B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development: Concentration in Early Care and Education, M.A. in Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education Credential Roadmap

The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree. Students in this program pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. This program allows students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior year, reducing the number of semesters required for completion of a master’s degree.

This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult an advisor in your major program for further guidance.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterUnits
ENG 114 Writing the First Year: Finding Your Voice (A2) 1 3
GE Area A 2 3
GE Area B: Quantitative Reasoning (B4) 3 3
GE Area C 3
SF State Studies or University Elective 4 3
 Units15
Spring Semester
CAD 210 Introduction to Applied Child and Adolescent Development (Major Core, D1) 3
GE Area A 3
GE Area C 3
GE Area D: U.S. History (D2) 3
GE Area E 3
 Units15
Second Year
Summer Semester
SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 6
 Units6
Fall Semester
Early Childhood Foundations and Programs - Select One (Major Concentration): 3
Foundations in Early Childhood
Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Programs
GE Area B: Physical Science (B1) and Laboratory Science (B3) 5 3-4
GE Area C 3
SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 6
 Units15-16
Spring Semester
CAD 260 Children, Families, and Community: An Ecological Perspective (Major Core, D1, AERM, GP, SJ) 3
CAD 300 Professional Roles and Careers in Child and Adolescent Development (Major Core) 3
GE Area B: Life Science (B2) and Laboratory Science (B3) 5 3-4
GE Area F ± 3
U.S. and California Government 3
 Units15-16
Third Year
Summer Semester
SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 6
 Units6
Fall Semester
CAD 410GW Applied Developmental Science: Prenatal Through Early Childhood - GWAR (Major Core) 3
CAD 411 Applied Developmental Science: Middle Childhood through Emerging Adulthood (Major Core) 3
CAD 625 Children, Youth, and Public Policy (Major Core) 3
Special Needs - Children and Families - Select One (Major Concentration): 6 3
Introduction to Disability (UD-D, SJ)
Young Children Disabled or At Risk and Their Families (UD-D)
Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities (UD-D, SJ)
Curriculum and Methods - Select One (Major Concentration): 7 3
Curriculum and Development in Early Childhood
Innovative Early Childhood Education Curriculum (UD-D, AERM, SJ)
Early Childhood Education Curriculum: Birth to Five
 Units15
Spring Semester
Supporting Development and Learning Course - Select One (Major Concentration) 6,7,8 3
Observation and Assessment - Select One (Major Concentration): 7 3
Assessment and Observation with Children
Classroom Assessment and Evaluation for Young Children
Elective - Select One (Major Concentration) 9 3
GE Area UD-B: Upper-Division Physical and/or Life Sciences 10 3
GE Area UD-C: Upper-Division Arts and/or Humanities 10 3
 Units15
Fourth Year
Summer Semester
SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two 6
 Units6
Fall Semester
CAD 500 Research Methods in Child and Adolescent Development (Major Core) 3
ISED 797 Seminar in Educational Research (Graduate Core) 3
SPED 671 Positive Behavior Support for Young Children (Credential, Graduate Elective) 11 3
SPED 788 Law, Ethics, and Instructional Planning (Credential, Graduate Core) 3
Administration/Leadership & Working with Families Course - Select One 7,12 3
 Units15
Spring Semester
CAD 660 Applied Advanced Developmental Science in Child and Adolescent Development (Major Core) 3
SPED 601 Observation and Participation in Special Education (Credential) 1-3
SPED 737 Inclusive Learning and Supports in Early Intervention (Infants & Toddlers) (Credential, Graduate Elective) 11 3
SPED 747 Physical Disabilities and Sensory Impairments (Credential, Graduate Elective) 11 3
Select One (Credential, Graduate Elective): 11 3
Nature of the Autism Spectrum
Communication, Behavior and Instructional Supports: Autism
SF State Studies or University Elective 3
 Units16-18
Fifth Year
Fall Semester
SPED 729 Student Teaching Workshop: Early Childhood Special Education (Credential) 1
SPED 730 Student Teaching: Special Education (Credential) 9
 Units10
Spring Semester
SPED 701 Education Specialist Intern Teacher Support Seminar (Credential) 3
SPED 731 Special Education Field Experience (Credential) 3
SPED 738 Inclusive Curriculum Development and Supports in Early Childhood Settings (Preschool - Kindergarten) (Credential, Graduate Related Studies) 13 3
SPED 801 Development, Diversity, and English Language Learners: Special Education (Credential, Graduate Core) 3
 Units12
Sixth Year
Fall Semester
SPED 777 Introduction to Disability, Development, and Equity for Young Children and Their Families (Credential) 3
SPED 779 Family-Centered Practices and Services for Young Children with Disabilities (Credential) 3
SPED 780 Equitable Assessment Practices for Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families (Credential) 3
SPED 885 Allyship, Leadership, and Collaboration for Young Children with Disabilities (Credential) 3
 Units12
Spring Semester
Health Education Course 14 3
Culminating Experience 15 6
 Units9
 Total Units182-186
1

ENG 114 can only be taken if you complete Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and select ENG 114; if you choose ENG 104/ENG 105 through DSP you will satisfy A2 upon successful completion of ENG 105 in the second semester; multilingual students may be advised into alternative English courses.

2

To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet the SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) requirements within your GE or major.

3

To determine the best B4 course option, students should complete the online advising activity at mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.

4

Complementary Studies
To fulfill the Complementary Studies requirement, all students completing a B.A. degree must take 12 units from courses outside of the primary prefix of their major and not cross-listed with the primary prefix for the major. This requirement is automatically fulfilled when completing a Child and Adolescent Development major.  Students may need to take additional units, however, to reach the 120 minimum units required for graduation.

5

Consider taking a class combined with a laboratory or a separate lab to fulfill B3 if not already satisfied.

6

Two upper-division SPED courses recommended: one at 300 level and one at 600 level. Select from the EC concentration:

SPED 330 Introduction to Disability (3 units) (UD-D, SJ)
SPED 370 Young Children Disabled or At Risk and Their Families (3 units) (UD-D)
SPED 620 The Science of Early Intervention (3 units) (UD-B, ES, SJ)
SPED 671 Positive Behavior Support for Young Children (3 units)
SPED 672 Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children (3 units)
SPED 675 Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities (3 units) (UD-D, SJ)

7

Elementary Education Course Policy: 30 hours observation/participation outside the classroom are required for Elementary Education courses (E ED). If a student takes more than one Elementary Education course per semester, 30 hours are the maximum total required and will cover all Elementary Education courses taken in that specific semester.

8

Supporting Development and Learning Courses

E ED 600 Advanced Issues in Child Development and Learning (3 units)

E ED 603 Understanding and Supporting Children's Socio-Emotional Development (3 units) (UD-D, AERM, SJ)
E ED 611 Transforming Infant-Toddler Education and Care (3 units)
E ED 668 Multicultural Education and Social Justice for Young Children (3 units)
SPED 620 The Science of Early Intervention (3 units) (UD-B, ES, SJ)
SPED 671 Positive Behavior Support for Young Children (3 units) (SJ)
SPED 672 Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children (3 units) (UD-D, SJ)

9

Elective
CAD 610 Early Childhood Internship Seminar (1 unit)
& CAD 611 Early Childhood Internship (2 units)
E ED 614 Science, Math, and Technology Curricular in ECE (3 units) (ES, SJ)
E ED 616 Multilingualism and Multiliteracies in the Early Years (3 units) (UD-C, AERM, GP, SJ)
MUS 601 Music for Children (3 units)

10

It is highly recommended that students attempt to fulfill upper-division GE requirements (UD-B, UD-C, and UD-D) through Concentration courses. Courses that fulfill those requirements have been marked in the respective lists.

11

Upper-Division/Graduate Courses (12 units)

Courses in Special Education that align with the professional interest and career goals of the student, selected with a faculty advisor. No more than 9 units of upper-division coursework can be counted towards the degree.

12

Administration/ Leadership & Working with Families Courses
CAD 423 Administration of Programs for Young Children (3 units)
CAD 510 Adult Supervision and Leadership in Early Childhood Programs (3 units)
E ED 604 Advanced Issues in Collaboration with Families and Communities in Early Childhood Education (3 units) (UD-D, AERM, GP, SJ)
E ED 607 Leadership and Administration in ECE (3 units)

13

Related Studies (3 units)

Selected upon approval of major faculty advisor in a program area.

14

Health Education

A list of CTC approved health education courses is available on the department website: https://sped.sfsu.edu/content/forms-0
 

15

Culminating Experience (6 units)

Students will be required to complete one of the following options for the approved culminating experience, following advancement to candidacy:

Option 1

  • SPED 896EXM Culminating Experience Examination
  • Two graduate seminars selected in consultation with an advisor. One must be outside of the student's interest area, which may include SPED 881 Advanced Research Seminar in Special Education.

Option 2

  • SPED 894 Creative Work Project in Special Education
  • One graduate seminar outside the interest area selected in consultation with an advisor, which may include SPED 881 Advanced Research Seminar in Special Education.

Option 3

±

Given catalog rights, fall 2023 transfer students do not need to complete an Area F course.