MEd in Special Education

The online Master of Education in Special Education prepares you to become a highly competent teaching professional— deeply knowledgeable in a range of disciplines related to the needs of children with disabilities, highly skilled in instruction, and proficient in sensitively collaborating with families and other educational specialists in learning systems. Our program allows you to apply your skills in new directions with an advanced focus on special education, allowing for greater career advancement opportunities. Our program, however, is not designed to lead to certification; it is an advanced degree designed for those who would like to develop expertise in special education. Course objectives and desired outcomes are achieved through learning experiences that promote collegial discourse, collaborative problem solving, and reflective practice, including performance-based applications that require participants to apply specific content and competencies in professional practices.

STRENGTHS OF THIS ONLINE PROGRAM

• Convenience: The online mode of instruction allows you the convenience of self-directed study--learning from the comfort of your home or office without specific or required class or login times.
• Strong preparation in broad range of disabilities: The rigorous academic program touches on learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral issues, and intellectual disabilities, preparing you to teach effectively across the learning spectrum. Diverse training offers you the opportunity to work with a broad range of students, making you versatile in the workplace.
• Project-based learning in real-world settings: Most courses include project-based learning, in which you apply lessons learned in actual classroom settings. Guided by our experienced faculty, you will develop a deeper understanding of required competencies. Experiential learning provides you with the opportunity to learn theory and apply it to actual students.
• Research in the field: Capstone projects are required of all students in order to graduate. Collaborating with a faculty advisor over two semesters, you will complete a research project in a real-world classroom setting.

ONLINE PROGRAM SPECIFICS

Our online Master of Education in Special Education consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours completed in a 2-year sequence. Each of the course offerings is designed to maximize individual engagement through relevant, interactive, and collaborative instruction. (Students who do not have an educational background or who have not taken an introductory special education course will take EDH 510: Theoretical Foundations of Children and Adults with Special needs concurrently with their first course in the program.) The program of study is a cohesive framework of courses well grounded in important theoretical studies; a progressive sequence of field-based/experiential learning opportunities to allow for the application of such theoretical models in the school environment; and an integrated research requirement that serves the program’s capstone experiences.