MS in Education: Special Education

Make a Difference

The Master of Science in Education/Special Education is designed to prepare you for a career in education and related fields. The degree includes options for students with a bachelor’s degree that leads to licensure in special education in pre-school through secondary levels.

While the MS in Education/Special Education seeks to provide you with the skills, knowledge, and creativity needed for success in the classroom, community, and organizations, the specializations and certifications provide depth in a particular area of educational practice, policy, curriculum, and state-of-the-art inclusionary best practices.

Our MS in Education/Special Education offers many opportunities for you to blend theoretical information with the practical application of knowledge. It is designed to develop and improve your teaching skills in the classroom as well as to develop the skills of those who work with individuals with disabilities in community-based settings. 

Specialist in Education (EdS)

The EdS is designed to prepare you to be a competent and effective leader who will model high academic standards and assume a leadership role in the field of education. Courses provide specialized preparation in K-12 settings or university-level positions. The program requires a minimum of 36 credits beyond a master’s degree.

According to the Occupational Outlook, “the employment opportunities in special education teaching are expected to grow 21-35% through 2010, an increase of over 150,000 positions.” In 1990 the demand for special education teachers was recorded at 332,000 positions, in 2000 it was 453,000 positions, and in 2010 the projected demand for special education teachers is 611,550 positions nationally.

Program Cost:

$325.00 per credit

Program Options in Special Education

To help achieve your educational goal we developed three options in the MS in Education program:

• MS in Education or EdS with Massachusetts Initial Licensure (Requires Practicum & MTEL) This program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing Massachusetts licensure in special education.
  • Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities Levels: PreK-8 or Levels 5-12
  • Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities All Levels
• MS in Education or EdS with no Massachusetts Initial Licensure (Does not require Practicum or MTEL) This is designed for students who are interested in working with persons with special needs and are in the human service field.
• Post-baccalaureate in Special Education with Massachusetts Licensure (30 credit program; Requires Practicum & MTEL) This program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing Massachusetts licensure in special education, but who do not want a master’s degree.

The MS in Education with Licensure in Special Education will develop your ability to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of relevant subject matter knowledge in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for mathematics, science, English language arts, history, and social science.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the definitions, etiologies, and characteristics of disabling conditions.
• Articulate the theories, concepts, and methods of assessing physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of children and adolescents.
• Design and adapt curriculum, instructional materials, and classroom environments for students with special needs.
• Describe the federal and state laws pertaining to special education.
• Demonstrate ways to deliver effective instruction to learners with special needs.
• Understand and apply the principles of behavior management.
• Demonstrate knowledge and awareness of building a professional community by collaborating with colleagues to continuously improve instruction, assessment, and student achievement.
• Understand and adheres to legal and ethical issues under which education programs are designed.
  

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