Certificate in Jewish Special Education

Students with special learning needs are all too often excluded from important Jewish rites of passage and educational opportunities. To ensure that every student has access to effective Jewish education, teachers must be equipped to address multiple learning styles within a variety of educational contexts. There is a critical need for experts in Jewish special education program design and implementation, as well as for generalists with a broad repertoire of inclusive classroom teaching approaches.

The Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education offers an intensive course of instruction toward a CERTIFICATE IN JEWISH SPECIAL EDUCATION. Combining two focused, two-week institutes in consecutive summers with supervised field placements during the school year, the curriculum is designed for busy professionals who want to broaden their reach within the Jewish classroom. This 18-credit program includes course work in the areas of Jewish and general special education, and provides the knowledge and training to meet the needs of diverse learners in the Jewish community.

CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Pre- or Co-Requisite Courses

• Hebrew I and II
• Introduction to the Study of Judaism (or its equivalent)

Required Courses

• Special Education for Jewish Settings (3 credits)
• Curriculum Modification in Jewish Special Education: Diverse Teaching for Diverse Learners (3 credits)
• Development of Spoken and Written Language: Implications for Jewish Special Education (3 credits)
• Assessment in Jewish Special Education (3 credits)
• Behavioral Management in the Inclusive Classroom (3 credits)
• Supervised Fieldwork in Jewish Special Education (1 credit)

Choose 2 of the following courses with permission from the program director:

• Special Education for B'nai Mitzvah (1 credit)
• Administration and Supervision of Jewish Special Education
  (1 credit)
• Living with Special Needs—Families, Children and Schools
  (1 credit)

Elective Course

• Special Education in the Early Childhood Classroom (3 credits)

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university
• Academic records, letters of recommendation and personal essay

LENGTH OF PROGRAM
The program may be completed in a minimum of two years. Credits earned toward the CERTIFICATE IN JEWISH SPECIAL EDUCATION may be applied toward the Master of Jewish Education, by approval of the Dean of the Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education. Additional application materials will be required for admission to the master's degree program.

For more information about the CERTIFICATE IN JEWISH SPECIAL EDUCATION, please contact the Office of Admissions at 617-559-8610 or email admissions@hebrewcollege.edu.