Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education and Extensive Support Needs
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education and Extensive Support Needs
This program prepares candidates to teach students in the elementary grades and students across grade levels who have extensive and multiple disabilities, including autism.
The program stresses a humanistic approach to teaching that is both developmentally appropriate and intellectually challenging. It prepares the teacher to work with a diverse range of children by providing the teacher with knowledge about instructional practices, along with perspectives on children, schools, and society.
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At a Glance
Curriculum
Prerequisite for the program is a bachelor's degree with an arts and sciences, interdisciplinary major, or the equivalent. No prior teaching licensure is required for admission. The program reflects current research and practices in teaching and learning. Courses of study are carefully planned with the faculty advisor to ensure that both degree requirements and licensure requirements are fulfilled. This dual program leads to eligibility for initial teaching licenses in elementary education and in severe disabilities.
Requirements
- Courses: 20
- Credits: 58
- For TELL/TDLL: Add one course (3 credits)
- Comprehensive Exam
Courses
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| APSY7418 | 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 | Educating Learners with Disabilities 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 |
| EDUC7529 | Social Studies and the Arts: Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum in the Elementary School This course is designed to help students examine historical interpretation with critical analysis through history and the arts. It explores different areas of content and instructional methods directly related to Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks in social studies, literature, and the arts. |
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 |
| EDUC7543 | Teaching Language Arts Focuses on the teaching and learning of language arts in the elementary grades. Students will be exposed to theoretical approaches to both oral and written language development in addition to teaching methods that support development. In the fall semester, content and approaches related to teaching in English/Spanish bilingual programs will be included. Students will have the opportunity to apply their learning through practical lesson development, and implementation in connection to their pre-practicum placement. Student diversity and its implications for teaching language arts will be an integral theme. Students will draw on their experiences in their prepractica to apply and reflect on learning as they mediate theory and practice. |
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 |
| 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 Communications 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 |
| EDUC6374 | Supporting Positive Behavior in Schools and Community 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 Extensive Support Needs 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 | Educating Autistic Students 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 |
| 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. |
3 |
| EDUC6346 | Teaching Bilingual Students Deals with the practical aspects of the instruction of teaching English Language Learners in Sheltered English Immersion, and mainstream classrooms. Reviews and applies literacy and content area instructional approaches. Includes such other topics as history and legislation related to English Language Learners and bilingual education, and the influences of language and culture on students, instruction, curriculum, and assessment. There are two sections of this course: one for elementary and early childhood education majors and one for secondary education majors. |
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: Severe 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. |
3 |
| EDUC7420 | Clinical Experience: Elementary A semester-long, full-time, five day a week practicum experience for graduate students in early childhood, elementary and secondary education. 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. Department permission required after August/December 15. |
3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC8100 | 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 |
Graduate students participating in this dual program will learn to promote student development, how to teach for social justice, and how to reflect on practice to improve instruction. They will be prepared to work with students of a variety of backgrounds creating classroom environments that engage all students. More specifically:
The teacher candidate will promote the learning and growth of all students by providing high-quality and coherent instruction, designing and administering authentic and meaningful student assessments, using these assessments and reflections on teaching to improve instruction, providing students with constructive feedback on an ongoing basis, and continuously refining learning objectives.
The teacher candidate will promote the learning and growth of all students through instructional practices that establish high expectations, create a safe and effective classroom environment, demonstrate cultural proficiency, and knowledge about language challenges in academic settings.
The teacher candidate will promote the learning and growth of all students through ethical, culturally proficient, skilled, and collaborative practice.
The teacher candidate will be fully competent in writing the appropriate sections of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and as a participant in associated meetings.
The teacher candidate will learn to engage parents in the planning and generalization of their child’s educational program.
The teacher candidate will demonstrate an inquiry stance by collecting and reporting data on pupil outcomes for the purpose of assessing, teaching, and modifying instructional practice.
The teacher candidate will identify policies and practices that contribute to systemic inequities in education and be aware of how his or her own background experiences are influenced by these systems, and recognizes a professional responsibility to promote and practice principles of social justice teaching.
Student Teaching
Professional experiences are composed of 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.
You are guided by a qualified school-based mentor and a university-based mentor
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.
Accreditation
We are an approved teacher preparation program by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Application & Deadlines
A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required, however, this fee is waived for select applicants.
Deadlines
Fall
Spring
Summer
Resume
To be uploaded to your online Application Form.
In addition to your academic history and relevant 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 Form.
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
Identification of recommenders/instructions to recommenders are outlined in the online Application Form.
Two letters of recommendation are required with at least one required from an academic source. Applicants may submit one additional recommendation of their choice.
Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in lieu of official transcripts for the application review process. In the event that one is admitted into a program and enrolls, our office will need official transcripts prior to course registration. To expedite application processing times, our office encourages you to send unofficial transcripts electronically to our email address at GSOE@BC.EDU. Please note that unofficial transcripts must include all of the following items:
- Course titles and grades for each course
- Year and entry term for each of the courses listed
- Translated into English by certified translation agent (if not already in English)
- Original and translated transcripts must be provided
If you are able to secure official transcripts, please note the following:
- An official postsecondary transcript must be printed on official institutional paper and include at least one of the following: an institutional watermark, the registrar’s signature, or the registrar's seal.
- Copies and unofficial transcripts sent directly from applicants are not acceptable, the transcript must come directly from the institution.
- If you are a current student and have not completed your undergraduate and/or graduate degree, the most updated version of your transcript is acceptable.
Official electronic transcripts are accepted when sent directly to gsoe@bc.edu from the institution. When requesting electronic transcripts, you must manually type in gsoe@bc.edu to ensure it is received by our office.
Mailed transcript(s) should be sent to the following address:
Lynch Office of Graduate Admissions, Boston College
Campion Hall 135
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Standardized Tests
Submitting GRE test scores is optional and not required for 2022 entry term(s). If you wish to send GRE scores, the Lynch School GRE code is 3218.
Writing Sample
Not required.
International Students
International applicants are encouraged to apply to the Lynch School of Education and Human Development.