Special Education, Preschool Disabled Students Concentration, M.Ed.

Lesley Craig-Unkefer, Program Director
(615) 898-2687
Lesley.Craig-Unkefer@mtsu.edu

The Department of Elementary and Special Education offers the Master of Education degree with a major in Special Education and concentrations in Mildly/Moderately Disabled Students, Preschool Disabled Students, and Severely/Profoundly Disabled Students.

Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the Master of Education program must have an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher or a minimum of twelve hours in special education at the graduate level with a GPA of 3.00 or higher.

Applicants must take the Miller Analogies Test (and obtain a minimum score of 385) or the Graduate Record Exam (obtaining scores on the Verbal and Quantitative measures that normally exceed 146 and 140 respectively [current scale] or 400 [former scale] with a total combined score that normally exceeds 286 [current scale] or 800 [former scale]).

Applicants must have a teaching license in special education, early childhood education, or elementary education for admission to the program in preschool. Candidates without the appropriate license may be admitted to the graduate program as non-degree-seeking students. Once licensure requirements are met, the candidate may reapply for admission to the program in special education. A candidate not licensed in special education may apply for a waiver to the license requirement by signing a waiver form stating that he/she wishes to receive a master’s degree in special education without a license to teach.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Applicant must

submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php);
submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT);
submit official transcripts of all previous college work.

Degree Requirements

The major in Special Education with a concentration in Preschool Disabled Students requires completion of a total of 33 hours. Candidate must successfully complete a written comprehensive examination to be taken in the last semester of coursework (may be taken no more than twice).

Curriculum: Special Education, Preschool Disabled Students

Candidate must complete 33 hours in the following course of study:

Restricted/Specialized Electives (9–15 hours)

To be selected with consent of advisor or the following if seeking licensure:

SPED 5240 - Methods and Techniques of Behavior Management 3 credit hours
SPED 5280 - Assistive Technology in Special Education 3 credit hours
SPED 6020 - Overview of Special Education 3 credit hours

Specialized Teaching Practicum (6 hours for licensure)

SPED 6920 - Laboratory Experience I 3 credit hours
SPED 6950 - Laboratory Experience II 3 credit hours

Note for Initial Licensure Students

NOTE for initial licensure students: Additional coursework may be required in math and/or reading following a detailed transcript evaluation for students seeking initial teaching licensure in special education.

Program Notes

Any course requiring admission to Teacher Education may require observations, case studies, or other time in K-6 classes.

Candidate must

file a degree plan in the College of Graduate Studies prior to completion of 21 semester hours credit;
file a Notice of Intent to Graduate form in the College of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which the student intends to graduate.