Department of Developmental and Special Education
School of Education
About the Department
Want to be the teacher who unlocks every student’s potential?
The Department of Developmental and Special Education has two nationally accredited professional dual-certificate degree programs, which are among the few dual-certificate programs in general education and special education offered at the undergraduate level in New York City.
Our Programs
Majors/Minors
We offer a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), and a Minor in Developmental and Special Education. Graduates from these two-degree programs gain initial NY State certification to work with young children and elementary-aged students with and without disabilities. Choose the path that fits your goals:
Majors
Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Special Education, Birth to Second Grade
Become an expert in foundational development, preparing you to teach and care for infants, toddlers, and young children with special needs from birth up to second grade. Learn More
Bachelor of Arts in Childhood Special Education, Grade 1-6
Specialize in elementary education, equipping you with the tools to teach, support, and advocate for diverse learners in grades one through six in inclusive and specialized classrooms. Learn More
Minors
Minor in Early Intervention
For non-education majors, this minor provides critical skills to assess and provide effective intervention for young children with diverse developmental disabilities, significantly enhancing careers in fields like Psychology, Social Work, and counseling. Learn More
Your Career Advantage: Diverse Paths & Earning Potential
Students who graduate with one of our dual-certificate degrees in general education and special education will find that career paths can be extremely diverse. Our graduates will become certified to teach in the classroom, and many choose to become full-time lead special education teachers immediately following graduation.
Some of our graduates have used their initial certifications to catapult them onto career paths open to people who have a special education degree. These careers include:
- Special Education Classroom Teacher
Starting salary: $57,000-$70,000 - Early Childhood Special Education Classroom Teacher
Starting salary: $57,000-$70,000 - Early Intervention Specialist
Starting salary: $40,000-$80,000 - Special Education Advocate
Starting salary: $37,000-$65,000 - School Counselor
$60,000-$70,000 - Daycare Director
$41,000-$100,000 - Reading/Math Specialist
Starting salary: $57,000-$70,000 - Resource Room Teacher
Starting salary: $55,000-$75,000 - Interventionist
Starting salary: $45,000-$55,000 - Behavior/ABA Therapist
Starting salary: $52,000-$78,000 - Principal/Assistant Principal
Starting salary: $75,000-$125,000
Expert
Faculty
You’ll be trained by professors who aren’t just experts in theory—they’re experienced teachers and special education advocates who have been exactly where you want to be: in the classroom.
Our faculty specializes in both early childhood development (Birth-Grade 2) and elementary learning strategies (Grades 1-6). This means they understand the entire developmental journey of a child with special needs.