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Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification/Dual Degree with Columbia University School of Social Work

MSEd

  • Program Overview

    In this unique and comprehensive program, you can earn a master’s degrees both in education from Bank Street College, and social work from Columbia School of Social Work.

    You can earn this degree for fewer total credits than if you were to earn the degrees separately. You will discover creative ways to help young children learn and grow in the Early Childhood General and Special Education Certification Program.

    • 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.

    In this dual certification/degree 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.

    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.
    • You are also interested in earning a degree in social work.

    For more information on the program at Columbia School of Social Work, contact Cheiku Camara at cheiku.camara@columbia.edu.

    This program culminates in a Master of Science in Education, requiring 45 credits, and a Master of Social Work (with additional course requirements for the social work degree from Columbia), requiring 48–54 credits.

    This program is open to international applicants.

    Three students chatting around a laptop

  • Admissions & Tuition

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

    The summer and fall applications are currently open.

    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

    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

    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.

    In addition to meeting other admissions requirements, to be eligible for admission to the Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification/Dual Degree with Columbia University School of Social Work program you must:

    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/Dual Degree with Columbia University School of Social Work program requires 45 credits for completion at Bank Street. The Master of Social Work from Columbia requires an additional 48–54 credits, which are billed by Columbia at their current tuition rate. 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

  • Curriculum & Courses

    View the coursework for this program.

     

  • 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 grade 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 of Science in Education and a Master of Social Work, 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.
    • Working as a school social worker.
    • Working as a psycho-therapist in private practice.

    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

New York City Recognizes Bank Street Alum & Special Educator

Marissa Thornton, GSE '12

“I don’t see any of my students as unreachable or unteachable; I teach them to unlock their innate strengths through perseverance and determination.” Marissa Thornton-Samih received the high honor of being recognized as a 2020 Big Apple Teaching Fellow from the New York City Department of Education for her work teaching students with disabilities in Brooklyn’s District 23.

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