Graduate
Programs and Courses

These graduate programs and courses are offered by the Long Island, New York campus of Hofstra University.

Master of Arts

• Creative Arts Therapy
  Hofstra University's Graduate Creative Arts Therapy Program is a 53 credit master's degree that combines theoretical, clinical and studio experiences into an exciting course of study and professional growth. It is designed to prepare those candidates with competency in art to serve as members of therapeutic teams in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, schools and other therapeutic sites. The Art Therapy Program offers studies in the historical development, theories, and methods of art therapy. It provides studies in the related areas of psychology, counseling, and special education. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Joan Bloomgarden | E-mail |

• Mental Health Counseling
  The master of arts degree in Mental Health Counseling is designed to provide students with the educational preparation to qualify as a licensed mental health counselor in the state of New York. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a critical knowledge base comprised of 11 content areas (which ultimately are assessed in the licensure examination) that has been identified by the New York State Education Department in compliance with Article 163 of the Education Law which established mental health counseling as a licensed profession in New York state. As part of this 48-credit program of study, the student will engage in a two-semester supervised internship in a mental health setting. Graduates of this program will stand academically prepared to take the qualifying examination for mental health counselor licensure utilized in the state for license application. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Laurie Johnson | E-mail |

• Special Education
  Designed to provide students who enter holding an initial certificate in special education with advanced training in issues and problems of inclusion, transition, and other aspects of PreK-12 education, this 34 s.h. program prepares reflective practitioners who are able to translate experience and research literature alike into workable solutions to problems in the public schools. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. George Giuliani | E-mail |

Master of Science

• Gerontology
  This thirty-nine (39) semester hour degree program is designed to prepare graduate students to pursue careers which will help older adults make better decisions about their own lives. The education and practical skills gained through this degree program will provide students with an interdisciplinary base of knowledge and experience which will increase their effectiveness in assisting older adults. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Jeffrey Rosenfeld | E-mail |

Master of Science in Education

• Counseling
  The Counseling Program is designed to prepare counseling and development specialists for professional practice in schools, community agencies, higher education and other therapeutic settings. Our goal is to prepare multiculturally competent, scholar-practitioners committed to the facilitation of human well-being and psychosocial, educational and career development across the lifespan. The program is known for its applied orientation and has a proud history of graduating students who are skilled practitioners. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Laurie Johnson | E-mail |

• Special Education and Creative Arts Therapy
  This dual program (67-70 s.h.) is designed to prepare candidates with competencies in both art therapy and special education. Graduates will be qualified to work with individuals with disabilities as teachers in special education and as art therapists on therapeutic treatment teams in hospitals, nursing homes, day treatment centers, rehabilitation and residential settings, and other mental health facilities. Professional preparation will provide candidates with experiences in the use of art therapy in the treatment of persons with mental illness, physical disabilities, and special learning needs. Satisfactory completion of this program leads to New York State certification as a teacher in special education ( K-12). | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Joan Bloomgarden | E-mail |

• Early Childhood Special Education
  For students with New York State Certification in Early Childhood Education (birth-grade 2), or Childhood Education (grades 1-6) to become teachers of young children (birth-grade 2) with disabilities: 33-36 s.h. program. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Inclusive Early Childhood Special Education (Birth-Grade 2)
  For students with no formal course work or teaching experience in childhood, or childhood special education. The pre-service graduate program in Inclusive Elementary Special Education is designed to prepare professionals in the education of children with diverse learning needs in a variety of elementary education classroom settings. This dual graduate pre-service program leads toward the New York State Initial Certificate to teach at the childhood level (Grades 1 through 6), and the New York State Initial/Professional Certificate to teach Special Education at the Childhood developmental level (Grades 1 through 6). | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Inclusive Elementary Special Education (Grades 1 - 6)
  For students with no formal course work or teaching experience in childhood, or childhood special education. The pre-service graduate program in Inclusive Elementary Special Education is designed to prepare professionals in the education of children with diverse learning needs in a variety of elementary education classroom settings. This dual graduate pre-service program leads toward the New York State Initial Certificate to teach at the childhood level (Grades 1 through 6), and the New York State Initial/Professional Certificate to teach Special Education at the Childhood developmental level (Grades 1 through 6). | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Inclusive Secondary Special Education (Grades 7 - 12)
  For students with no formal course work or teaching experience in secondary education or special education at the adolescent developmental level. This dual graduate pre-service program leads toward the New York State Initial Certificate to teach adolescents in social students, mathematics, sciences, English or foreign languages (grades 7-12) and the New York State Initial/Professional Certificate to teach Special Education at the adolescent developmental level (grades 7-12). | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Literacy Studies (Birth-Grade 6) and Special Education (Birth-Grade 2) or (Grades 1-6)
  The Master of Science in Education in Literacy Studies and Special Education prepares students to meet the educational requirements for the new certification of 1) Teachers of Literacy, Birth through grade 6; or Teachers of Literacy; and Teacher of Students with Disabilities at the Early Childhood, Childhood, Middle Childhood and Adolescent developmental level. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Special Education and Creative Arts Therapy
  For students with New York State Certification in Childhood Education. This program leads to New York State Certification in Special Education at the childhood level with a specialization in Creative Arts Therapy. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Rehabilitation Counseling
  This forty-eight (48) semester hour Master of Science in Education degree is designed for students with a Bachelor's degree whose career goals include becoming counseling professionals. The curriculum prepares helping professionals to be rehabilitation counselors. Clinical experience is an integral component of academic study.The Rehabilitation Counseling Program provides specialization training for those who wish to receive in-depth training in (a) rehabilitation administration or (b) independent living. In these two areas, federal tuition scholarships are available to a limited number of students who qualify. Such specialization training is integrated into the M.S. in Ed. degree. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Jamie Mitus | E-mail |

• Program Evaluation
  This thirty-one (31) semester hour course in Program Evaluation is designed to prepare researchers and evaluators for positions in education, business, publishing, government and social agencies. The program combines classroom work in statistics, measurement, evaluation and research skills with applied field work in the student's areas of interest. Prospective students are expected to come from those settings where there is continuing need for evaluating ongoing progress as well as funded projects.

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Estelle Gellman | E-mail |

Certificate of Advanced Study

• School Counselor Bilingual Extension
  This 15 semester hour program provides students with an opportunity to complete the coursework specified by the New York State Education Department to obtain bilingual education extension to State Certification in the Pupil Personnel Service Area of bilingual guidance counseling. Eligible students are those who qualify as bilingual** and who are either: A) Matriculated in the school counseling track within Hofstra University's Counselor Education Program OR B) In possession of a valid New York State provisional or permanent certification in school counseling. Of the total 15 semester hour bilingual extension credits, up to 6 s.h. may be mutually satisfied by M.S. in Ed. in Counseling Education degree requirements for specifically designated courses approved by the program coordinator. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Laurie Johnson | E-mail |

• Gerontology
  The 21-semester hour certificate program is designed to meet the needs of students from varied academic and employment backgrounds who are interested in the field of aging. Prospective students may come from the field of counseling, allied health professions, sociology, business, marketing, home and interior design, creative arts therapy, etc. The certificate is offered post bachelor's degree and may be taken by students enrolled in master's degree programs who wish to have a specialty in gerontology. The students may use the certificate courses to complete the master of science in gerontology. No more than 12 s.h. may be taken on a non-matriculated basis. The certificate consists of 9 s.h. from the basic core for the M.S. in gerontology, 9 s.h. from related fields and an internship. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Jeffrey Rosenfeld | E-mail |

• Early Childhood Special Education
  This 18 semester hour program, which includes a field experience, is designed for teachers holding early childhood or special education certification who wish training in the field of early childhood special education. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Gifted Education
  The advanced certificate program for teaching students of high ability/talents is designed for teachers who hold New York State teacher certification or for students completing an education master's diploma program who seek a concentration in gifted education. This program leads to the New York State extension for gifted education for classroom teaching certificates. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Special Education Assessment and Diagnosis
  This 13-19 semester hour program prepares professional personnel to serve as educational evaluators responsible for identifying students in need of special education services. This program is intended to meet the extended professional needs of teachers certified in early childhood, childhood, middle childhood or adolescent education, special education or literacy studies. It is designed to extend skills in psychoeducational assessment of special learning needs in all students classified as disabled as well as early childhood populations; students with primary specific reading difficulties; and students from different cultural backgrounds who may be bilingual. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

• Teaching Students With Severe or Multiple Disabilities
  The Advanced Certificate for Teaching Students with Severe or Multiple Disabilities is designed for teachers who are certified in special education who wish additional pedagogical knowledge skills, and experiences for teaching students with severe or multiple disabilities in early childhood, childhood, middle childhood, or adolescence. A completion of a minimum of 16 credits leads to the New York State Annotation for Teaching Students with Severe or Multiple Disabilities. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

Professional Diploma

• Counseling
  The Professional Diploma in Counseling provides an advanced program of study for counseling practitioners who have been working as counselors in the field and wish to achieve further specialized knowledge and skills. The Professional Diploma program requires 60 credits of graduate course work in counseling (prior masters level credit may be applied/transferred where appropriate). Individual programs are developed, under advisement, in accordance with the student's career goals. Professional experience as a counseling practitioner (1 year post master's degree minimum) is required for application. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Laurie Johnson | E-mail |

• Rehabilitation Administration
  This twenty-four (24) semester hour advanced certificate program beyond the Master's degree is designed for professionals working, or who aspire to work, in management, supervision, administration and other leadership positions which specifically serve persons with disabilities. The program has two tracks: (a) The General Management Core prepares students by means of traditional business administration course work, (b) The Health Related Agency Management Core focuses student training in health administration course work. Each approach includes a Rehabilitation Administration practicum to develop managerial skills. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Jamie Mitus | E-mail |

• Special Education
  For students wishing advanced training in the special education field—31 s.h. beyond the master’s degree. The course of study seeks to strengthen the student’s grasp of the relationship between the development of programs for exceptional individuals and historical and philosophical issues in general education; broaden the student’s familiarity with educational and social services to exceptional children and adults; and deepen the student’s understanding of research needs, trends and issues in the field of special education. | more |

  Graduate Program Director: Dr. Diane Schwartz | E-mail |

Courses

• Course Information Search
  Use the prefixes CRSR (Counseling, Research, Special Edu. & Rehab.), REHB (Rehabilitation Counseling), RES (Research) and SPED (Special Education) to find the most up-to-date information about Counseling, Research, Special Edu. & Rehabilitation courses.