Special Education (4+1)

We are no longer accepting new students into this program. However, we will maintain our Education minor and also provide teacher course/career advising at the undergraduate level. Learn More about the 4+1 Program.

Special educators are more than teachers – they are passionate advocates

Our Special Education students are constant innovators, dedicated researchers, and promoters of social justice. With a focus on evidence-based best practices, this degree provides the skills and teaching license you need to launch a meaningful career and meet the needs of all students in your classroom.

Through our five-year Accelerated Special Education program, students begin taking graduate courses while completing their undergraduate degree at Simmons. The fifth year of the program includes a full-year student teaching internship and additional graduate courses that lead to conferral of a master's degree and endorsement for initial teaching licensure in Massachusetts for Severe Disabilities (all grades).

With Special Education now identified as a high need teaching area in nearly every US state, our graduates enter the workforce ready to make a lasting impact. As teachers in Massachusetts are required to earn a master's degree, our graduates seamlessly transition into teaching careers with subject matter expertise, exceptional pedagogical preparation, and significant classroom experience.

Teaching licensure in Moderate Disabilities (grades PreK-8 or 5-12) or Severe Disabilities (all grades) is available to Simmons undergraduate students through our 4+1 (five-year) Accelerated Special Education programs. Students wishing to pursue teaching licensure in Moderate Disabilities or Severe Disabilities through the Accelerated Special Education programs complete at least four graduate-level education courses during their four years of undergraduate study. Candidates apply during their junior year for admission to the Master of Science in Education program and complete their remaining graduate coursework and master's degree requirements during their fifth year at Simmons.

Students who plan to enroll in a 4+1 Special Education program may choose to pursue any undergraduate major, but should seek advising to ensure that their chosen major allows for completion of significant subject matter coursework to prepare for the curriculum they will be required to teach, as well as to prepare for the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTELs), which are required for teaching licensure. Students should plan their majors, college requirements, and subject matter courses in consultation with an advisor. Areas of undergraduate study that 4+1 students may wish to consider to enhance their preparation include Biology, English, History, Mathematics, Psychology, and the Joint Social Studies/Education major.

In order to be eligible for admission at the graduate level, aspiring 4+1 students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the undergraduate level, and should have achieved passing scores on the Communication & Literacy MTELs.

Students in the 4+1 program must complete a minimum of 128 credits to complete their bachelor's degree. An additional 46-48 graduate credits are required to earn the master's degree in Special Education; students will complete at least 16 of their graduate credits during their four years of undergraduate study.

Upon completion of the graduate program, students are endorsed by Simmons for an initial Moderate Disabilities or Severe Disabilities license in Massachusetts.

The following courses are required at the undergraduate level for all 4+1 Special Education students. This coursework meets the requirements for the Special Education minor. All courses require fieldwork.

Education Coursework

(24 credits total; four credits per course, unless otherwise noted)

EDUC 156 Schools in an Era of Change
SPND 350 Independent Study
RDG 410 Multisensory Structured Language Strategies for Reading
SPND 422 Differentiating Educational Strategies Using Technology Across the Curriculum
SPND 444 Special Education Law (2 credits)
SPND 445 IEP Development (2 credits)
SPND 446 Learners with Special Needs

Students will be evaluated for writing competence at the conclusion of EDUC 156. Students who have not demonstrated strong academic and literacy skills may be offered other options and will work closely with their advisors to find a match for their child-related interests in a non-licensed field.

Subject Matter Coursework*

(48 credits)

*Students seeking licensure in Moderate Disabilities (grades PreK-8) or Severe Disabilities (all grades) must complete the subject matter courses listed below to prepare for the General Curriculum MTEL (Multi-subject and Math subtests). Students seeking licensure in Moderate Disabilities (grades 5-12) are not required to take these specific subject matter courses, but are strongly encouraged to select a major that will prepare them to pass an approved secondary subject matter MTEL (eg. English, History, Math). Students should plan their liberal arts majors, college requirements, and courses to fulfill particular subject requirements with their education advisers.

English

One course in World literature or American literature
CHL 313 Survey of Literature for Children and Young Adults

Mathematics

MATH 115 Number Systems and Algebra for Elementary School Teachers
MATH 116 Geometry and Data Analysis for Elementary School Teachers

History and Social Studies

HIST 100 World Civilizations I: Pre-Modern Societies
HIST 101 World Civilizations II: Colonialism and Post-Colonialism
HIST 140 History of American Civilization I
POLS 101 Introduction to American Politics

Science and Technology Engineering

*BIOL/PHYS 103 Great Discoveries in Science or *BIOL 113 General Biology
PHYS 105 Science and Technology in the Everyday World: The Way Things Work

Child Development

*PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychological Science
*PSYC 235 Developmental Psychology
*PSYC 236 Psychology of Adolescence

Art/Music

One course chosen with advisor

*Recommended

A total of 48 graduate credits are required to earn the Master of Science in Education: Moderate Disabilities (grades PreK-8 or 5-12) degree. Students will work closely with an academic advisor to plan which courses may be completed at the undergraduate level and which will be taken during their fifth year, which begins during the summer semester immediately following completion of their undergraduate program. Most graduate education courses require fieldwork.

Required Courses

(48 credits total; four credits per course, unless otherwise noted)

GEDUC 460: Inclusive Lesson Planning (2 credits)
GEDUC 445: Educational Psychology
GEDUC 461: Social Studies & Science Methods
GEDUC 464: Reading Methods
GEDUC 467: Math Methods
SPND 420: Differentiating Instruction Using Technology Across the Curriculum (2 credits)
SPND 436: Formal and Informal Assessment
SPND 441: Creating the Caring Classroom Community
SPND 444: Special Education Law (2 credits)
SPND 445: Individualized Education Program (2 credits)
SPND 446: Learners with Special Needs
TESL 417: Sheltered English Instruction
SPND 487: Seminar (2 credits)
SPND 438 or 439: Practicum
SPND 488: Seminar (2 credits)

A total of 46 graduate credits are required to earn the Master of Science in Education: Severe Disabilities (all grades) degree. Students will work closely with an academic advisor to plan which courses may be completed at the undergraduate level and which will be taken during their fifth year, which begins during the summer semester immediately following completion of their undergraduate program. Most graduate education courses require fieldwork.

Required Courses

(46 credits total; four credits per course, unless otherwise noted)

GEDUC 430: Inclusive Lesson Planning (2 credits)
GEDUC 467: Math Methods
RDG 410: Multisensory Structured Language Strategies for Reading
SPND 420: Differentiating Instruction Using Technology Across the Curriculum (2 credits)
SPND 442: Analysis of Behavior: Principles and Classroom Applications
SPND 444: Special Education Law (2 credits)
SPND 445: Individualized Education Program (2 credits)
SPND 446: Learners with Special Needs
SPND 447: Assessment and Curriculum Modification and Development for Learners with Severe Disabilities
SPND 448: Foundations of Transition (2 credits)
TESL 417: Sheltered English Instruction
SPND 467: Pre-Practicum: Severe
SPND 487: Pre-Practicum Seminar (2 credits)
SPND 468: Practicum
SPND 488: Seminar (2 credits)

The practicum provides students in the MSEd in Special Education programs with an in-depth learning experience under the guidance of skilled cooperating practitioners and University supervisors. In addition, it allows students the opportunity to collaborate with special education and general education instructors, enabling them to meet the standards under the state regulations for an initial teaching license in Massachusetts. This experience involves practicum students in all areas of the Massachusetts Curriculum.

All students are assigned to a yearlong, full-time teaching practicum in a school setting. This extensive classroom experience allows students to develop the skills, competencies, and confidence for successful teaching, including strategies for inclusion, behavior management, social skill instruction, and modifying classroom instruction. Students also benefit from the supervision and mentorship of experienced practitioners and field supervisors — many of whom are Simmons alumni. In many cases, we have been able to assist student interns in securing paid internships or paraprofessional positions in the school or district where they complete their practicum hours.

We place students in a wide variety of schools and communities, including public school districts, charter schools, private institutions, and educational collaboratives, including:

Academy of the Pacific Rim	Lighthouse School
ACCEPT Collaborative	Lexington Public Schools
Andover Public Schools	Malden Public Schools
Boston Public Schools	MATCH Charter School
Brookline Public Schools	Newton Public Schools
Cambridge Public Schools	Prospect Hill Academy
Carter Development Center	Quincy Public Schools
The Cotting School	SEEM Collaborative
Crossroads School	Somerville Public Schools
City on a Hill Charter School	Wellesley Public Schools
Innovation Academy	Weston Public Schools

Students in MSEd programs in Special Education who plan to pursue teaching licensure in Massachusetts must pass all applicable sections of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) as designated by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education:

Moderate Disabilities (grades PreK-8)

Communication and Literacy Skills (Reading and Writing subtests)
General Curriculum (Multi-Subject and Math subtests)
Foundations of Reading

Moderate Disabilities (grades 5-12)

Communication and Literacy Skills (Reading and Writing subtests)
General Curriculum (Multi-Subject and Math subtests) OR an approved subject matter test at the 5-8 or 8-12 grade level
Foundations of Reading

Severe Disabilities (all grades)

Communication and Literacy Skills (Reading and Writing subtests)
General Curriculum (Multi-Subject and Math subtests)

With several overlapping requirements, students may choose to complete a Special Education undergraduate minor and also enroll in the 4+1 Special Education program to complete their licensure preparation at the graduate level during their fifth year.

Required courses

(20 credits total; four credits per course, unless otherwise noted )

EDUC 156 Schools in an Era of Change
RDG 410 Multisensory Structured Language Strategies for Reading
SPND 422 Differentiating Educational Strategies Using Technology Across the Curriculum
SPND 444 Special Education Law (2 credits)
SPND 445 IEP Development (2 credits)
SPND 446 Learners with Special Needs

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