Degree Program

Master of Education in Special Education
(Online)

Degree Program

The degree of Master of Education (M.Ed.) is conferred upon a student who majors in the field of education. General minimum requirements for the degree of M.Ed. in Special Education follow:
  1. A program of 36 semester hours and no thesis.
  2. A professional portfolio
  3. A written comprehensive examination.
  4. A cumulative grade-point average of 3.00. Students who do not have a grade-point average of 3.00 upon completion of Master of Education program requirements may be allowed to submit up to six additional hours of graduate credit to accumulate a 3.00 average. Only grades of B or better in CIED course work are accepted in the degree program.

The Master of Education in Special Education requires a minimum of 36 semester hours. Nine semester hours of basic core courses are required for all M.Ed. students in three areas: Research Tools, Learning/Development Domain, and History/Philosophy Domain as follows:

  1. Research Tools (students must select one course from this category)
    ESRM 5013 Research Methods in Education
    ESRM 5393 Applied Educational Statistics
  2. Learning/Development Domain (students must select one course from this category)
    EDFD 5373 Psychological Foundations of Teaching and Learning
    EDFD 5473 Adolescent Psychology in Education
    EDFD 5573 Life-Span Human Development
  3. History/Philosophy Domain (students must select one course from this category)
    EDFD 5303 Historical Foundations of Modern Education
    EDFD 5353 Philosophy of Education
    EDFD 5323 Global Education
    EDFD 5683 Issues in Educational Policy

The additional 27 semester hours include 3 semester hours cognate and 24 semester hours in special education. Of the 24 semester hours in special education, 9 semester hours are required: a practicum, an applied behavioral management course, and a special education research course. The remaining 15 semester hours are selected with the assistance of the advisor and designed to meet the needs and goals of the individual student. The special education courses are as follows:

  • CIED 5323  Transition Planning for Persons with Disabilities
  • CIED 532v Practicum in Special Education (3 credit hours)
  • CIED 5343 Applied Classroom Management
  • CIED 5723 Teaching Persons with Mild Disabilities
  • CIED 5733 Inclusive Practices for Diverse Populations
  • CIED 5743 Teaching Persons with Physical and Health Disabilities (OHI)
  • CIED 5753 Nature and Needs of Persons with Severe Emotional Disorders (SED)
  • CIED 576v Teaching Persons with Severe Disabilities (3 credit hours)
  • CIED 5783 Professional and Family Partnerships
  • CIED 5873 Assessment of Exceptional Children
  • CIED 5883 Research in Special Education
  • CIED 6433 Legal Aspects of Special Education
  • CIED 6803 Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • CIED 6813 Assessment of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • CIED 6823 Instructional Methods for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • CIED 6833 Practicum in ASD

Students who enter a graduate program may transfer up to six hours of previous graduate level course work with approval of the program faculty. Students who enter the graduate program must complete all program requirements within six years of admission to the program. For students who have been admitted to both the degree program and the licensure program, courses taken to meet the requirements of one may also be used to meet the requirements of the other.