Special Education - M. Ed.

Special Education - M. Ed.

The Master of Education degree in Special Education provides students with advanced understanding of contemporary research and practice issues in special education. Students in the program are typically interested in pursuing enhanced professional competence, career advancement, leadership roles, advocacy and systems change; or they may be wanting to prepare for doctoral-level study. Students do not need to have an undergraduate degree in special education (or in education) to be successful in the master's degree; however, should be motivated to develop a deeper understanding of the field of special education.

The Special Education major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Deaf Education concentration focuses on needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• The Early Childhood Intervention Specialist concentration focuses on needs of young children with or at risk for developmental delays or disabilities, birth to grade 5 (birth to age 10) and their families.
• The General Special Education concentration provides a broad focus on special education across all ages and types of student needs. Students work with a graduate adviser to develop a personalized plan of study.
• The Mild/Moderate Educational Needs concentration focuses on needs of students with mild to moderate educational needs who most often participate in the general education academic curriculum with special education supports.
• The Moderate/Intensive Educational Needs concentration focuses on students with moderate to intensive educational needs who most often require modifications to the general academic curriculum and/or other extensive special education supports.
• The Pre-Kindergarten Special Needs concentration focuses on the needs of preschool children with or at risk for developmental delays or disabilities
• The Transition to Work concentration focuses on needs of students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood.

Major requirements

• Contemporary Issues in Special Education
• Legal and Policy Foundations of Special Education
• Research Applications in Special Education

Multidisciplinary Electives, choose from the following:

• Orientation and Ethics: Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
• Ethics in Professional Practice
• Statistics I for Educational Services
• Program Evaluation
• Introduction to Deaf Studies
• Pharmacological Interventions in Special Education
• Foundations in Early Childhood Services
• Consultation in the Helping Professions

Deaf Education Concentration Requirements

• Statistics I for Educational Services

Early Childhood Intervention Specialist Concentration Requirements

• Single Subject Research Methods

General Special Education Concentration Requirements

• Single Subject Research Methods

Mild/Moderate Educational Needs Concentration Requirements

• Single Subject Research Methods

Moderate/Intensive Educational Needs Concentration Requirements

• Single Subject Research Methods

Pre-Kindergarten Special Needs Concentration Requirements

• Urriculum and Intervention in Early Childhood Services or Early Childhood
• Intervention Methods
• Family and Professional Collaboration in Early Childhood
• Practical Applications:birth to Five
• Typical and Atypical Development in Young Children
• Foundations in Early Childhood Services
• Assessment and Evaluation of Early Childhood Services
• Advanced Practicum
• Developing an Individualized Family Service Plan and Individualized Education Program

Accreditation

The Deaf concentration is accredited by the Council of Education of the Deaf.

Graduates of the program will be able to:

1. Develop advanced skills in designing, implementing and evaluating research-based practices that meet the special education needs of learners with disabilities.
2. Understand the conceptual underpinnings of special education, as well as policies that guide its implementation in school and community settings.
3. Analyze contemporary issues surrounding special education and the impact of exceptionality on individuals and their families.
4. Understand the roles that research plays in special education theory.
5. Demonstrate mastery of special education content within a particular specialization (e.g., transition-to work, mild/moderate, deaf education).

Fully offered on the following campuses:

• Online (General Special Education concentration only)
• Kent Campus