Special Education, Mildly/Moderately 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, Severely/Profoundly Disabled Students, and Vision Disabilities.

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 or 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 which normally exceed 146 and 140 respectively [current scale] or 400 [former scale] with a total combined score which normally exceeds 286 [current scale] or 800 [former scale]).

Applicants must have a teaching license in special education for admission to the mild/moderate program. Candidates without the appropriate license may be admitted to the graduate program as non-degree-seeking students. Once licensure requirements are met, 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.shtml);
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 Master of Education in Special Education 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, Mildly/Moderately Disabled Students

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

Required Core (9 hours)

SPED 6780 - Issues in Special Education 3 credit hours
FOED 6610 - Analysis and Application of Educational Research 3 credit hours
SPED 6710 - Action Research in Special Education 3 credit hours

Concentration Courses (15 hours)

SPED 6300 - Theoretical Perspectives on High Incidence Disabilities 3 credit hours
SPED 6310 - Issues in Assessment of High Incidence Disabilities 3 credit hours
SPED 6330 - Theories of Instruction for High Incidence Disabilities 3 credit hours
SPED 6360 - Transition Education and Services for Exceptional Learners 3 credit hours
SPED 6380 - Collaborative and Consulting Skills in Special Education 3 credit hours

Restricted/Specialized Electives (9 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

(3 hours for licensure - can be waived with two years documented successful teaching in special education)

SPED 5260 - Problems in Special Education A-Z 1 to 3 credit hours (Modified)
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 after having completed 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.

Special Education Master’s—Non-Licensed

Persons who do not hold a license in special education but wish to work toward a master’s degree in mild/moderate or severe/profound special education may ask for an exception to the license prerequisite. This would allow the individual to complete a master’s degree but the degree would not lead to licensure. Persons who complete this degree will not be licensed to teach special education upon completion of the degree.