Special Education (Track 1)
As a teacher, your influence is on so much more than the students in your classrooms. Knowing how to engage with families and loved ones, as well as medical and academic support personnel, is crucial to student success—especially for students with disabilities and exceptional challenges. Learn how to be the teacher, advocate, partner, and specialist these students need to help them achieve personal and professional success.
Create a School Culture of Belonging
Our goal is to graduate teacher candidates who not only understand the purpose and value of inclusive education, but know how to effectively use methods and strategies to teach elementary or middle school students with mild to moderate exceptional challenges. The curriculum addresses 4 key competencies:
- Content knowledge
- Pedagogy
- Reflection
- Inquiry
Upon program completion, graduates are eligible for initial certification as a special education generalist.
Program standards
The Special Education program and related courses align with standards set by the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC), the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and Maryland Teacher Technology Standards (MTTS).
Program Requirements
All students admitted to the M.Ed. program become teacher candidates. We assign each candidate an advisor to help plan your course schedule throughout your program journey. The program may require up to 48 credits, with potential for additional coursework required by the School of Graduate Studies.
To graduate with an M.Ed. in Special Education, students must complete various courses and practicum experiences, including:
- Prerequisites (6 credits)
- Education Foundation courses (6-9 credits)
- Core courses (12 credits)
- Methodology (15 credits)
- Clinical experiences (6 credits)
Review each table to learn more about these different types of academic requirements.
Prerequisites (6 credits)
| Course | credits | Name |
|---|---|---|
| SPED 507 | 3 | Technology of Measurement and Evaluation of the Disabled |
| SPED 587 | 3 | Teaching Exceptional Children in the Regular Classroom |
Education Foundation Courses (6-9 credits)
| Course | credits | Name |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 537 | 3 | Developmental Bases of Behavior |
| EDUC 581 | 3 | Statistics in Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| EDUC 582 | 3 | Research Methods in Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| REED 504 | 3 | Process and Acquisition of Reading Instruction |
| REED 505 | 3 | Strategies and Material of Reading Instruction |
| REED 508 | 3 | Teaching Reading and Literacy in EC and EL Grades |
| REED 603 | 3 | Diagnostic Teaching of Reading |
Core Courses (12 credits)
| Course | credits | Name |
|---|---|---|
|
SPED 501 |
3 |
Curriculum Development for Learners with Mild to Moderate Disabilities |
| SPED 502 | 3 | Learning Theory, Child Development, and Research Relevant in Special Education |
| SPED 503 | 3 | Diagnosis of Teaching Learners with Mild to Moderate Disabilities |
| SPED 662 | 3 | Communication with Parents, School Personnel, Other Professionals and the Community in the Education of Mildly and Moderately Disabled Students in the Elementary/Middle Grades |
Methodology (15 credits)
| Course | credits | Name |
|---|---|---|
|
SPED 505 |
3 | Seminar in Diagosis in Teaching of Mildly/Moderately Disabled Students |
| REED 505 | 3 | Teaching Cognitive, Self-Care, Motor, & Prevocational Skills |
| REED 508 | 3 | Teaching Mild/Moderately Academic Discr., Language, and Learning Disorders |
| REED 603 | 3 | Classroom Organization & Teaching Emotional Skills to Mildly/Moderately Disabled Students |
Clinical Experiences (6 credits)
| Course | credits | Name |
|---|---|---|
| SPED 655 | 3 | Supervised Practicum I -- Elementary Grades |
| REED 603 | 3 | Supervised Practicum II -- Middle Grades |
750+ Course Options
The Coppin State University Academic Catalog has a wide variety of skill-building courses designed to inspire and prepare you to be in-demand professionals and transformational leaders.
The M.Ed. in Special Education lives in the Department of Teaching and Learning in the School of Education within the College of Arts & Sciences, and Education