Overview
Buffalo State’s Exceptional Education Department was one of the first programs in the country dedicated to training teachers for students with disabilities.
The college's first cohort of exceptional education teachers graduated in 1953 when the field was relatively new. Since then, the role of the special educator has grown and evolved as has the need for highly skilled exceptional education teachers.
Today, Buffalo State's Exceptional Education Department is nationally recognized for providing undergraduates and graduates with the skills, knowledge, and competencies identified in professional, accreditation, and state standards.
Our Mission
The mission of the Exceptional Education Department is to prepare teachers, scholars, and action researchers as exemplary leaders, and to advance the profession of special education through the science and art of teaching, learning, and collaborating.
Our graduates will contribute to the community by serving the needs of persons with disabilities and by broadening the general populations’ understanding and appreciation of individuals with disabilities.
Our Standards
Buffalo State College is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
The accreditation decision indicates that Buffalo State meets the rigorous standards set forth by the professional education community.
Our Stories
Christine Garas, Class of 2020
“With my degree, I’ll be able to work anywhere from a regular classroom to a self-contained one. Friends who are studying education at other schools don’t necessarily have that option.”
