Elementary and Special Education Major (B.S.E.)
Elementary Education and Special Education Programs
Faculty: Cicero; Connors; Hindin (Co-Director); May; McFadden; Mueller (Co-Director); Zinicola
There are three programs of study to choose from within this area:
- Integrated Elementary and Special Education
- Integrated Elementary (ESED) and Special Education with a concentration in Speech-Language Pathology
This is a six year (4+2) dual degree program* leading to a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (major code DVSL). The undergraduate program consists of:
- a major from the College of Arts and Sciences;
- a dual certification in elementary and special education; and
- a concentration in 18 credits of speech-language pathology courses.
Students in this program are offered automatic admission into the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program if the following requirements are met. Note that students must complete all of their major requirements, general education requirements, speech-language pathology prerequisites, and any other undergraduate requirements in their four years as an undergraduate before entering the graduate professional phase of the program.
- Students must maintain a cumulative and semester by semester GPA of 3.2, as well as earn a grade of B or better in each GMSL course. GPA requirements are exact and will not be rounded to determine eligibility.
- A student will be allowed a total of only one repeat of any of the six GMSL undergraduate courses if a grade of B is not obtained during the first attempt. However, this option may only be exercised if the student simultaneously obtains the required 3.2 per semester 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 regained. Upon loss of automatic admission, the student’s major code will be automatically switched from DVSL to DVSN.
- The five Arts and Sciences courses required by the council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology and Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (English, statistics, biology, physical science, and social behavioral science) must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
- The semester GPA requirement will not be applied to the overall Seton Hall summer coursework if a student takes less than 12 credits. However, the cumulative GPA cannot drop below 3.2 at any time.
- If a student’s cumulative GPA and/or semester GPA falls below 3.2, automatic admission to the graduate Speech-Language Pathology program is lost. The student cannot retake courses to increase their GPA (includes both GMSL and/or non-GMSL courses) and regain admission into the program. Upon loss of automatic admission, the student’s major code will be automatically switched from DVSL to DVSN. Any student losing automatic admission to the graduate Speech-Language Pathology program is welcome to apply as part of the general applicant pool. Note, however, that additional requirements may apply. Those applying as part of the general applicant pool are advised to check the Seton Hall University Speech-Language Pathology website for details.
- If an ESED student’s GPA falls below a 3.0, he or she is considered “on probation” from the ESED program and may not take additional education classes or continue fieldwork. If the student’s GPA remains below a 3.0 for another consecutive semester, he or she is dismissed from the ESED program. Those who are on probation or who are dismissed may be readmitted and permitted to take education classes if they raise the GPA to 3.0 or higher. Re-admittance into the ESED program can occur only one time. Failure to maintain the 3.0 a second time will lead to permanent dismissal from the ESED program.
- BSE/MA in Special Education with Applied Behavior Analysis
This is a five-year program leading to a Master of Arts in Special Education with graduate coursework qualifying the candidate to sit for the examination to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® after completing supervised experience hours (completed independent of the degree program). The ABA portion of the program is a verified course sequence by the Association for Behavior Analysis International. The undergraduate program consists of:
- a major from the College of Arts and Sciences;
- a dual certification in elementary and special education; and
- advanced enrollment in graduate level ABA and special education courses starting in the summer following junior year.
Students in this program are offered automatic admission into the Master of Arts in Special Education with concentration in ABA if the following criteria are met:
- Admission into the program prior to the completion of Spring of Junior year
- Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.3 annually from admission into the program
- Grade of B- or better in each ABA course. One retake may be awarded for course grades lower than B-. Courses will not count and students will be dropped from the program if less than a B- is obtained upon retake.
- Acceptable professional writing sample
- Successful interview with ABA Program Director and/or faculty
All programs of study require candidates to:
- select a full major from the College of Arts and Sciences;
- complete a general education sequence consisting of courses outside of professional education; and
- complete an education major. Candidates must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to remain in a teacher preparation program; coursework and fieldwork in education cannot occur if the GPA falls below 3.0.
Candidates in the combined 4+2 program must maintain a cumulative and semester GPA of 3.2 or higher each semester and earn a B or better in each of their graduate speech courses, to maintain the guaranteed admission to the graduate program. Candidates seeking to transfer into the 4+2 program must not have completed more than 67 credits, and require an interview with the faculty in education and/or speech-language pathology.
The College of Education and Human Services may set standards higher than state regulations related to teacher certification while always adhering to minimum state standards. Any changes in state certification requirements must be followed by the College of Education and Human Services and apply to all candidates.
The minimum number of credits to graduate, for either program listed above, is 120. Credit requirements of the full major from the College of Arts and Sciences may require the candidate to exceed this minimum. Candidates in the 4+2 program, because of the speech concentration, complete the undergraduate degree with a minimum of 141 credits.
The professional education sequence for these programs leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education and eligibility for endorsement as a teacher, in specified areas, in the State of New Jersey. The sequence of the curriculum of this program is based upon the standards of the state and several national professional associations:
- the Association for Childhood Education International;
- the Council for Exceptional Children; and
- the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC).
As such, the programs offer a high-quality education that reflects best teaching practices as defined by the leading practitioners and researchers in the fields.
Pre-clinical internships are required for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Candidates are required to complete three field pre-clinical internships, connected to specific professional education courses, prior to their senior clinical internship. The pre-clinical internships range from 60 to 72 hours across 8 weeks in a field setting. Each internship is supervised by a trained representative from the college. The senior clinical internship requires an entire semester of full- time teaching along with the completion of a Teacher Work Sample through the senior seminar. Supervision at this level occurs at a minimum of eight times throughout the semester. Candidates are responsible for their own transportation to the field internships pre-clinical internships and senior clinical internship experience. Please review the general school requirements for the college on the prior page to see procedures and deadlines for applying for the senior experience.
Field Experience and Its Connection to Certification
The mixture of field placements and Praxis exams in the Integrated Elementary and Special Education program can lead to three possible certificates:
Elementary Certification, Special Education Certification.
Candidates must complete the following range of placements to achieve all three certificates: general education classroom; inclusive classroom; and one special education classroom (such as a resource room or a private school classroom).
The mixture of field placements and Praxis exam in the Secondary/Special Education program can lead to two certificates:
Content area certification and Special Education Certification.
Candidates must complete the following range of both placements to achieve both certificates: general education classroom in the content area; inclusive classroom in the content area, and a special education classroom (such as a resource room or a private school classroom) with a focus on the content area.
Eligibility for Endorsement
Upon completion of the undergraduate education program, candidates are eligible for recommendation to the State of New Jersey for the Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) within their field of study. A passing score on the appropriate Praxis examination 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.
Although there are reciprocal certification agreements among many states, these are subject to change. Candidates from states other than New Jersey should check with their state’s Department of Education for specific requirements.
Liberal Arts Major
Every education major must complete a full major from Arts and Sciences. Social Work is not an option for a co-major with education. This major must be a minimum of 36 credits. Teaching majors, as defined by the New Jersey Department of Education, are English, math, history, science (biology and environmental studies), world languages, and fine arts. Other majors such as psychology, social and behavioral sciences, sociology, communications and others may be taken in the College of Communication and the Arts. However, these types of majors are not considered to be teaching majors and elementary teachers who have chosen these majors may not teach beyond 6th grade.
Liberal Arts Core
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Arts and Sciences and University Core | ||
| CORE 1001 | University Life | 1 |
| CORE 1101 | Journey of Transformation * | 3 |
| CORE 2101 | Christianity and Cult in Dial. ** | 3 |
| CORE 3XXX: Engaging the World | 3 | |
| ENGL 1201 & ENGL 1202 | Core English I and Core English II | 6 |
| Literature Course | 3 | |
| MATH 1151 & MATH 1161 | Math for Elem Educators I and Math for Elem Educators II *** | 6 |
| Science | ||
| BIOL 1101 | Introduction to Biology | 3-4 |
| or BIOL 1104 | Biology in the World Around Us | |
| History | ||
| Recommended: | ||
| HIST 1301 | American History I | 3 |
| or HIST 1302 | American History II | |
| Select a 2nd Science or History course | 3 | |
| AART 3410 | 3 | |
| EDST 3700 | Integrating Curriculum and Technology | 3 |
| Total Hours | 40-41 | |
- *
Generally taken in the Fall semester of the first year.
- **
Generally taken in the Spring semester of the second year.
- ***
Students majoring in DVSL, PSYC, SOCI, SOBS, ENST science, also take MATH 1203 Stats Models for Soc Science.
Professional Education
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| EDST 1001 | Introduction to Teaching: The Profession | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| EDST 4000 | Child Development-Curriculum | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| EDST 2001 | Life in the Diverse Classroom | 3 |
| EDST 2004 | Early Literacy - All Children | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| EDST 2005 | Teaching Math-Diverse Classrm | 3 |
| EDST 3005 | Language Arts II - Upper Elementary Years | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| EDST 2006 | Teaching Science-Diverse Clsrm | 3 |
| EDST 3003 | Teaching Soc Studies-Div Clsrm | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| EDST 4001 | Senior Internship | 6 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
General Education Core
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| CPSY 1001 | Diverse Learners - Fam Part I | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSY 1002 | Diverse Learners and Their Families II | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSY 2101 | Learning Disabilities | 3 |
| CPSY 2102 | Autism and Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSY 3103 | Psycho-Educ Diag-Assess Sp Ed | 3 |
| CPSY 3400 | Literacy Numeracy Strategies | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
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