Special Education
New York State special education teacher certification is known as Teaching Students with Disabilities and has recently been revised to include teaching students with disabilities from preK-12th grade.
Education students graduate from Nazareth with certifications in both general and special education, but our programs are much broader than that in their scope. Here, learning to teach a wide range of students is woven into everything you do. Classes concentrate on child and adolescent development, learner characteristics, differentiated instruction, and culturally responsive teaching. The focus is on inclusive education, designing productive learning environments for all learners, and preparing teachers to teach all students.
Certifications
Nazareth offers certification in Teaching Students with Disabilities combined with certification in teaching general education at the levels below:
Career Paths
- Special education teacher
- Early childhood intervention specialist
- Youth services consultant
- Childcare services educator
- Consultant teacher
Student Teaching
- Rochester City School District
- Hope Hall
- Norman Howard School
- BOCES
- Victor Central School District
- Lois Bird School
- Greece Central School District
99%
of new Nazareth grads are employed or in grad school within six months of graduation
Get Hired
We often receive requests from districts for Nazareth alumni. Teaching is a high-demand field, and typically our graduates enter the profession while completing their graduate work or choose to complete their graduate degrees before teaching.
$4,000
Our SPARK Grant provides up to $4,000 for you to pursue internships, research, and study abroad. SPARK details »
Meant to Teach
Contact for teaching birth–grade 6
Contact for teaching grades 7-12
Alumni Spotlight
"From my first day, I felt supported by the faculty. They took the time to get to know me, made me feel comfortable in a new school, and ensured I understood the program's sequence and goals. They were mentors who supported us in our teaching placements, took an interest in our activities outside the classroom, and offered valuable life advice as we navigated various challenges. They not only taught effective and practical pedagogical strategies but also modeled them in action.
"I was especially impressed by how Nazareth went beyond just meeting class and credit requirements to also provide extensive support in fulfilling New York State teaching requirements. Nazareth's goal is to ensure students are fully prepared for certification, securing teaching positions, and navigating the challenges of being a first-year teacher.
"Nazareth's Career Design Office also played a crucial role in this process, assisting with resume building, sharing job opportunities and teacher career fairs, and preparing us for interviews. I left Nazareth feeling confident and prepared. In fact, thanks to the support I received, I secured a teaching job that started the day after graduation!"
— Zach Titus '19 became a special education teacher (integrated co-teacher) and varsity boys soccer coach