Elementary and Special Education (B.S.E.)/Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.)

Jubilee Hall
CHDCM@shu.edu
shu.edu/academics/bse-ms-elementary-special-ed-speech-language-pathology

Program Code: EC_DVSL_BSE
Program Director: Grace May, Ph.D.

Candidates must carefully review the Department of Educational Studies overview section of the Undergraduate and/or Graduate Catalogue(s) for important requirements related to educator preparation programs.  Supplemental details and requirements for each area are listed in this section.

This is a six year (4+2) dual degree program leading to a a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.E.) and Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology.  The undergraduate program, upon completion of academic and clinical work, leads to eligibility for certification as an Elementary School Teacher with an endorsement as Teacher of Students with Disabilities.  Both the undergraduate and graduate programs reflect state and national standards which inform entrance and exit requirements, curriculum, and clinical experiences.

The undergraduate program consists of:

• A major in Elementary and Special Education along with the integrated school-based clinical experiences;
• A second major or minimum designated credits in an applicable liberal arts and sciences field;
• A concentration in six (6) courses (18 credits) of speech-language pathology pre-professional courses.  The six (6) courses are required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) for entrance into graduate study.  Students must carefully plan course schedules in consultation with an advisor, particularly as some pre-professional courses are exclusively offered in the Summer semester.
• The minimum number of credits for the undergraduate program is 139-142, inclusive of the six (6) courses in speech language pathology.  Credit requirements for the second major or minimum designated credits in the liberal arts inform the final number of required credits.
• Successful completion of the Education curriculum, exam(s), and clinical experience requirements leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.E.) and eligibility for certification as a teacher, in specified areas, in New Jersey.
• Completion of the designated curriculum and clinical requirements are mandatory to be eligible for the B.S.E. degree.

Clinical Experiences

All candidates are required to complete three pre-clinical experiences in school-based settings during their sophomore and junior years.  The pre-clinical experiences are 60 hours across 10-12 weeks and take place in a K-2, 3-5, and special education setting.  Each internship is supervised by a trained representative from the Department and/or College.

The culminating senior clinical practice requires a passing score on applicable Praxis exam(s) and is two semesters in length: one semester of 175 hours (2 days per week) and a second semester of five-days-a-week, full-time teaching. In addition, candidates are required to complete and pass the Clinical Practice Performance Assessment as part of their senior seminar and certification requirement.  Supervision at this level consists of a minimum of ten (10) visits across the two semesters.

Candidates must complete the following range of placements to be recommended for the two certifications: general education classroom; diverse; and one special education classroom (such as a resource room or a private school setting).

Note: There are no speech clinical experiences during the undergraduate program.  The initial focus is the development of content knowledge and skills to earn an instructional certificate.  Speech placements begin in the first year of graduate study.

Eligibility for Certification and Endorsement

Upon successful completion of the program and all related requirements, candidates are eligible for nomination to the New Jersey Department of Education for the Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS). A passing score on all appropriate Praxis examination(s) is also required for the CEAS.  Under current New Jersey regulations, the candidate must then successfully serve as a provisionally-endorsed teacher for two years before the State will grant a permanent certificate.

The mixture of clinical experiences and Praxis exams in the Integrated Elementary and Special Education program can lead to certification as an Elementary Classroom Teacher with a Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement.

Note: The Teacher of Students with Disabilities Endorsement requires the CEAS certification.  Although there are reciprocal certification agreements among many states, these are subject to change. Candidates from states other than New Jersey must check with their state’s Department of Education for specific requirements.

Liberal Arts Major or Minimum Designated Credits in the Liberal Arts

Every student in the Elementary Education-related programs must confirm with their advisor and complete either: (1) a second major from the liberal arts (as defined by the NJ Department of Education); or (2) through advisement, a designated minimum of 60 credits in the liberal arts that will lead to a minor and/or potential additional certification and/or endorsement.

Other areas of study such as communication, theatre, psychology, social and behavioral sciences, sociology, and others may be considered, however, these may not directly lead to further certification and/or endorsement.  The content, however, may be helpful to aspiring educators working with elementary and special education.

Important Details Regarding the Speech-Language Pathology Component

Students in the dual 4+2 program are offered automatic admission into the Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology program when several requirements are maintained.

Note: Students must complete all of their major requirements, general education requirements, speech-language pathology prerequisites, and any other undergraduate requirements as an undergraduate before entering the graduate professional phase of the program.

• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2, earn a grade of 'B' or better in each of the six GMSL courses, and earn a 'C' or better in the five (5) courses required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), including English, statistics, biology, physical science, and a social behavior science.  GPA requirements are exact and will not be rounded to determine eligibility.
• If a student's cumulative GPA is below a 3.2, automatic admission to the M.S. Speech-Language Pathology is revoked.  Students may not retake courses to increase a GPA nor appeal for automatic admission.  Students may, however, continue to pursue the pre-professional speech courses and apply via general admission to the M.S. program, including submission of all required application materials.
• Students may repeat one of the six (6) GMSL speech courses if a grade of 'B' is not earned during the first attempt.  This option may only be exercised once if the student simultaneously obtains the required 3.2 cumulative GPA for the semester that they received the less than 'B' grade.  A second grade of 'B-' or below in any of the speech language pathology preparatory courses results in a loss of automatic admission which cannot be appealed.
• Prospective transfer student (within the University and external) requirements for the 4+2 program include:
  • Achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher and completion of no more than 85 credits
  • Meeting with an academic advisor from the Department of Educational Studies for a transcript review to determine applicability of completed coursework to current requirements
  • If any of the five (5) courses (i.e., English, statistics, biology, physical science, and social and behavior science) were completed prior to matriculation in the 4+2 program, a grade of 'C' or higher is required.  The six (6) GMSL speech courses are required to be taken at the University with no option for transfer credit.

The B.S.E. Elementary/Special Education major requires five (5) components, including:

• University Core
• B.S.E. Elementary Core
• Elementary Professional Sequence
• Clinical Experiences
• Liberal Arts Requirement

The M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology portion of the dual degree includes supplemental requirements. https://www.shu.edu/academics/ms-speech-language-pathology.html

University Core

Reference the University Core Curriculum entry for specific requirements.

B.S.E. Elementary Core

Reference the CHDCM B.S.E. Core Curriculum entry for specific requirements.

Elementary Professional Sequence

Clinical Experiences 

Liberal Arts Requirement

Required liberal arts major or minimum designated credits in the liberal arts as approved by an advisor.  

Plan of Study

Requirements for the program are outlined in the "Requirements" tab of this Catalogue.  This Planner tab offers a sample semester-by-semester model schedule which accounts for the Professional and General Education Core requirements and historical course availability.  For timely completion of the program, students must routinely meet with their assigned academic adviser to carefully plan their schedule based on available courses.