Special Education Graduate Programs

Do you want to become a special education teacher—or deepen your ability to support learners with diverse strengths and needs in inclusive classrooms? At Bank Street Graduate School of Education, special education begins with a deep commitment to equity and a belief in every learner’s capacity to grow, participate, and thrive.

Rooted in Bank Street’s developmental-interaction approach, our programs prepare educators to work with children across a range of ages and learning contexts. You’ll develop a deep understanding of learning differences and disability while learning to design responsive, differentiated environments that support each student’s academic, social, and emotional development. Through integrated coursework and supervised fieldwork, you will build the skills to provide individualized instruction and create inclusive learning communities where all students belong.

Join our collaborative and supportive educational community today and earn your teaching credentials from an institution that potential employers know and respect.

What Program Is Right for You?

Online Programs

In these newly redesigned online programs, you will join a collaborative cohort of graduate students while preparing to teach students with disabilities, developing your knowledge of relationship-based and inclusive teaching practices that will help children build a healthy foundation for social, emotional, and cognitive learning that will serve them throughout their lives.

Early Childhood Special Education (Birth–Grade 2) —MSEd

Early Childhood Special Education Advanced Certificate (Birth–Grade 2) —Non-Degree

Elementary (Childhood) Special Education (Grades 1–6)–MSEd

Elementary Special and General Education Dual Certification (Grades 1–6) –MSEd

Bank Street Graduate School of Education Admissions is here to answer your questions



Elementary Education

Prepare to teach students with disabilities in elementary school settings, with a focus on academic learning, inclusion, and differentiated instruction. These programs equip you to design accessible curriculum, support diverse learners, and collaborate with families and school teams to ensure every child can succeed.

Elementary (Childhood) Special Education (Grades 1–6)—MSEd

Elementary (Childhood) Special and General Education Dual Certification (Grades 1–6)—MSEd

Elementary Special and General Education Dual Certification (Grades 1–6) –MSEd

Student teacher working with a student in the library at Bank Street


Infant and Family Development and Early Intervention

Prepare to support infants and toddlers with diverse developmental profiles and the families who care for them. These programs emphasize responsive, family-centered approaches that nurture development and build on everyday interactions and relationships.

Infant and Family Development and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special and General Education (Birth–Grade 2)—MSEd

Infant and Family Development and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (Birth–Grade 2)—MSEd, EdM


Dual Language/Bilingual

Prepare to work with emergent bilingual students with a range of learning profiles in inclusive classrooms. Offered in Spanish and Mandarin, these programs equip you to support students’ academic, linguistic, and social-emotional growth through culturally responsive and strengths-based practices.

Dual Language / Bilingual Elementary (Childhood) General Education (Grades 1–6)—MSEd

Dual Language / Bilingual Elementary (Childhood) Special Education (Gradues 1–6)—MSEd

Dual Language / Bilingual Elementary (Childhood) Special and General Education (Grades 1–6)—MSEd

Dual language educators in Bank Street's master's degree programs help emergent language learners


Create Your Own Program

Design an individualized course of study in elementary education that is tailored to your own interests and career goals, including work in advocacy, educational policy, curriculum development, and other areas of the field.

Studies in Education—MSEd, EdM

Bank Street's master's degree programs allow students to individualize their program of study


Choosing Bank Street

At Bank Street, we believe that creating inclusive learning environments begins with preparing thoughtful, responsive educators. In our Special Education programs, you will:

  • Build a strong foundation in learning differences and disability, and learn to apply research-based, inclusive teaching practices across a range of classroom settings
  • Develop strong observation and assessment skills to understand each learner’s strengths, needs, and progress
  • Design and adapt curriculum to provide differentiated, individualized instruction that supports meaningful participation for all students
  • Learn to create inclusive environments that support learning through engagement, interaction, and multiple pathways to understanding
  • Strengthen your ability to support students’ growth in literacy, mathematics, and critical thinking through accessible and responsive teaching
  • Prepare to work collaboratively with families, educators, and related service providers to support student success

What sets the Bank Street experience apart is its deeply relational and individualized approach to teacher preparation. Small, collaborative classes emphasize dialogue and reflection, while dedicated faculty and advisors provide ongoing mentorship. Through weekly conference groups and sustained advisement, students engage in continuous cycles of observation, teaching, and reflection—building both practical skill and professional confidence. Graduates leave not only prepared to lead inclusive, equitable classrooms, but also connected to a lifelong professional network committed to advancing education.


Why Bank Street?

All Children Benefit

Bank Street believes that teaching is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Our graduates understand and value every child and are able to individualize instruction to meet learners at their own unique pace. 

Prepared for the Long Run

Bank Street is proud that 87% of its graduates remain in the field of education and 87% feel more confident in their specialty than comparison professionals.

A National Reputation

Our graduates are highly regarded by schools, educational organizations, and other places of learning across the country. A degree from Bank Street is a transformative investment in your values and ambitions, helping you stand out as a forward-thinking educator and leader who is confident, well-prepared, and ready to thrive. 


Rachael Beseda
Meet our alumni
I do my best work when I focus on the strengths of students, staff, and parents. I won’t lie, my first few years of teaching were hard, but Bank Street prepared me to take on the challenge. In the dual general and special education program, classes are small and the approach is progressive. It fit who I am perfectly.
Rachael Beseda - Childhood Special and General Education '12
Meet Rachael Meet Our Alumni