The School for Graduate Studies currently offers two combined degree pathways to the M.A.T. in Adolescent Special Education.

The Pathways

FOR EMPIRE STATE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS:

• B.A. or B.S. in Educational Studies to M.A.T. in Adolescent Special Education

Enrollment in the 157-credit combined program allows SUNY Empire undergraduate students to work on the Master of Arts in Teaching Adolescent Special Education while completing the bachelor’s degree. Up to 12 credits of designated master’s courses are incorporated into the bachelor’s degree program and will count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degree.

FOR UNDERGRADUATES OF SUNY COBLESKILL:

• B.S. in Applied Psychology (through SUNY Cobleskill) to M.A.T. in Adolescent Special Education

Enrollment in this combined pathway allows highly qualified, current SUNY Cobleskill students to work on a master's degree while completing their bachelor’s degree. Up to 12 credits of designated graduate courses are incorporated into the undergraduate degree program and will count toward both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.

ADMISSION for SUNY Empire Students

Admission into the combined programs is highly selective. To be considered for admission into a combined pathway, applicants must complete an undergraduate application and meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 3.2 GPA (recalculation of up to the last 60 credits earned); and
• Transferring no more than 92 credits at the time of application

In addition, to the above, to be offered official admission¹ candidates must have completed 60 or more undergraduate credits, including 24 credits in content area requirements with a C or better.

Please see the Undergraduate Admission page for a complete listing of materials required to complete an undergraduate application.

ADMISSION FOR SUNY COBLESKILL UNDERGRADUATES

Admission into the combined programs is highly selective. Matriculated SUNY Cobleskill undergraduate students may apply to a combined program through the School for Graduate Studies and will complete the graduate application² for the MAT in Adolescent Special Education. 

The applicant must have a minimum recalculated GPA of 3.2 (most recent 60 credits earned) and have completed 24 credits in Liberal arts and Sciences for State certification with a B or better.

Please see the Graduate Admission section of this catalog for a complete listing of materials required to complete a graduate application. 

¹

Candidates who have less than 60 undergraduate credits and/or still need to complete any of the content requirements can be accepted conditionally. To become officially admitted, conditional admits must maintain a 3.2 GPA and complete all of the content requirements by 108 credits at the latest. Candidates who do not meet the requirements will be dismissed from the combined pathway and allowed to complete the bachelor's portion.

²

SUNY Cobleskill applicants are not required to submit the application essay and may request a waiver code of the application fee at gradpartners@sunyempire.edu.

Curriculum

The combined pathways require 157 credits total, of which 45 are master’s credits leading to the M.A.T. in Adolescent Special Education. Students must meet all college, A.O.S. and relevant concentration guidelines as well as the liberal arts and sciences general education requirements (different than and in addition to the SUNY General Education Requirement) within the undergraduate credits as follows: 

Successful completion of a total 60 undergraduate credits:

• Of these 60 credits, 24 credits should be in liberal arts and sciences
• Successful completion of 6 credits in additional undergraduate coursework

With 60 credits in requirements, the program requires careful planning that should begin in the first term of student’s undergraduate career. Please utilize the degree planning guidelines templates provided on the certification and content area requirements page. The student and their primary mentor should consult with the Office of Teacher Education in planning an undergraduate degree program so that these requirements are met in undergraduate study and that the 12 credits of master’s courses from the MAT program are also included in the degree plan. Students must meet the graduate requirements for academic progress and minimum grade point average in their master’s level courses to remain in the combined program.

The four graduate courses that will be taken during undergraduate study are:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
SPED 6005	Introduction to History of Special Education Law	3
EDUC 6010	Middle Childhood & Adolescent Development	3
SPED 6025	Teaching & Learning Across the Contents: Methods I	3
EDUC 6015	Exceptionalities: Individualizing Learning	3

The remaining required courses of the graduate degree can be found on the MAT in Adolescent Special Education pages of this catalog.