Master of Education (M.Ed./C.A.E.S.) in Special Education for Extensive Support Needs
Master of Education (M.Ed./C.A.E.S.) in Special Education for Extensive Support Needs
We prepare teachers to work with students who have moderate to severe intellectual disability, autism, and additional disabilities (such as visual impairment, deafness, cerebral palsy, and medical conditions). Additional specializations in deafblindness or autism are available.
The Extensive Support Needs Program is founded on close linkages between current research and best practices in teaching. The program leads to eligibility for the Massachusetts teaching license in Extensive Disabilities.
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At a Glance
- Students already licensed: 10 courses (30 credits)
- Students not licensed: 15 courses (46 credits)
- Full-time students: typically 1 year, including summer courses
- Part-time students: typically 2 years
Curriculum
Choose between a 46-credit or 30-credit program of study. The 46-credit hour program is for those who do not have a teaching license. The 30-credit program for those who already have a teaching license (in any area).
Requirements
- Courses: 10 or 16
- Credits: 30 or 46
- Comprehensive Exam
46-Credit Master's
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| APSY 7418 | Applied Child Development This course will help teachers understand principles of learning and cognitive, linguistic, social, and affective development as they apply to classroom practices. Students will focus on the acquisition of strategies that enable them to assess and understand how they and the children they work with are constructors of meaning. This course is designed for individuals beginning their professional development in education who plan to work with children. |
3 |
| EDUC7438 | Instruction for the Special Needs of Diverse Learners This course focuses on the education of students with disabilities and other learners from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The goal of the course is to promote access to the general curriculum for all students through participation in standards-based reform. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides the theoretical framework for this course. Through an examination of historical milestones, landmark legislation, systems for classification, approaches to intervention, and the daily life experiences of diverse learners, students acquire knowledge about diversity and the resources, services, and supports available for creating a more just society through education. |
3 |
| EDUC7435 | Social Contexts of Education Examines the role of situational, school, community, peer, and family factors on the education of children. Participants in the course will strive to understand the effects of their own social context on their education, to develop strategies to help students understand their context, and to understand and contribute to what schools can do to improve teaching and learning and school culture for all students regardless of internal and external variables. |
3 |
| EDUC7520 | Mathematics and Technology: Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum in the Elementary School This course presents methods and materials useful in teaching mathematics to early childhood and elementary school children and the different ways in which technology can be used in the elementary school classroom. The course will consider the teaching of mathematics and the use of technology from both theoretical and practical perspectives. |
3 |
| EDUC7542 | Teaching Reading Offers teacher candidates skills for teaching reading to school age children. Students will gain understanding of reading through a historical, political, theoretical, and practical lens. They will understand the delivery of instruction by learning a balanced approach to teaching reading. They will gain familiarity of how children learn to read by partaking in observations, assessments, and instruction with a school age child. Students will learn a variety of ways to meet the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse learners. They will recognize reading difficulties and learn ways to differentiate instruction for such readers. |
3 |
| EDUC7546 | Teaching About the Natural World Provides an introduction to the various philosophies, practices, materials, and content that are currently being used to teach science to elementary and middle school children. Exposes prospective teachers to the skills and processes endorsed by the National Science Education Standards, the National Health Standards, and the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. |
3 |
| EDUC6374 | Management of the Behavior of Students with Special Needs Focuses discussion, reading, and research on the diagnosis and functional analysis of social behaviors, places substantial emphasis on the practical application of applied behavior analysis techniques. Also discusses alternative management strategies for use in classrooms. |
3 |
| EDU6953 | Introduction to Speech and Language Disability On the basis of the development of normal children, this course will explore dysfunctions of speech and language that interfere with normal communication and learning processes. The evaluation of language performance and the remediation of language deficits will also be stressed. |
3 |
| EDUC6495 | Human Development and Disability This course addresses the reciprocal relationship between human development and disability. Prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal causes of disability will be presented. Students will learn about theoretical perspectives, research, and current disagreements related to causes, identification, and treatment of disabilities. Prevention and intervention strategies will be presented for each disability. The application of assistive technology will be covered across disabilities. |
|
| EDUC6384 | Teaching Strategies for Students with Multiple Disabilities This course is designed to assist the special educator in acquiring and developing both the background knowledge and practical skills involved in teaching individuals who have severe or multiple disabilities. The areas of systematic instruction, communication, gross motor, fine motor, community and school functioning, collaboration, functional and age-appropriate programming are emphasized. The role of the educator as developer of curriculum, instructor, and in the transdisciplinary team are included. The students should be prepared to participate in a one-day-per-week field placement. |
3 |
| EDUC6389 | Assessment of Students with Low-Incidence and Multiple Disabilities This course addresses formal and informal assessment of students with intensive needs. Students will become familiar with assessments driven by both the developmental and functional paradigms. All assessment activities will be founded on the principle that appropriate assessment goes beyond the student to include consideration of the student's multiple contexts. This course also addresses the IEP, the legal mandates behind the process, and the collaborative role of the teacher, as part of the educational team, during the assessment and report writing processes. |
3 |
| EDUC6497 | Interventions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders In this course students will learn strategies and purported mechanisms behind current intervention models designed for students with ASD. Student will be able to evaluate research evidence and claims of effectiveness of each intervention, and will design and implement appropriate interventions for student with ASD. |
3 |
EDUC6540 |
Ed. Implications / Sensory, Motor, and Health Impairments This course addresses the impact of physical disabilities on learning. Emphasis is placed on the educational needs of children with cerebral palsy, visual impairment, or hearing loss in combination with intellectual disability. Basic anatomy of the eye and ear are covered along with the common causes of vision and hearing loss. This course prepares teachers to perform functional vision and hearing evaluations and to translate those findings into appropriate classroom accommodations and adaptations. Many children with disabilities have unmet sensory integration needs that influence their behavior and subsequent readiness to learn. |
3 |
| EDUC6686 | Augmentative Communication for Individuals with Disabilities This course focuses upon the communication problems of persons who are developmentally disabled, physically challenged, hearing impaired, and deaf-blind. Students learn strategies for enhancing communication and learn how to develop and implement a variety of augmentative communication systems. |
3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC7431 | Graduate Inquiry Seminar I The course will coincide with the pre-practicum experience. It is designed to introduce teacher candidates to inquiry as stance and the skills necessary to conduct classroom-based research that leads to pupil achievement and teaching for social justice. The course is designed to help teacher candidates mediate the relationships of theory and practice, pose questions for inquiry, learn through reflection and discussion, learn from their students and colleagues, construct critical perspectives about teaching, learning, and schooling, and to improve teaching and learning. The second part of this sequence is 432 which is taken in conjunction with full-time student teaching (EDUC7420). |
1 |
| EDUC7429 | Graduate Pre-practicum This is a pre-practicum experience for students in graduate programs leading to certification. Placements are made in selected schools in the greater Boston area. Apply to the Office of Practicum Experiences and Teacher Induction during the semester preceding the placement by April 15 for fall placements and December 1 for spring placements. Students who are accepted into a program after the deadlines are requested to submit the application upon notification. |
1 |
| EDUC7432 | Graduate Inquiry Seminar II The primary goal of this capstone seminar is to initiate teacher candidates into the practice of teacher research or collaborative inquiry for action. Collaborative Inquiry for Action is an ongoing, collaborative process of systematic and self-critical inquiry by educators about their own schools and classrooms in order to increase teachers' knowledge, improve students' learning, and contribute to social justice. This final project will be presented at a roundtable presentation at the end of the semester and also satisfies the M.Ed., MAT, MST Comprehensive Examination in Education. |
2 |
| EDUC7610 | Clinical Experience A semester-long, full-time, five day a week practicum experience for graduate students seeking endorsement as a Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities or a Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities. The course is designed to meet the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Educations requirements for endorsement from Boston College. Students will be guided by a qualified school-based mentor (Supervising Practitioner) and a university-based mentor (Program Supervisor). In addition to registering for the course, students must complete the online application during the semester preceding the placement by April 15 for fall placements and December 1 for spring placements. Contact the Office of Field Placement and Partnership Outreach at prac@bc.edu for more information. |
6 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC4100 | Master's Comprehensive Exam In order to ensure that all students graduating from the master's program have a fundamental understanding of the field which they are about to enter, they are required to take a comprehensive examination covering the broad areas of the core courses. |
0 |
30-Credit Master's
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC6495 | Human Development and Disabilities This course addresses the reciprocal relationship between human development and disability. Prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal causes of disability will be presented. Students will learn about theoretical perspectives, research, and current disagreements related to causes, identification, and treatment of disabilities. Prevention and intervention strategies will be presented for each disability. The application of assistive technology will be covered across disabilities. |
3 |
| EDUC6374 | Management of the Behavior of Students with Special Needs Focuses discussion, reading, and research on the diagnosis and functional analysis of social behaviors, places substantial emphasis on the practical application of applied behavior analysis techniques. Also discusses alternative management strategies for use in classrooms. |
3 |
| EDUC6384 | Teaching Strategies for Students with Multiple Disabilities This course is designed to assist the special educator in acquiring and developing both the background knowledge and practical skills involved in teaching individuals who have severe or multiple disabilities. The areas of systematic instruction, communication, gross motor, fine motor, community and school functioning, collaboration, functional and age-appropriate programming are emphasized. The role of the educator as developer of curriculum, instructor, and in the transdisciplinary team are included. The students should be prepared to participate in a one-day-per-week field placement. |
3 |
| EDUC6389 | Assessment of Students with Low-Incidence and Multiple Disabilities This course addresses formal and informal assessment of students with intensive needs. Students will become familiar with assessments driven by both the developmental and functional paradigms. All assessment activities will be founded on the principle that appropriate assessment goes beyond the student to include consideration of the student's multiple contexts. This course also addresses the IEP, the legal mandates behind the process, and the collaborative role of the teacher, as part of the educational team, during the assessment and report writing processes. |
3 |
| EDUC6497 | Interventions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders In this course students will learn strategies and purported mechanisms behind current intervention models designed for students with ASD. Student will be able to evaluate research evidence and claims of effectiveness of each intervention, and will design and implement appropriate interventions for student with ASD. |
3 |
EDUC6540 |
Ed. Implications / Sensory, Motor, and Health Impairments This course addresses the impact of physical disabilities on learning. Emphasis is placed on the educational needs of children with cerebral palsy, visual impairment, or hearing loss in combination with intellectual disability. Basic anatomy of the eye and ear are covered along with the common causes of vision and hearing loss. This course prepares teachers to perform functional vision and hearing evaluations and to translate those findings into appropriate classroom accommodations and adaptations. Many children with disabilities have unmet sensory integration needs that influence their behavior and subsequent readiness to learn. |
3 |
| EDUC6686 | Augmentative Communication for Individuals with Disabilities This course focuses upon the communication problems of persons who are developmentally disabled, physically challenged, hearing impaired, and deaf-blind. Students learn strategies for enhancing communication and learn how to develop and implement a variety of augmentative communication systems. |
3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC7431 | Graduate Inquiry Seminar I The course will coincide with the pre-practicum experience. It is designed to introduce teacher candidates to inquiry as stance and the skills necessary to conduct classroom-based research that leads to pupil achievement and teaching for social justice. The course is designed to help teacher candidates mediate the relationships of theory and practice, pose questions for inquiry, learn through reflection and discussion, learn from their students and colleagues, construct critical perspectives about teaching, learning, and schooling, and to improve teaching and learning. The second part of this sequence is 432 which is taken in conjunction with full-time student teaching (EDUC7420). |
1 |
| EDUC7432 | Graduate Inquiry Seminar II The primary goal of this capstone seminar is to initiate teacher candidates into the practice of teacher research or collaborative inquiry for action. Collaborative Inquiry for Action is an ongoing, collaborative process of systematic and self-critical inquiry by educators about their own schools and classrooms in order to increase teachers' knowledge, improve students' learning, and contribute to social justice. This final project will be presented at a roundtable presentation at the end of the semester and also satisfies the M.Ed., MAT, MST Comprehensive Examination in Education. |
2 |
| EDUC7610 | Clinical Experience A semester-long, full-time, five day a week practicum experience for graduate students seeking endorsement as a Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities or a Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities. The course is designed to meet the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Educations requirements for endorsement from Boston College. Students will be guided by a qualified school-based mentor (Supervising Practitioner) and a university-based mentor (Program Supervisor). In addition to registering for the course, students must complete the online application (https://bc-us.inplacesoftware.com/student) during the semester preceding the placement by April 15 for fall placements and December 1 for spring placements. Contact the Office of Field Placement and Partnership Outreach at prac@bc.edu for more information. |
6 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC4100 | Master's Comprehensive Exam In order to ensure that all students graduating from the master's program have a fundamental understanding of the field which they are about to enter, they are required to take a comprehensive examination covering the broad areas of the core courses. |
0 |
- How to teach to the strengths and needs of all students with severe disabilities, including those with additional sensory disabilities
- To implement evidence-based practices and best practices to apply when assessing and teaching children with severe and multiple disabilities
- To be fully competent in writing the appropriate sections of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and as a participant in associated meetings
- To select assessment instruments appropriate to each child and to conduct assessments to produce findings that support valued and meaningful instruction
- To engage parents in the planning and generalization of their child’s educational program
- Plan, implement, and evaluate comprehensive communication systems in collaboration with others
- To teach content from the general curriculum as well as functional academics, skills of daily living, prevocational and vocational skills, play and social-emotional competencies to address the needs of the whole child
- Keep meaningful data on student learning and behavior and to make data-based decisions
- Create learning environments that promote engagement and learning
- Promote the learning and growth of all students through ethical, culturally proficient, skilled, and collaborative practice
Student Teaching
Professional experiences comprise early field experiences, referred to as pre-practicum placements, and an immersive, semester-long full practicum experience.
Pre-practicum
Graduate students complete a pre-practicum experience, which consists of one school day per week for 10 weeks.
Full Practicum
Full-practicum experience is five days each week in the classroom for the entire semester.
Financial Aid
Education should level the playing field. We feel the same way about financial aid.
The Lynch School of Education and Human Development provides more than $8.4 million in financial aid to students each year. As a result, the quality of BC’s instruction, the benefit of our alumni network, and the impact a BC degree will have on your employment options is both affordable and invaluable.
Roles
- Assistant Principal of Academics
- Fourth Grade Teacher
- Sixth Grade Teacher
- High School History Teacher
- Director of Exhibits
- Court Procedures Attorney
- First Grade Teacher
- Special Education Teacher
- Mathematics Instructor
- School Principal & ELL Coordinator
Organizations
- St. John's Preparatory School
- Littleton Public Schools
- Papillion La Vista School District
- Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
- Museum of Science
- Goodwin Procter LLP
- Boston Public Schools
- Needham Public Schools
- Steppingstone Foundation
- North Attleborough Public Schools
Accreditation
We are an approved teacher preparation program by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Upon successful completion of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development's educator preparation program, students earn endorsement from Boston College for licensure in Massachusetts. For more information about educator licensure, including if you are seeking licensure in another state, please visit the Licensure Disclosure Page.
Application & Deadlines
A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required. The fee is waived for select applicants.
Deadlines
Spring 2023
Priority Deadline - November 1
Rolling Admission - Until Dec 1
Summer 2023
Priority Deadline - January 4
Rolling Admission - Until April 5
Fall 2023
Priority Deadline - January 4
Rolling Admission - Until July 15
Résumé
To be uploaded to your online application.
In addition to your academic history and relevant volunteer and/or work experience, please include any licenses currently held, any social justice-related experience, any language skills other than English, and any research experience or publications.
Personal Statement
To be uploaded to your online application.
In 1,000-1,500 words, describe your academic and professional goals, any experience relevant to this program, and your future plans, expectations, and aspirations.
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation are required, with at least one preferably coming from an academic source. Applicants may submit one additional recommendation of their choice.
Transcripts
Transcripts from all college/university study are required.
Applicants who have received degrees from institutions outside the United States should view the "International Students" section for additional credential evaluation requirements.
Please begin your online application before submitting your transcripts. Details on how to submit transcripts and international credential evaluations can be found within the application. In order to ensure your transcript reaches our office, it is important to review and follow the instructions.
Standardized Tests
Submitting GRE test scores is optional for this program for the 2023 entry term(s). If you wish to send GRE scores, the Lynch School GRE code is 3218.
Please view the "International Students" section for information on English Proficiency test requirements.
Writing Sample
Not required.
International Students
Applicants who have completed a degree outside of the United States must have a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript(s) completed by an evaluation company approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Submission of falsified documents is grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the University.
Applicants who are not native speakers of English and who have not received a degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction must also submit a TOEFL or IELTS test result that meets the minimum score requirement.
Please click the link below for full details on these requirements.
Quick Links
Contact Us
gsoe@bc.edu
617-552-4214