About the Program

Accredited: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)

Enrollment in all teacher education programs follows the guidelines for "Admission to Teacher Education Programs" found in this catalog. Applicants who do not yet meet all admissions criteria should consult with the department.

Professional Licensure: This program leads to a recommendation for NYS certification; please check for certification requirements in all other states

This Special Education master’s program is tailored for individuals who did not complete an undergraduate degree in education. The program prepares educators to support diverse student needs in Grades P-12. Completion leads to a recommendation for NYS certification in Students with Disabilities: All Grades (PreK-12), with optional subject area extensions for Grades 5-9 and 7-12 in Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Social Studies, Mathematics, English Language Arts, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, and Urdu.

About the Students with Disabilities Programs
This program prepares individuals who are new to the teaching profession to work with students with disabilities across the P-12 grades. The program is intended to develop highly qualified and high caliber teachers who possess the knowledge and skills to help students with disabilities maximize their potential and reach ambitious outcomes.

The goal of this program is to prepare special educators who work collaboratively with fellow educators to provide evidence-based teaching strategies to promote student learning and to design positive environments that foster learning for students with and without disabilities. Graduates of this program become knowledgeable in subject matter content and acquire a solid foundation in the technology of teaching, with knowledge related to direct and interactive instruction (cooperative learning, peer tutoring, differentiated instruction, and responsive instructional strategies).

Real Learning in Real Schools
Students in this graduate special education program gain hands-on experience through fieldwork in real school settings. Practice-based learning is woven throughout the curriculum, including immersive opportunities such as classroom simulations, field practica, and cutting-edge mixed-reality teaching experiences. This applied approach ensures graduates are not only knowledgeable but confident and classroom-ready from day one.

Applied Research
The culminating experience of this graduate program is EXE 691, a two-course final sequence that guides students through the completion of a master's project rooted in real-world educational challenges. To demonstrate special education pedagogical and content knowledge, candidates design and execute student-centered, evidence-based interventions based on professional literature. They implement, interpret results, and make data-driven decisions in applied settings, aiming to impact academic, behavioral, functional, or social outcomes. This powerful process empowers future educators to become reflective problem-solvers who use data-driven insights to inform and improve their teaching.

Candidates should consult the Teacher Certification website for current seminars and workshops. https://teachercertification.buffalostate.edu/seminars-and-workshops

Admission Requirements

1. Awarded a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with an academic major in an area other than teacher preparation.
2. Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
3. Completed six credit hours of college-level work (with minimum course grades of C for undergraduate level courses and minimum course grades of B for graduate level courses) in each of the following: English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Each applicant will have completed this requirement as an undergraduate or will be required to complete 6 credit hours of study in each of the four disciplines.
4. Completed three credit hour college-level course in the introduction to the nature and needs of students with disabilities (e.g., EXE 100 or course equivalent) with a minimum grade of C for undergraduate course work and a minimum grade of B for graduate level coursework. Each applicant will have completed this requirement as an undergraduate or will be required to complete EXE 500 or course equivalent.
5. Provide a written statement describing the applicant’s personal philosophy of education and relevant experiences in the field, as applicable.
6. Completion of online application.

In addition, all applicants should review the Admission to a Graduate Program section in this catalog.

Program Requirements

Preliminary Courses (12-15 credit hours)
EXE 500 INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS1 0-3
EXE 501 EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION 3
EXE 502 MANAGING CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS 3
EXE 503 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 3
EXE 579 FIELD EXPERIENCE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION 3
Required Courses (33 credit hours)
EXE 511 WRITING IEPS ACROSS THE P-12 GRADE SPAN 3
EXE 521 FOUNDATIONS OF LITERACY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (PART I) 3
EXE 619 ADVANCED LITERACY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (PART II) 3
EXE 623 ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTION IN MATH FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 3
EXE 659 ADAPTING CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 3
EXE 638 COLLABORATION AND SOCIAL SKILLS 3
EXE 581 PRACTICUM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD/CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION 6
EXE 582 PRACTICUM IN INTERMEDIATE/HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION 6
Master's Project (3 credit hours)
EXE 691 APPLIED MASTER’S PROJECT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION2 3
Content Core Requirements (0-24 credit hours)3
Must have six semester hours in each subject area:
Math 0-6
English language arts (ELA) 0-6
Social Studies 0-6
Science 0-6
Total Credit Hours 45-72
1 This course is only required for those who did not meet this entrance admission criterion.
2 Admission to EXE 691 is by special permission and will be taken during the semester of student teaching. An application is completed the semester prior to admission. See the department office for application deadlines.
3 These courses are only required for those who did not meet this admission criterion. Some or all Content Core Requirements may be met through prior undergraduate or graduate courses by transcript analysis.

Subject Area Extension Requirements (45-84 credit hours)
Candidates in a subject area extension program must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours in the chosen subject area. Advisor-approved courses from previous undergraduate and graduate studies may be used to fulfill some or all of a subject area's extension requirements. The 5-9 and 7-12 subject area extensions to program are: Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Social Studies, Mathematics, English Language Arts, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, and Urdu.