) - 3 cr
LRC 521 - 3 cr
SEE 108 - 0 cr
EDU 103 - 0 cr
Liberal Education or Content Courses - 9 cr
Spring (12 credits)
SED 590 - 3 cr
SIE 580 - 6 cr
SIE 582 - 2 cr
SIE 584 - 1 cr
Grades 5-6 Extension (Optional):
Extensions are not required as part of the Adolescence Education program at Saint Rose. The New York State Education Department offers an extension for grades 5-6 to the teaching certification for Adolescence Education grades 7-12. This extension to teach in grades 5 and 6 is designed to enable students to create developmentally appropriate classroom contexts for learning in the content areas of their certification (Biology, English Language Arts, Mathematics, or Social Studies). An extension will show that the certified adolescence teacher has added expertise in the area of extension. Students must obtain fingerprint clearance prior to beginning field experiences. Adolescence Education students who wish the College to recommend them to the New York State Education Department for the extension must complete all the requirements for Adolescence Education certification and the additional requirements shown below.
Required Courses:
EDU 385 and EDU 386: 15-hour field experience is required
Note: English/Language Arts: Adolescence Education students and Social Studies: Adolescence Education students choose EDU 385; Biology: Adolescence Education and Mathematics: Adolescence Education students choose EDU 386. The prerequisite of EDU 245 for these courses will be satisfied by the prerequisite of SEC 365.
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 Study:
- Grades 7-12 Biology teacher
- Special Education co-teacher in a content area classroom
- Special Education resource/consultant teacher
- Special Education teacher in a self-contained classroom
Admissions and Financial Aid Information:
The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of First-Year applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete application as early as October. 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 all 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.
- Music applicants are required to complete an audition.
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 award more than $34 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 your 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.
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