Combined Degree Pathway for the Master of Arts in Teaching in Adolescent Special Education

B.A./B.S. in Educational Studies to the MAT in Adolescent Special Education

Enrollment in the 157-credit combined program allows students to work on the Master of Arts in Teaching Adolescent Special Education while completing the bachelor’s degree. Up to 12 credits of designated master’s courses are incorporated into the bachelor’s degree program and will count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degree. 

Program Requirements

The combined program requires 157 credits total, of which 45 are master’s credits leading to the MAT in Adolescent Special Education. Students must meet all university, AOS and relevant concentration guidelines as well as the liberal arts and sciences requirements within the undergraduate credits as follows: 

Successful completion of a total 60 undergraduate credits:

  • Of these 60 credits, 24 credits should be in liberal arts and sciences 
  • Successful completion of 6 credits in additional undergraduate coursework

With 60 credits in requirements, the program requires careful planning that should begin in the first term of a student’s undergraduate career at Empire State University. Please utilize the degree planning guidelines templates provided on the content area requirements page. The student and the primary mentor should consult with the Office of Teacher Education in planning an undergraduate degree program so that these requirements are met in undergraduate study and that the 12 credits of master’s courses from MAT program are also included in the degree plan. Students must meet the graduate requirements for academic progress and minimum grade point average in their master’s level courses to remain in the combined program.

Combined Program Admission

Admission into the combined program is highly selective. A concurred degree plan is not required to apply for the combined program.

Eligibility

  • Minimum 3.2 GPA (recalculations of up to the last 60 credits earned);
  • and transferring up to 92 credits into a bachelor program at the time of application OR possess a bachelors in a different subject area.

To apply complete an Undergraduate application.

Prerequisite Courses

Applicants must complete the 24 credits in content area requirements.  Applicants who do not have the courses completed at the time of application may be accepted pending completion of the courses. A thorough transcript review will be conducted upon admission.

Combined Program Courses

The four graduate courses that will be taken during undergraduate study are:

  • SPED 6005 Introduction to History of Special Education, 3cr
  • EDUC 6010 Middle Childhood and Adolescent Development, 3cr
  • SPED 6025 Teaching and Learning Across the Contents: Methods I (Blended format), 3cr
  • EDUC 6015 Exceptionalities: Individualizing Learning, 3cr