MSED IN INCLUSIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION

Get your master’s degree in special education in our one-year online program.

The 100% online master's degree in inclusive special education is designed to help teachers meet the ever-changing demands of diverse classrooms and may be completed by teachers with certification in nearly any area or grade level.

Learn to give individualized instruction in diverse and inclusive settings

Building on our Franciscan values of community, compassion, wisdom and integrity, we strive to create inclusive communities that value diversity as a strength. This program prepares and mentors professionals who are able to individualize instruction in inclusive and collaborative environments.

Using critical pedagogy to meet the needs of diverse and marginalized populations, including students with disabilities, students for whom English is an additional language, and students experiencing trauma or living in poverty, teachers will become leaders and agents of change.

This program is founded in the School of Education conceptual framework of competence, experience, and social justice. This program is aligned with the CEC standards for professional special educators and students practice these competencies in hands-on, field-based experiences. Students integrate social justice into their practice by honoring diversity, promoting dignity and worth, and creating learning experiences that are mindful of the full range of diversity.

Our inclusive special education program is designed to help graduates acquire:

Add an additional special education certification to better serve all students in K-12 classrooms.
Expand your knowledge on how to include students with disabilities in general education classrooms.
Understand the many variables in schools, which often make collaboration difficult, and the bridges over them.
Develop knowledge of assessment and data literacies to meet the needs of all learners.
Meet the needs of students for whom English is not a first language.
Learn the means to individualize and differentiate STEM content for all learners.
Develop the ability to integrate meaningful instructional and assistive technologies.
Design supportive environments to meet the social, emotional and behavioral needs of learners.
Take a deeper dive into trauma informed care, and better understand students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Admission to this degree program is based on:

Initial (or pending) teaching certificate in elementary or secondary education — Note that candidates can be admitted prior to initial certification with a grace period of one semester from the start of the program to complete certification.
Official transcripts of all prior college work (3.00/4.00 GPA)
Two letters of recommendation
Interview
Writing sample

NOTE: State law requires SBU to collect immunization records from students taking six or more credit hours in any semester.

Exit Criteria
In order to be awarded the degree in inclusive special education, a student must meet the following criteria:

A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
Successful completion of the clinical hours and internship.

Consistent with our conceptual framework of competence, experience and social justice, students have the opportunity to gain experience by practicing their skills in P-12 classrooms.

Clinical experience is integrated throughout the program with a culminating internship experience. Most working teachers can complete their clinical experience in their own classrooms/schools.

For those who cannot, we will work with you to locate an appropriate placement.

This 30-credit program is offered 100% online only and can be completed in one year. Applications are accepted for enrollment in any semester. We recommend that students begin their studies in the summer.

Summer: 1st and 2nd sessions

SPED 511. Foundation of Inclusive Special Education. 7w.
SPED 525. Classroom and Behavior Management. 7w.
EDUC 500. Research for the Education Professions. 7w.
SPED 520. Instructional Design and Strategies for Inclusive Education.7w.

Fall Term: 1st and 2nd sessions

READ 550. Teaching Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Learners. 7w.
SPED 510. Instructional Practices for Students with Disabilities. 7w.
SPED 515. Technology for Inclusive Education. 15 w.

Spring Term: 1st and 2nd sessions

SPED 503 Evaluation and Measurement for Inclusive Education 15w
SPED 504Collaboration and Transition for Inclusive Education. 7w
SPED 590 Graduate Internship (do not include the hours)

Students enrolled for at least 6 credits a semester are eligible for financial aid in the form of loans, scholarships, grants and graduate assistant positions.

St. Bonaventure's Dean's Scholarship can reduce tuition costs by 20%, making St. Bonaventure an exceptional value among Western New York colleges and universities.

Students pursuing literacy teacher birth-grade 6 certification may be eligible for the federal TEACH Grant.

For more information, visit our Graduate Tuition and Financial Aid page in Graduate Admissions & Aid.

Upon completion of the MSED in inclusive special education graduates will:

use their understanding of the unique strengths each student brings to the classroom to develop meaningful and challenging learning experiences for a wide variety of learners;
create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments that support all learners;
develop curriculum that supports all learners to achieve high standards;
create assessments and use data to make instructional decisions for a wide variety of learners;
use evidence-based strategies to advance learning for all learners;
engage in professional and ethical practice;
collaborate in a culturally responsive way with a variety of stakeholders to meet the needs of a wide variety of learners.

Advanced certificate program also available

We also offer a 12-hour program leading to the Advanced Certificate in Teaching Students with Exceptionalities. The 100% online program can be completed in one year.

Learn to give individualized instruction in diverse and inclusive settings

Building on the Franciscan philosophy of social justice, we strive to create inclusive communities that value diversity as a strength. This program prepares and mentors professionals who are able to individualize instruction in inclusive and collaborative environments.

Using critical pedagogy to meet the needs of diverse and marginalized populations, including students with disabilities, students for whom English is an additional language, and students experiencing trauma or living in poverty, teachers will become leaders and agents of change.

This program is founded in the School of Education conceptual framework of competence, experience, and social justice. This program is aligned with the CEC standards for professional special educators and students practice these competencies in hands-on, field-based experiences.

Students integrate social justice into their practice through respect for diversity, dignity and worth and creating learning experiences that are mindful of a full range of diversity.

Lawrence-Brown, Abkowitz published in peer-reviewed text

Sep 07, 2023 | Dr. Diana Lawrence-Brown, professor emerita of inclusive special education, and Dr. Pamina Abkowitz, assistant professor of childhood education, had a chapter published in the peer-reviewed text titled "DI Around the World — Exploring Differentiated Instructional Practice in General School Education."

St. Bonaventure University’s School of Education approved for CAEP accreditation

May 18, 2023 | The School of Education at St. Bonaventure University has received accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), an internationally recognized accrediting body that works to ensure excellence in education preparation programs.

St. Bonaventure’s School of Education partners with Diocese of Buffalo in Franciscan Fellows program

Apr 25, 2023 | St. Bonaventure University’s School of Education is highly regarded for its robust teacher education programs, providing future educators with broad and inclusive professional preparation.