Collaborate with faculty and other students on important initiatives, participate in colloquia with experts from various disciplines through courses, fieldwork, and research.
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Program Overview
You will develop competencies in all categories of exceptionality, but your studies will focus in one of four track areas:
Early Childhood, to serve infants, toddlers, young children, and their families who deal with a wide range of developmental delays;
High Incidence, for those intending to become intervention specialists for children and young adults with reading and math disabilities and persistent behavior problems; or
Within the Low Incidence Program:
- Severe Disabilities, to serve students with intellectual disability, autism, multiple disabilities and other intensive support needs; and
- Visual Disabilities, to serve students with visual impairments, blindness, and deafblindness and to collaborate with teachers, school staff, and families.
Because there is a shortage of qualified special education teachers, your education may be funded through U.S. Department of Education grants.
Careers
Of Special Education job-seeking graduates, 100 percent were employed or are attending graduate school within four months of graduation.
Program Facts
Program Director: Alexandra Da Fonte
Admissions Coordinator: Kelly Limina
Admission Term: Fall
Credit Hours: 30-60
Priority Application Deadline: January 3* for fall entrance
*We will continue to accept applications after this date, but applications will be evaluated for admission and scholarships as space and funds are available.
Program Curriculum
The Special Education degree program stresses field-based learning and experience, with the opportunity to participate in supervised research. Programs of study are planned in consultation with the faculty advisor. To satisfy your degree requirements, you will take a comprehensive sit-down exam that evaluates your competence in the field of special education and complete a master's specialty area project or thesis.
Coursework
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Throughout our courses, we highlight the importance of advocating and promoting equity among students with special needs. We focus on including all students no matter their background, needs, or skills level. We do this by teaching our scholars to be strong team members and collaborators, by having high expectations while developing their professional dispositions, and by providing field experiences in high-need schools with diverse learners.
Selected Faculty Research
