Education: M.S. in Special Education
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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
SPED 500 |
Special Education Law and Service Delivery |
3 |
RED 530 |
Reading Disabilities and Diagnosis |
3 |
SPED 536 |
Cognitive Assessment and Remediation |
3 |
SPED 523 |
Programming for the At-Risk Infant/Preschool Child |
3 |
SPED 522 |
Career Education for Students with Disabilities |
3 |
RED 533 |
Remedial Techniques |
3 |
EDUC 520 |
Universal Design for Learning |
3 |
SPED 519 |
Practicum |
3 |
II. Professional Education and Core Courses
EDUC 501 |
Research Theory |
3 |
EDUC 554 |
Learning Theories |
3 |
SPED 555 |
Professional Contribution |
0 |