Special Education Master’s, Birth – Grade 12 Online

Coursework Fully Online, Fieldwork in Person

This fully online master’s program prepares educators to support students with disabilities from early childhood through secondary education. Designed for certified teachers, the program brings together coursework, collaboration and applied learning to meet today’s inclusive education needs.

What Will I Learn?

In this program, you will build the knowledge and skills needed to support diverse learners across a wide range of educational settings. Courses are designed to help you teach, assess learning, plan instruction and work with families and colleagues.

Through the program, you will learn how to:

Use multiple approaches to teach students identified with disabilities
Work effectively with related service professionals in a variety of educational settings
Explore innovative and collaborative approaches to interdisciplinary teaching across content areas and early childhood domains
Plan, implement and reflect on instruction that meets the diverse needs of students
Assess student learning and respond with appropriate instructional strategies
Create engaging and supportive learning communities
Collaborate and learn from families as partners in student success

What is Unique About Our Program?

This master’s program is designed specifically for educators who are advancing their careers while balancing professional and personal responsibilities. The flexible online format allows you to engage deeply with coursework while applying what you learn in real-world settings.

Fully online, asynchronous courses with full-time or part-time options
A strong foundation in core pedagogy paired with content-specific coursework
Field experiences aligned with your coursework and professional role
Meets New York State Education Department (NYSED) requirements for the master’s degree needed for professional certification

What Are My Career Opportunities?

Special educators are in high demand across New York state and nationwide. You will be prepared to work with students from birth through grade 12 in a variety of educational settings. Career opportunities includes roles such as:

Special educator in early intervention (ages 0–2), preschool itinerant teaching (ages 3–4) and school-age programs
Consultant teacher, resource room teacher, integrated co-teacher or special class teacher
Provider of Academic Intervention Services (AIS) for learners with disabilities

You will also be eligible for two teaching certifications:

Students with Disabilities, Birth–Grade 2
Students with Disabilities, All Grades (Pre-K–Grade 12)

Job Market Outlook for Special Education

General Inquiries, Information Requests & New Students Contact

Christopher RyanAcademic CoordinatorPhone: 518-564-5111[email protected]

Questions About Program & Curriculum

Cynthia McCarty, M.S.Ed., SDAProgram Coordinator, Special Education200B Sibley Hall101 Broad StreetPlattsburgh, NY 12901Phone: 518-564-5141[email protected]

Questions about Admission

Graduate Admissions Office606 Kehoe Administration Building101 Broad StreetPlattsburgh, NY 12901Phone: 518-564-4723Text Us: 518-314-0537[email protected]

Additional Information

Program Requirements for Master of Science in Education in Special Education, Birth–Grade 12 Online

Professional Licensure Disclosure for Current & Prospective Students

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. state where the institution is located and the U.S. states where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. states where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. state where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified. The Special Education (Birth – Grade 12), M.S.Ed. program at SUNY Plattsburgh is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York state.

The following list of state professional licensing contacts is provided as a resource for current, former and prospective students.

State	State Professional Licensing Contact for Teacher Education
Alabama	https://www.alabamaachieves.org/state-board-of-education/
Alaska	https://education.alaska.gov/TeacherCertification
Arizona	https://www.azed.gov/educator-certification
Arkansas	https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/educator-effectiveness/licensure
California	https://www.cde.ca.gov/
Colorado	https://www.cde.state.co.us/
Connecticut	https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Certification/Bureau-of-Certification
Delaware	https://education.delaware.gov/
District of Columbia	https://dcps.dc.gov
Florida	https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/
Georgia	https://www.gapsc.com/
Hawaii	https://hawaiiteacherstandardsboard.org/content/contact-us-2/
Idaho	https://www.sde.idaho.gov/
Illinois	https://www.isbe.net/Pages/contact-licensure.aspx
Indiana	https://www.in.gov/doe/educators/educator-licensing/
Iowa	https://educateiowa.gov/
Kansas	https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Teacher-Licensure-TL
Kentucky	http://www.epsb.ky.gov/course/view.php?id=2
Louisiana	https://www.louisianabelieves.com/teaching
Maine	https://www.maine.gov/doe/cert
Maryland	https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/Pages/default.aspx
Massachusetts	https://www.doe.mass.edu/licensure/
Michigan	https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/ed-serv/moecs
Minnesota	https://education.mn.gov/MDE/lic/
Mississippi	https://www.mdek12.org
Missouri	https://dese.mo.gov/educators
Montana	https://opi.mt.gov/
Nebraska	https://www.education.ne.gov/
Nevada	https://doe.nv.gov/Educator_Licensure_Contact/
New Hampshire	https://www.education.nh.gov/
New Jersey	https://www.nj.gov/education/
New Mexico	https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/licensure/
New York	http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/
North Carolina	https://www.dpi.nc.gov/
North Dakota	https://www.nd.gov/espb/licensure
Ohio	http://education.ohio.gov/
Oklahoma	https://sde.ok.gov
Oregon	https://www.oregon.gov/tspc/pages/index.aspx
Pennsylvania	https://www.education.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Rhode Island	https://www.ride.ri.gov/TeachersAdministrators/EducatorCertification.aspx
Puerto Rico	https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/pr.html
South Carolina	https://ed.sc.gov/
South Dakota	https://doe.sd.gov/
Tennessee	https://www.tn.gov/education/educators/licensing.html
Texas	http://tea.texas.gov
Utah	https://schools.utah.gov/licensing
Vermont	https://education.vermont.gov/educator-licensure
Virgin Islands	http://www.vide.vi/
Virginia	https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/teaching-in-virginia/licensure
Washington	https://www.pesb.wa.gov/
West Virginia	https://wvde.us/certification-and-professional-preparation/certIfication/
Wisconsin	https://dpi.wi.gov/licensing
Wyoming	https://wyomingptsb.com/home/contact/

Additional Degrees in Teacher Education
Bachelor’s Degree
- Childhood (Elementary) Education B.S.
5-Year Combined Bachelor’s & Master’s Programs
- Adolescence Education Grades 7–12 B.A./M.S.T.
- Childhood & Special Education Grades 1–6 B.S./M.S.Ed.
Master’s Degrees
- Adolescence Education Grades 7–12 M.S.T.
- Childhood Education Grades 1–6 M.S.T.
Certificate Programs