VIDBE-Q 2026 Volume 71 Issue 3
working as both a TSVI and a COMS, students that complete one of these
programs are able to take advantage of an express re-enrollment process that
enables them to immediately begin working on completing the second certification.
As a result of this opportunity for expedited re-admission, many students from both
the O&M and VI Programs are able to obtain both a TSVI and COMS credential
without having to take a break from their studies. For those who wish to take their
studies in the field of visual impairment even further, both the VI and O&M
Programs at San Francisco State University offer additional research courses that
enable students to earn a master's degree while simultaneously completing their
internship or student teaching requirements in the final semester of the certification
program. In addition, the SFSU Graduate College of Education maintains a joint
doctoral program in collaboration with the University of California Berkeley for
those students that are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Special Education with an
emphasis in Visual Impairment.
One of the hallmarks of the SFSU VI Program through the years has been its
involvement and partnerships with the Blind and Low Vision communities and
organizations in Northern California. Perhaps one of the best examples of this type
of community cooperation can be found each February when the SFSU VI
Program collaborates with the California School for the Blind, San Francisco
LightHouse Little Learners Program and California DeafBlind Services to host the
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