Special Education

Special Education is a high-demand area of education that uses specialized instructional methods, materials, learning aids, and equipment to meet the educational needs of children with special needs.
Do you have an interest in working with children with special needs?
Would you like to better understand these students?

The Special Education program is fully online (with just a school-based internship) to accommodate this specialized training within your daily schedule.

The major in Special Education is not a stand-alone certification.  Due to the changes in certification requirements from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), the following certificate holders may enroll in:

Special Education PreK-8 program:

• N-3
• K-6
• Pre K-4
• Grades 4-8
• K-12
• Reading Specialist

Special Education 7-12 program:

• 7-12
• K-12
• Reading Specialist

If you do not currently hold teacher certification, you can become certified to teach Special Ed as part of a dual-certification program.  Check out Marywood University’s Master of Arts in Teaching Degree programs for Early Childhood Pk-4 or Secondary/K-12.

Master of Science in Special Education

 (With certification in Special Education Pk-8 or 7-12, building on a previous certification not in special education)

30 semester hours

The following course sequence is suggested, but your individual academic preparation and professional experiences may permit variations. The assumption is that candidates seeking this degree already have core education courses including math and reading methods. Candidates not meeting this requirement may be required to take additional coursework.

I. Concentration

II. Professional Education and Core Courses