Special Education Track 1 (Graduate)
Master of Education in Special Education Track 1
Department of Teaching and Learning
The graduate program in special education culminates in the Master of Science Degree in Special Education and leads to initial state certification as a special education generalist. This program is a forty-two (48) credit hours program. Coursework required by the School of Graduate Studies may increase total credit hours.
The program is concentrated in four areas: content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, reflection, and inquiry. It is the intent of this program to produce teachers who understand the purpose of inclusive education as well as the method and strategies of educating students with mild and/or moderate disabilities in the elementary and/or middle grades.
Program Standards
This program and its courses are aligned with the standards articulated by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and Maryland Teacher Technology Standards (MMTS).
Admission Requirements
In addition to criteria set forth by the School of Graduate Studies, successful completion of Praxis I is required for full admission to Master of Education and Initial Certification in Special Education. Teacher candidates must pass PRAXIS I with the following MSDE’s cut-off scores for Reading 177, Writing 173, and Mathematics 177 or a combined score of 527. To be eligible for the M.Ed, and Initial Certification in Special Education program, each teacher candidate must meet the following:
- Possess at least a 3.0 G.P.A on the undergraduate transcript of the last 60 undergraduate credits.
- Provide passing scores on the Praxis examination. The original Educational Testing Service Test Score Report is required.
- Complete an entrance interview and writing sample successfully.