Inclusive Adolescence Education
Master of Science in Education
For current and prospective secondary educators (middle school, junior high, or high school: grades 7-12)
Program Highlights
- Program is ideal for someone not yet certified to teach, including recent college graduates or career changers who hold a content-specific degree or major/minor/concentration of 30 credit hours in biology, chemistry, physics, English, math, history/social studies, French, German, Italian, or Spanish and want to become certified to teach that subject and certified in Students With Disabilities - Grades 7-12 - Generalist
- Choose the right secondary education master’s degree program option for you — whether you have no previous teaching certification, general-education content certification (grade 7-12), childhood certification (grades 2-6), or professional certification.
- Nazareth also offers an M.S.Ed. in TESOL/Adolescence Education which leads to New York state teacher certifications in both Adolescence Education (grades 7 through 12) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (all grades).
Classes on campus one night/week and online
Flexible program, full- or part-time
Complete in as fast as 12 months full-time
Fieldwork in urban, suburban, and rural schools
Curriculum Examples
- Strategies for Differentiated Planning Teaching and Assessment for Diverse Secondary Classrooms
- Diverse Adolescent Learners
- Strategies for Teaching Literacy in Adolescent Content Areas
- Individualized Education Programs
- Transition Planning and Services for Adolescents with Disabilities
- Capstone Seminar
Value of your Degree
- Dual-certification in both general and special education grades 7-12 positions you well for employment.
- Graduates work as content area teachers who are well prepared for diverse classrooms, and/or special education teachers in roles as consultant teachers, resource room teachers, integrated co-teachers, and self-contained special education classroom teachers.
Making Grad School Affordable
Grants, scholarships, veterans benefits, partner benefits, loans, and undergraduate loan forgiveness are options for paying for this grad degree.
Among the Nazareth opportunities: Teacher residency programs provide initial certification seekers with tuition support, a paycheck, co-teaching experience and mentoring. Funding is also available for high-need teachers and teacher candidates from underrepresented populations.
From the Field
"Nazareth's School of Education provided me with practical knowledge that I could directly apply. I quickly recognized how well prepared I was for teaching in the real world."
Allegra Quercia '14G, who became an algebra teacher in Nashville, Tenn., and then managed educational consultants in multiple states for YouScience, LLC
"Drawing on personal experiences in the field, Nazareth's professors were able to give real-life knowledge and advice. Nazareth's program made it possible for me to do the thing I love — making influential change in the lives of youth."
Kaitlin Fisher '13G, who became a special education teacher in Virginia and then an English teacher for Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District
What to Expect
- Nazareth's affordable cost for grad teaching degrees makes this high-demand certification within reach, enabling you to fill a needed teaching position in a school district in the local region or beyond.
- To fit well into your busy life, classes meet only one night per week on campus in the fall, spring, and summer A terms, with additional face-to-face meeting time during summer B. The remainder of the program happens online.
- Nazareth's full-time field placement officer and full-time certification officer provide you with strong support, including prep for certification exams and facilitating hands-on experiences with students. If you're working in a school district, this can include facilitation with your own school district so you can meet degree requirements while keeping your job.
- Individualized program accommodates a wide range of content areas, building on your background.
- Individual advisement is available for program planning and support in applying for N.Y. state certification.
- You have the option to get specialized preparation in teaching students with autism and students with severe or multiple disabilities. Details: Interdisciplinary Specialty Program in Autism (I-SPAN) specialization, Teaching Students with Severe or Multiple Disabilities annotation.
- Options to become further specialized with a gifted extension or taking a three-course elective sequence to earn a local certificate of specialization in deafness.
- Nazareth's full-time director of clinical experiences and partnerships and full-time certification officer provide you with strong support, including prep for certification exams and facilitating hands-on experiences with students. If you're working in a school district, this can include facilitation with your own school district so you can meet degree requirements while keeping your job.
- Your full-time career coach for education (part of Nazareth's nationally recognized Center for Life's Work) is available for resume, interviewing, and job search guidance.
- Additional guidance and support is available from your individual academic advisor and from the School of Education's director of academic support services.
