The program is open to matriculated degree candidates. Candidates are accepted once a year for the Fall term. Applications are due by April 15th and application review (with all documentation submitted on time) begins at that time. Candidates will be notified via email of acceptances within 6-8 weeks of the admissions deadline.

You can apply to the program only online in Apply Yourself.

For inquiries regarding admissions, prospective students and applicants are encouraged to reach out to Graduate Admissions via the Chatbot:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Lehman College, CUNY
Shuster Hall, Room 158
250 Bedford Park Blvd. West
Bronx, New York 10468
Telephone: 718-960-8777
Email: graduate.admissions@lehman.cuny.edu
Connect With Graduate Admissions

All programs have the following admission requirements:

1. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

2. A minimum undergraduate grade average of 3.0.

3. Two letters of recommendation.

4. Prompt: Write a 3-page essay (one page per question) that includes references/citations something you have read in the newspapers/literature/journals. Choose 3 of the 4 questions listed below:

a) What motivates you to become a special education teacher? (Include your academic and personal skills and interests and how your career and college experiences have prepared you and discuss any anomalies in your undergraduate record.)

b) As a special education teacher, how will you use your leadership skills in order to promote positive student outcomes and collaboration among stakeholders. What are those leadership skills and what specific ways will you promote positive student outcomes and collaboration?

c) As a special education teacher, how will you advocate for your students and their families? What specific ideas do you have for advocacy, including your philosophy of inclusion and differentiation in the classroom?

d) As a special education teacher, how will you promote cultural competency and linguistic diversity within your classroom environment, including specific ideas for incorporating cultural competency within your curriculum?

Admission Requirements to the 36-Credit M.S.Ed. Program in Early Childhood or Childhood Special Education

Admission requirements for applicants who already possess New York State certification: A Special Education concentration at the same developmental level as their earned Initial/Professional NYS Teaching Certificate.

Admission Requirements to the 36-Credit M.S.Ed. Program in Students with Disabilities Grade 7-12 Generalist

An Initial or Professional New York State Certificate in teaching in a content area at the grades 7-12 level, or 6 semester hours at the graduate or undergraduate levels in each of the following subject areas: mathematics, English language arts, social studies, and science. Students who do not meet this admission requirement may be advised to take additional coursework as co-requisites to the program to remediate any academic deficiencies.

Admission Requirements to the 48-Credit Dual Certification M.S.Ed. Program in Early Childhood Special Education and Early Childhood Education or Childhood Special Education and Childhood Education for applicants who do not possess New York State certification:

Participation in an interview.

Admission Requirements to the 42-Credit Certification Program in Bilingual Early Childhood or Childhood Special Education for applicants who already possess New York State certification:

An Initial or Professional New York State Certificate in teaching at the Early Childhood or Childhood developmental level.

A passing score on NYS Bilingual Assessment Examination (BEA). At this time Spanish will be the only language accepted.

Admission Requirements to the 48-Credit Dual Certification M.S.Ed. Program in Bilingual Early Childhood or Childhood Special Education and Bilingual Early Childhood Education or Childhood Education for applicants who do not possess New York State certification:

A passing score on NYS Bilingual Assessment Examination (BEA). At this time, Spanish will be the only language accepted.

Lehman has several options of study available in Special Education:

For entering students who have already earned an Initial Teaching Certificate from New York State at either the Early Childhood, Childhood, or Adolescent developmental level, concentrations are available in Early Childhood Special Education, Childhood Special Education, Students with Disabilities 7-12 Generalist (Adolescent Special Education), Bilingual Early Childhood Special Education, and Bilingual Childhood Special Education.

For entering students who have had no prior training in education, a Dual Certification Program in Special Education and General Education is available at both the Early Childhood and the Childhood levels, as well as the bilingual extension. Students will be required to take twelve additional credits (to be identified in consultation with a special education adviser) in addition to the 36 credits of the special education Master’s degree and/or the additional credits required for the bilingual extension.

Students who have had no prior training in education at the grades 7-12 level and are interested in pursuing a generalist certificate, which would allow them to teach in supportive roles such as consultant teachers, resource room service providers, and integrated co-teachers, may enroll in the Students with Disabilities 7-12 Generalist program, contingent on meeting New York State teacher certification prerequisites.

The Early Childhood Special Education, Childhood Special Education, Students with Disabilities 7-12 Generalist (Adolescent Special Education), Bilingual Early Childhood Special Education, and Bilingual Childhood Special Education Programs are structured non-categorically (not by anyone specific disability condition), and require students to enroll in the program that corresponds to the developmental level of their Initial Teaching Certificate or the developmental level at which they intend to teach. Fieldwork, supervised practica teaching, and student teaching in both inclusive and specialized settings are integral to the programs.

Upon completion of one of the five Special Education programs, candidates will qualify for an Initial or a Professional Teaching Certificate in Teaching Students with Disabilities at a specific developmental level, a Master's degree in Special Education or Bilingual Special Education at a specific developmental level, and a Professional Teaching Certificate in the area of the Initial Teaching Certificate earned.

To apply for Initial certification, you will set up a TEACH NY account using the TEACH Online Services.

Once you have completed the program, all required workshops, and all certification exams, you are eligible for certification as a New York State special educator.

Contact teacher.education@lehman.cuny.edu in the Dean’s office of the Lehman College School of Education to recommend you to the Department of Education.

The Graduate Studies Office, Shuster Hall Room 275, is where candidates access forms and approvals to withdraw from a course, transfer of credit forms, or to have a stop removed from their registration. The Director of Graduate Studies can be contacted at 718-960–8448. Your advisor will work with you and the Director of Graduate Studies to sign the appropriate forms and monitor your coursework and credits toward graduation. If there is a HOLD on your registration, go to either the Graduate Studies Office in Shuster Hall Room 275 or go to the Registrar in Shuster Hall Room 108. You must have the HOLD removed prior to registration.

Candidates may take a leave of absence from the program by informing their advisor and the program coordinator. When you are ready to return, go to the Graduate Admissions Office (Shuster Hall – Room 150), complete a Readmission Application, and pay a maintenance of matriculation fee. This form needs to be signed by your advisor or the program coordinator and returned to the Graduate Admissions Office prior to re-enrolling. If you have been away from the program for an extended time, your readmission is contingent upon a reevaluation of your coursework and current program requirements by the Program Coordinator.

Transfer credits may occur in the first semester of the program with your advisor to review your previous transcript, grades, syllabi, and coursework samples. The decision regarding transfer credit is determined by the faculty advisor and the director of graduate studies. Coursework must be less than five years old and from an accredited program. No more than 12 credits may be transferred. If approved, you must obtain and file a Transfer of Credit form signed by your advisor with the Graduate Studies Office, Shuster Hall Room 275.

First, you must receive a letter of admission, sign into the CUNYfirst portal to access your CUNYfirst account and have your EMPL (student ID) issued. (You will need your EMPL ID for all advisement and registration.) Next, candidates meet with their faculty advisor about courses and requirements and receive permission to take classes each semester prior. These permissions are entered into the computer system by the advisor so that the student may register. Please ignore any CUNYFIRST messages regarding advising times that are not from your advisor. Check with your advisor for specific advisement dates/times. Then, candidates register online through the CUNYFIRST portal, which is one-stop student services so that you can monitor your accounts, pay, and ensure loans are credited.

You can learn how to navigate CUNYFIRST in person at Carmen Hall IT Center on the 1st floor using either set of outside stairs. You can also call them 7 days a week and most evenings at 718-960-1111. In-person is suggested for the first time to learn how to do CUNYFIRST at the IT Center. You need to pay for classes as soon as you have registered! If you are dropped for lack of payment, you will lose access to the course.

No student may register without current immunizations and vaccinations. You will be blocked from registering on CUNYFIRST if you do not have an updated file with
Health Services.

Most candidates take 2 courses per semester (6 credits). Special education courses are offered at either 4:00 pm or 6:00 pm, Mondays through Thursdays.

Summer courses are offered during both June and July (2 evenings a week for each course, from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm for either 4 or 6 weeks) and candidates may take content courses during the summer.

The Lehman College Financial Aid office in Shuster Hall is staffed with personnel to help with affordability questions and forms.

Shuster Hall Room 205, 718 960-8156
On the web at Lehman Financial Aid or Lehman Scholarships.
Or you may contact Gloria Figueroa, Lehman College Scholarship
Coordinator, at 718-960-8382 or via email at gloria.figueroa@lehman.cuny.edu.

All students must purchase a:

Taskstream Assessment

Textbooks

Parking/Transit (varies)

All candidates MUST have:

A LEHMAN student email account (xxxxx@lc.cuny.edu)

A CUNY portal account to gain access to Blackboard and program, department, division, and campus announcements

A CUNYFIRST account to access student accounts, records, and course permissions/registration.

Lehman email accounts, CUNY portal accounts, and CUNYFIRST Accounts are available free of charge for Lehman students from the Instructional Technology Center, online at the Help Desk FAQS, or by phone at 718.960.1111 and CUNYFIRST student information. The Information Technology Center is open to all students and personnel are available there to provide technical assistance.

An earned GPA of 3.0 or higher throughout the program of graduate study.

Complete a minimum of all graduate credits of study in an approved Special Education program.

A minimum GPA of 3.0 throughout the program.

Candidates are required to pass the edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessments), the Educating All Students Exam (EAS), and the Content Specialty Test (CST). Visit the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations website for the most updated information about the certification exams/requirements at http://www.nystce.nesinc.com/NY_annProgramUpdate.asp.

The Lehman library’s hours and services may be accessed from the Lehman website or by calling library information at 718.960.7766. There is a full-time Education librarian who assists students and faculty with all research-related needs in-person, over the phone, or via email.

All candidates and faculty follow the writing style of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, as done in all counseling journals and major counseling publications. In addition to publishing the Manual, the American Psychological Association has online references and a software program called APA-Style Helper 6.0. Another web-based resource is found at Purdue’s OWL Online Writing Lab. Help is available from the staff in the Lehman library and through the Lehman Instructional Services Support/Tutoring Program, located in the Old Gym Building Rm. 205. (718.960.8175). This program offers help with all writing issues in addition to APA style assistance. Candidates need to ensure that all writing done in the program avoids plagiarism, i.e., the use of others’ words or work without giving them credit (see Harvard College Writing Program).