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Academic Programs

Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification (On Campus or Online)

MSEd

  • Program Overview

    You will discover creative ways to help young children learn and grow in the Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification Program.

    In this dual certification program you will become well grounded in child development and its variation. This program will support your understanding that learning develops through play, social interaction, and sensory experiences. You will learn to implement strategies based in current research of inclusive practices.

    • Learn to carefully observe children and use that knowledge to guide and inform your teaching.
    • Engage all young children in play, learning and interaction.
    • Develop skill in engaging with young children of varying development and need in meaningful ways.

    This program is for you if:

    • You are seeking your first teaching certification.
    • You want to work with children birth through grade two in general, inclusion, and/or special education settings.

    This program culminates in a Master of Science in Education and requires 48 credits. This program is offered either on campus or fully online.

    This program is open to international applicants.

    Two graduate students playing with math manipulatives

  • Admissions & Tuition

    This program has options to begin in the fall, spring, and summer.

    The summer and fall applications are currently open.

    Students may apply for either the online or on campus options, and once selected, must remain in that modality until the completion of the program. Due to the cohort nature of the online program, students are not permitted to transfer into the online program once they have begun coursework in an on campus program.

    Application Deadlines

    • Applications are reviewed in rounds to ensure you receive a timely decision.
    • You will have five business days after the application deadlines to finish providing any missing required materials. Incomplete applications will be moved to the next round for consideration.
    • In some cases, applications submitted after the final deadline will be reviewed on a space available basis.
    • We strongly encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. This guarantees the most timely admissions decision and the broadest consideration for scholarships and financial aid.

    Summer 1 & Summer 2 (On Campus) | Summer Long (Online)

    Round Application Deadline Materials Deadline Decision Release
    1 January 2, 2026 January 7, 2026 February 4, 2026
    2 February 1, 2026 February 6, 2026 March 2, 2026
    3 March 1, 2026 March 6, 2026 April 2, 2026

    Fall (On Campus and Online)

    Round Application Deadline Materials Deadline Decision Release
    1 February 1, 2026 February 6, 2026 March 2, 2026
    2 March 1, 2026 March 6, 2026 April 2, 2026
    3 April 1, 2026 April 6, 2026 May 4, 2026

    Admissions Criteria

    No prior teaching certification is necessary for this program.

    Please review How to Apply for full details on the application process, admissions criteria, and application requirements.

    Tuition

    At Bank Street, tuition is charged per credit. The Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification program requires 48 credits for completion. Read more on our Tuition page

    Financial Aid

    The majority of Bank Street students receive some type of financial aid. We strongly recommend applying early and submitting your FAFSA at the time you apply for the broadest consideration for scholarships and financial aid. Read more on our Financial Aid page

    Technology Requirements

    For students enrolling in the program online, you must secure access to the following required technology for all online courses:

    • A personal computer with:
      • Broadband Internet access
      • Speakers, microphone, and camera
      • Headphones, if participating from a public or shared space
      • An updated version of the Chrome or Firefox browser and a free Zoom account
    • For Supervised Fieldwork: A recording device (such as a smartphone, laptop, iPad, or camcorder) suitable for use in classrooms

    These are required components of your program. It is your responsibility to ensure you have access to each item on this list. Bank Street does not provide or lend access to these devices and platforms.

  • Curriculum & Courses

  • Supervised Fieldwork

    Central to a Bank Street education is the integration of coursework and field experiences as you engage and educate children based on a solid grounding in what makes children tick. You will:

    • Participate in a weekly collaborative conference group with your advisor and 5-7 other graduate students. You will have an opportunity to engage in ongoing in-depth conversations about teaching and learning.
    • Benefit from individual meetings with your advisor twice each month.
    • Attend periodic three-way meetings with your Bank Street advisor and with the cooperating teacher.

    There are three ways students work in classroom settings: as a student teacher (3 days each week), as a full-time assistant, or as a head teacher.

    • Student teachers complete three placements in pre-k, kindergarten, and grades 1 or 2, and across general education, inclusive, and special education settings.
    • Working teachers and assistants (in approved settings) may use their own classrooms for their fieldwork setting. These students will gain additional experience through placement in a summer supervised fieldwork/ advisement during a July (summer 2) term.
  • Certification & Careers

    Certification

    When you successfully complete the program, you will receive a master’s degree and will be eligible for New York State certification in Early Childhood Education, Birth – Grade 2 and Students with Disabilities, Birth – Grade 2, provided you complete all other State certification requirements. Read more on our Certification page

    Careers

    After graduation, students pursue a range of career opportunities including:

    • Teaching in early childhood general education, special education, or inclusion classrooms in public, charter or independent schools.
    • Working as an early-interventionist in social service or education-based agencies, as well as in hospitals or daycare settings.
    • Working one-on-one as a Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) in home and classroom and daycare settings.

    Students at Bank Street have full access to our robust Career Services, including the CareerConnect job site, opportunities to attend job fairs and workshops, and connections to our alumni network nationwide.

  • Faculty

Meet our alumni
I feel it is very important to bring to light all of the diversity in New York City, and Bank Street has been instrumental in inspiring the curriculum that we use in our program.
Misha Paskar - Early Childhood General and Special Education '13
Meet Misha Meet Our Alumni
Meet our alumni
The community at Bank Street, as well as knowing there’s such a wealth of resources here in New York City, has been incredibly important in taking me as far as I have been.
Sierra Van Ryck deGroot - Learning and Engagement in Museums and Cultural Institutions '17
Meet Sierra Meet Our Alumni
Grad student working on a computer

Complete Our Early Childhood Special and General Education Program Online!

Our 100% online courses provide the flexibility you need to balance work and school. Sustained on-site experiences supported by core faculty supervision and close collaboration with peers connect theories learned in online courses to practice in real-world classroom settings.

This powerful combination of online learning and hands-on application allows you to develop the tools to truly engage children, providing a learning experience that pushes boundaries and positively impacts students, families, and their communities.