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Curriculum

BS, Childhood Education and Childhood Special Education, Grades 1-6, Initial Certification

The 128-credit BS in Childhood Education and Childhood Special Education, Grades 1–6 (Initial Certification) is a dual certification program that equips you to educate children in grades 1-6 with diverse needs and abilities. It prepares prospective teachers to be decision-makers and reflective practitioners. It stands out by its commitment to working in urban schools and using the city as a core resource for learning. You’ll engage in thoughtful discussions and interactions around critical contemporary education issues, particularly developmental, linguistic, cultural, racial diversity, and educational equity. 

Core Course Sequence

This program's coursework includes courses in the NYU CORE, foundational classes in education and education policy, pedagogical content for childhood education (including literacy development, integrated arts, and mathematics and science education), and childhood special education (including learning, environments, and assessment and instruction strategies for students with disabilities). Each course in the program is tied to fieldwork or student teaching, generating rich and authentic reflections upon theory and practice.

Program Requirements

Course Title Credits
Liberal Arts Requirements
Foreign Language8
Expository Writing
EXPOS-UA 1Writing as Inquiry4
ACE-UE 110Advanced College Essay: Educ & The Professions4
Foundations of Contemporary Culture
Select one of the following:4
Cultures and Contexts
HSED-UE 1033
Global Culture Wars
Select one of the following:4
Societies & the Social Sciences
HSED-UE 1005
Introduction to US Education
INTE-UE 11
Globalization and Education
Select one of the following:4
Expressive Cultures (any CAS or Steinhardt Approved Core Expressive Cultures Course)
MPAET-UE 60
Theatre as Art Form
Foundations of Scientific Inquiry
MTHED-UE 1051Counting and Chance4
or APSTA-UE 21 Cracking the Code
SCIED-UE 21XPhysical Science and Life Science: Science in our Lives (Series)4
SCIED-UE 21XPhysical Science and Life Science: Science in our Lives (Series)4
Other Liberal Arts Requirements
MTHED-UE 1274Fundamental Concepts in Arithmetic4
Select one of the following:4
ENGED-UE 71
Lit as Exploration I
XXXX-UA
CAS Literature Course
Liberal Arts Electives
Select 12 credits of Open Liberal Arts Electives12
Additional Requirements
SAHS-UE 1New Student Seminar0
Writing Proficiency Examination
Specialization Requirements
Content Core
Liberal Arts Concentration (32 Credits):
Students will complete the Liberal Arts for Teachers concentration which will include some General Education & elective (liberal arts) requirements.
Common Pedagogical Core
TCHL-UE 1Inquiries Into Teaching & Learning I4
TCHL-UE 5Field Observ in Schools and Other Educ Settings0
TCHL-UE 1999Drug, Alcohol Ed/Child Abuse ID/School Violence/DASA:1
APSY-UE 20Human Development I2
APSY-UE 22Human Development II: Application for Childhood Educators2
SPCED-UE 83Foundations of Spec Educ3
BILED-UE 1001Bilingual Multicultural Education: Theory and Practice3
Specialized Pedagogical Core
CHDED-UE 1141Science and Health in Childhood Education3
CHDED-UE 1142Social Studies from Multicultural Perspectives in Childhood Education3
CHDED-UE 1144Integrating Children’s Literature and Technology in Childhood Education3
CHDED-UE 1145Integrated Arts in Early Childhood and Childhood Education.2
LITC-UE 1176Foundations of Literacy Development3
LITC-UE 1177Literacy for Learning3
MTHED-UE 1023Mathematics in Childhood Education I3
MTHED-UE 1024Mathematics in Childhood Education II3
SPCED-UE 1007Principles & Strategies for Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities3
SPCED-UE 1010Principles & Strategies for Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities3
SPCED-UE 1035Assessment & Intervention in Special Education3
SPCED-UE 1161Learning Environments, Behavior, and Students with Disabilities3
TESOL-UE 1204Teaching Second Language Across Content Areas3
Fieldwork and Student Teaching
SPCED-UE 1504Student Teaching in Childhood Special Education I3
CHDED-UE 1901Student Teaching in Childhood Education II3
CHDED-UE 1902Student Teaching in Childhood Education III6
SPCED-UE 1901Student Teaching in Childhood Special Education IV3
Total Credits128

Sample Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
1st Semester/TermCredits
SAHS-UE 1 New Student Seminar 0
EXPOS-UA 1
or EXPOS-UA 4
Writing as Inquiry
or International Writing Workshop I
4
HSED-UE 1005 Introduction to US Education (or any approved Steinhardt/CAS Societies & Social Sciences course) 4
SCIED-UE 2XXScience in Our Lives 4
Foreign Language 4
 Credits16
2nd Semester/Term
TCHL-UE 5 Field Observ in Schools and Other Educ Settings 0
ACE-UE 110
or EXPOS-UA 9
Advanced College Essay: Educ & The Professions
or International Writing Workshop II
4
HSED-UE 1033 Global Culture Wars (or CORE-UA 5XX, or any Steinhardt approved course) 4
APSTA-UE 21
or MTHED-UE 1051
Cracking the Code
or Counting and Chance
4
SCIED-UE 2XXScience in our Lives 4
 Credits16
3rd Semester/Term
ENGED-UE 71
or CAMS-UA 191
Lit as Exploration I
or The Literature of Children & Adolescents
4
MTHED-UE 1274 Fundamental Concepts in Arithmetic 4
SPCED-UE 83 Foundations of Spec Educ 3
TCHL-UE 1 Inquiries Into Teaching & Learning I 4
 Credits15
4th Semester/Term
APSY-UE 20 Human Development I (must take 002 section) 2
APSY-UE 22 Human Development II: Application for Childhood Educators 2
MPAET-UE 60 Theatre as Art Form (or CORE-UA 7XX, or Steinhardt approved course) 4
Foreign Language 4
XXXX-UA ---Liberal Arts Elective (or Steinhardt approved course) 4
 Credits16
5th Semester/Term
LITC-UE 1176 Foundations of Literacy Development 3
MTHED-UE 1023 Mathematics in Childhood Education I 3
SPCED-UE 1007 Principles & Strategies for Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities 3
SPCED-UE 1504 Student Teaching in Childhood Special Education I 3
TCHL-UE 1999 Drug, Alcohol Ed/Child Abuse ID/School Violence/DASA: 1
XXXX-UA ---Liberal Arts Elective (or Steinhardt approved course) 4
 Credits17
6th Semester/Term
BILED-UE 1001 Bilingual Multicultural Education: Theory and Practice 3
CHDED-UE 1141 Science and Health in Childhood Education 3
CHDED-UE 1142 Social Studies from Multicultural Perspectives in Childhood Education 3
CHDED-UE 1145 Integrated Arts in Early Childhood and Childhood Education. 2
CHDED-UE 1901 Student Teaching in Childhood Education II 3
SPCED-UE 1161 Learning Environments, Behavior, and Students with Disabilities 3
 Credits17
7th Semester/Term
CHDED-UE 1902 Student Teaching in Childhood Education III 6
LITC-UE 1177 Literacy for Learning 3
MTHED-UE 1024 Mathematics in Childhood Education II 3
SPCED-UE 1035 Assessment & Intervention in Special Education 3
 Credits15
8th Semester/Term
CHDED-UE 1144 Integrating Children’s Literature and Technology in Childhood Education 3
SPCED-UE 1010 Principles & Strategies for Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities 3
SPCED-UE 1901 Student Teaching in Childhood Special Education IV 3
TESOL-UE 1204 Teaching Second Language Across Content Areas 3
XXXX-UA ---Liberal Arts Elective (or Steinhardt approved course) 4
 Credits16
 Total Credits128

Content Core: 32 Credits
Students will complete the Liberal Arts for Teachers concentration which will include some General Education & elective (liberal arts) requirements.

Teaching and Learning majors matriculating at NYU in Fall 2014 or later are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in order to make satisfactory academic progress.

While we review all applications individually and holistically, our expectation is that all undergraduate students accepted for transfer into any of the teacher education programs at NYU Steinhardt will have at least a cumulative B average in their coursework.

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