Help meet the rising demand for dual-certified secondary school educators who can address the needs of students with disabilities and other learning challenges. Learn pedagogical strategies; advance your knowledge of social studies, history, and special education; and gain classroom experience through student teaching placements in New York City schools.
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Degree Details
Official Degree Title
Master of Arts in Teaching Social Studies and Teaching Students with Disabilities, Grades 7–12, Initial Certification
Professional Licensure or Certification
Format
Full-time or Part-time
Credits
41
Start Date
Summer
Application Deadline
You’ll combine content courses with general and specialized core pedagogy classes to help you develop the skills to work with a wide range of diverse students. You’ll study:
- US and world history
- Teaching methods for social studies
- Teaching methods and approaches to individualizing instruction for students identified with disabilities or other learning challenges
- Educational technologies
- Language and literacy acquisition and development
- The psychological and educational assessments of students with disabilities
- How to design an effective curriculum in history for all types of learners
- How to advocate for students' needs and educational rights
- Effective classroom management for all students
- How to work collaboratively with parents
You'll be prepared to teach grades 7–12 and, if you choose, grades 5–6 in New York State, working both with students who do not have special needs and with those who have a variety of learning challenges, including:
- Autism
- Attention difficulties
- Learning disabilities
- Emotional and behavioral disabilities
Hands-On Learning
You’ll complete two semesters of student teaching at New York City schools, in special and inclusive settings for students with disabilities, as well as in middle and high school social studies classrooms. Cooperating teachers and NYU faculty will offer feedback as you refine your teaching techniques.
Across the country, schools are experiencing a consistent shortage of special education teachers – particularly those with content-area expertise needed from high school teachers. You’ll graduate from this program eligible for dual certification in New York State in Social Studies and Special Education for grades 7–12, with an option to pursue a certificate extension to also teach grades 5–6. You’ll be sought after by employers for your ability to teach students of all backgrounds, with and without learning challenges like autism, dyslexia, and attention difficulties.
Learn more about teacher certification and our degree's accreditation.
Questions
If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact program directors Mark Alter at mark.alter@nyu.edu for Special Education and Diana Turk at diana.turk@nyu.edu for Social Studies.