Special Education (Online), MA
Administrative Unit
This degree is administered by the Office of Graduate Studies through the faculty of Special Education, Department of Teaching and Learning, College of Education.
Objectives
The Master of Arts in Special Education prepares skilled professionals for careers as special educators in the school setting and other related disability fields. This program does not lead to certification in the state of Texas. Students seeking initial certification in special education will be required to enroll in the fast track program, complete clinical teaching, and may be required to take additional courses, as required by the state of Texas.
Admission Requirements
Regular Admission
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
- GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours
- Essay submitted and reviewed: "What skills and characteristics do you have that will make you successful in graduate school and the special education field?" (Minimum 1,000 words)
Conditional Admission
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
- GPA between 2.5-2.9 in the last 60 credit hours
- Essay submitted and reviewed: "What skills and characteristics do you have that will make you successful in graduate school and the special education field?" (Minimum 1,000 words)
- OTHER EVIDENCE: At least one of the following:
- Statement related to the circumstances surrounding your lower GPA and why you believe you are ready for graduate studies (at least one page in length)
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Two professional letters of recommendation (on letterhead and dated within the past 12 months), both should be from school administrators who have supervised your work in the classroom. If you can only secure one from such a person, the second must be a professional letter from someone who can speak to your capacity to be a special education teacher.
Program Requirements
Core Requirements
| EDUC 6305 | Research Design in Education and the Social Sciences | 3 |
Special Education Core Requirements
(Students seeking initial teaching certification will need to contact their advisor for specific course substitutions.)
| EDSP 6339 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| EDSP 6341 | Behavior Management and Social Skills | 3 |
| EDSP 6344 | Methods for Teaching Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| EDSP 6345 | Transition Programming for Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDSP 6346 | Foundation and Legal Aspects of Special Education | 3 |
| EDSP 6353 | Literacy and Language Arts for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDSP 6354 | EDSP 6354 | 3 |
| EDSP 6355 | Consultation and Collaboration | 3 |
Culminating Experiences
Total Credit Hours: 30
Autism and Developmental Disabilities (Online)
The Master of Arts in Special Education option in Autism and Developmental Disabilities prepares skilled professionals for careers which focus on autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities. Students seeking initial certification in special education will be required to enroll in the fast track program, complete clinical teaching, and may be required to take additional courses, as required by the state of Texas.
Program Requirements
Core Requirements
Special Education Core Requirements
| EDSP 6339 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| EDSP 6341 | Behavior Management and Social Skills | 3 |
| EDSP 6346 | Foundation and Legal Aspects of Special Education | 3 |
| EDSP 6353 | Literacy and Language Arts for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDSP 6354 | EDSP 6354 | 3 |
| EDSP 6355 | Consultation and Collaboration | 3 |
Autism Specification
| EDSP 6348 | Curriculum and Instruction for Autism Spectrum Disorder | 3 |
| EDSP 6349 | Autism Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| EDSP 6315 | Parent Involvement in Young Children with ASD | 3 |
| EDSP 6393 | Practicum: Autism/Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 30
Educational Diagnostician
The Master of Arts in Special Education prepares proficient and skilled professionals for careers in special education school setting and other related disability fields. Additionally, the Professional Educational Diagnostician licensure is available to students with prior teaching experience in either general or special education; however, all candidates must be certified in special education prior to exit from the program. Please note candidates must complete 9 hours of assessment coursework on campus during the second semester of study.
Program Requirements
College of Education Core Requirements
| EDUC 6304 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDUC 6305 | Research Design in Education and the Social Sciences | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
Special Education Core Requirements
| EDSP 6339 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| EDSP 6344 | Methods for Teaching Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| EDSP 6345 | Transition Programming for Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDSP 6346 | Foundation and Legal Aspects of Special Education | 3 |
| EDSP 6348 | Curriculum and Instruction for Autism Spectrum Disorder | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Additional Coursework for Professional Educational Diagnostician licensure
Total Credit Hours: 36
Extended Reality for Special Populations
The Extended reality for special populations track/University certificate in the Special Education MA program is designed to provide educators with the skills and access to extended reality resources in a focused way that will make learning accessible for students with varying abilities. To complete this track/certificate, the student must take the following courses in our Special Education program.