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Career Services

Majoring in Unified Childhood/Special Ed

The Unified Childhood/Special Ed Degree

The education department offers an exciting and forward-looking unified childhood education program to prepare future educators to teach an increasingly diverse school population. Students in the childhood program are eligible for certification in both childhood and special education in grades 1-6. This dual certification provides many opportunities for employment in a variety of school and agency settings.

The hallmark of a Keuka education is the yearly, 140-hour, off-campus learning experience that is done by our students. This program allows out students to take the concepts that they are learning in the classroom and apply them in real educational settings.

Students are required to do, in addition to their student teaching experience, a minimum of two educational Field Periods, one in a regular educational setting and one in a special education setting.

Learn more about majoring in Unified Childhood/Special Ed at Keuka College.

Unified Childhood/Special Ed Internships & Field Periods

Students working toward a unified childhood/special ed degree at Keuka College must complete a 140-hour internship each year—we call this Field Period.

Here's where some of our unified childhood/special ed students have recently done their Field Periods. All of these organizations have indicated they'd be interested in hosting Keuka students in the future.

A. A. Gates Elementary School
Port Byron, N.Y.
Adventure Education Center
Worthington, Ohio
Akron Central School District
Akron, N.Y.
Albion Central School District
Albion, N.Y.
Amsterdam Central School District
Amsterdam, N.Y.
Attica Golf Club
Attica, N.Y.
Auburn City School District
Auburn, N.Y.
Auburn Correctional Facility
Auburn, N.Y.
Auburn Enlarged School District (Owasco Elementary School)
Auburn, N.Y.
Baldwinsville Central School District
Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Baltimore City Public Schools
Baltimore, Md.
Benjamin Franklin Elementary School
Binghamton, N.Y.
Bennet Park Montessori Center
Buffalo, N.Y.
Bloomfield Central School District
Bloomfield, N.Y.
BOCES of Monroe
Fairport, N.Y.
Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo
Buffalo, N.Y.
Camden Central School District
Camden, N.Y.
Camp Northwood
Remsen, N.Y.
Camp Stella Maris
Livonia, N.Y.
Campbell-Savona Central School District
Savona, N.Y.
Canandaigua Head Start
Canandaigua, N.Y.
Canandaigua School District
Canandaigua, N.Y.
Canaseraga Central School District
Canaseraga, N.Y.
Canisteo Central School District
Canisteo, N.Y.
Canisteo Elementary School
Canisteo, N.Y.
Carthage Central School District
Carthage, N.Y.
Cato-Meridian Central School District
Cato, N.Y.
City of Corning, Parks and Recreation
Corning, N.Y.
Clyde Savannah Central School Disctrict
Clyde, N.Y.
Corning City School District
Corning, N.Y.
Corning-Painted Post Area School District
Corning, N.Y.
Cortland City School District
Cortland, N.Y.
Cradle Beach Summer Camp
Angola, N.Y.
D. S. Ray Middle School
Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Eckerd Drug
Canandaigua, N.Y.
Elmira City Schools
Elmira, N.Y.
Fabius-Pompey Central School District
Fabius, N.Y.
Fairport Central School District
Fairport, N.Y.
Fassett Elementary School
Elmira, N.Y.
Fayetteville-Manlius School District
Manlius, N.Y.
Frewsburg Central School
Frewsburg, N.Y.
Gananda Central School District
Macedon, N.Y.
Geneva City School District
Geneva, N.Y.
Gorham-Middlesex Central School District
Gorham, N.Y.
Guilderland Elementary School
Guilderland, N.Y.
Hartman Hand and Occupational Therapy
Rochester, N.Y.
Herkimer Central School District
Herkimer, N.Y.
Horseheads Central School District
Horseheads, N.Y.
Jamestown City School District
Jamestown, N.Y.
Jamestown Electro-Plating Works, Inc.
Jamestown, N.Y.
Johnson City Central School District
Johnson City, N.Y.
Jordan - Elbridge Central School District
Jordan, N.Y.
Liberty ARC
Amsterdam, N.Y.
Livonia Central School District
Livonia, N.Y.
Madison-Oneida BOCES
Verona, N.Y.
Maine-Endwell Central School District
Endwell, N.Y.
Marion County School District
Ocala, Fla.
Moravia Central School District
Moravia, N.Y.
Mount Morris Central School
Mount Morris, N.Y.
Naples Central School District
Naples, N.Y.
Newark Kelly School
Newark, N.Y.
Newark Valley Central School District
Newark Valley, N.Y.
North Rose-Wolcott Central School District
Wolcott, N.Y.
Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
Northport, N.Y.
Odessa-Montour Central School District
Odessa, N.Y.
Our Lady of Bethlehem
Columbus, Ohio
Oxford Academy Primary School
Oxford, N.Y.
P. S. 257
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Penn Yan Central School District
Penn Yan, N.Y.
Phoenix Central School District
Phoenix, N.Y.
Pine Plains Central School District
Stanfordville, N.Y.
Pottsville Area School District
Pottsville, Pa.
Prattsburgh Central School
Prattsburgh, N.Y.
Red Hook Central Schools
Red Hook, N.Y.
Remsen Central School District
Remsen, N.Y.
Rome City School District
Rome, N.Y.
Rotary Sunshine Camp
Rochester, N.Y.
Rush-Henrietta Central School District
Rochester, N.Y.
Saratoga Springs City Schools
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Sauquoit Valley Central School District
Sauquoit, N.Y.
Seneca Falls Central School District
Seneca Falls, N.Y.
Severn Elementary School
Corning, N.Y.
Skoi-Yase Elementary School
Waterloo, N.Y.
Sodus Central School District
Sodus, N.Y.
Solvay Union Free School District
Solvay, N.Y.
Southwestern Elementary School
Jamestown, N.Y.
Spackenkill Union Free School District
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
St. John Christian Academy
St. John,
St. Johnsville Central School District
St. Johnsville, N.Y.
St. Michael School
Newark, N.Y.
St. Thomas Aquinas School
Binghamton, N.Y.
Summer in the City Program
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Syracuse City School District
Syracuse, N.Y.
The Scots College Prep School
Sydney,
TriniKids Preschool
East Amherst, N.Y.
Troy City School District
Troy, N.Y.
Unadilla Valley Central School
New Berlin, N.Y.
Van Buren Elementary School
Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Voorheesville Central School District
Voorheesville, N.Y.
Watertown City School District
Watertown, N.Y.
Wayne Central Schools
Ontario Center, N.Y.
Wellness G.I.F.T.S.
Bath, N.Y.
West Genesee Central School District
Camillus, N.Y.
West Irondequoit Central School District
Rochester, N.Y.
West Valley Central School
West Valley, N.Y.
Western Finger Lakes BOCES
Rushville, N.Y.
Wolcott Central School District
Wolcott, N.Y.

Unified Childhood/Special Ed Major Skills

What type of skills do Unified Childhood/Special Ed majors need to be successful? Here's a sampling.

  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Ability to work with diverse personalities
  • Creativity
  • Decision making skills
  • Enthusiasm & energy
  • Motivational skills
  • Organizational abilities
  • Problem solving
  • Program planning
  • Record-keeping skills
  • Research
  • Strong verbal
  • written & communication skills

What Can I Do with a Unified Childhood/Special Ed Degree?

With a Unified Childhood/Special Ed degree, you can find a career in the following:

  • 1st to 6th grade childhood/special education teacher
  • Adoption counselor
  • Bookstore owner
  • Camp counselor
  • Children’s book author
  • Community Orgs: Red Cross
  • Day care professional
  • Human service agency educator
  • Post secondary educational professor
  • Private school teacher
  • Special education teacher
  • Textbook editor
  • YMCA etc

Average Annual Salary

$30,330 (elementary), $33,108 (special education) National Association of Colleges and Employers, Salary Survey: 2006-2007

Field Periods in Unified Childhood/Special Ed

Tiffany Marble Tiffany Marble ’12 Unified Childhood/Special Ed Youth Ministry Intern at The Tabernacle
Andrew Cohen Andrew Cohen ’08 Unified Childhood/Special Ed Student Teacher at Oneida City Public Schools

Field Period & Internship News

See how exciting a Field Period actually is. Check out these headlines about Keuka students' recent Field Periods & internships.