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UMSL's Master's Degree in Special Education provides its graduates comprehensive understanding, experience, and application of current, evidence-based best practices in K-12 Special Education. The implementation of strategies and interventions, about which students learn and apply, allows for program graduates to address the nearly 90% of children with special needs who attend public school-based, general education (inclusive) learning environments throughout the academic school year.
No other master's degree-level, Special Education program - among higher education opportunities in the Greater St. Louis Area - comes close to harnessing and presenting the expertise and practical applications that bring success to practicing "special" educators.
Susan Johnson
The M. Ed. Program in special education includes a representation of the important core knowledge in Special Education. The primary goal is to empower professionals to be thoughtful teachers who use best practice when working with students with disabilities. Research and data-based decision making are emphasized throughout the program. Graduate students will translate research into practice in their courses, and learn to analyze multiple types of assessment data. The M. Ed. Program in Special Education consists of an initial required core of courses; an opportunity to develop an area of specialization; and a capstone or exit course.
When graduate students are accepted into the program they are required to have their transcripts analyzed for state certification discrepancies. Students who wish to be certified in cross-categorical disabilities will be required to fulfill general certification requirements as well as graduate coursework. Upon completion of this advanced degree, professionals will have developed an in-depth knowledge-base related to
| 1) Required Core (9 hours) | ||
| Students are required to complete the following courses within the first 15 hours of study. | ||
| TCH ED 6010 | Examining History, Community And Social Justice In Education | 3 |
| TCH ED 6020 | Teacher Action, Advocacy And Leadership | 3 |
| ED PSY 6030 | Instruction, Learning And Assessment | 3 |
| 2) Required Research Course (3 hours) | ||
| TCH ED 6909 | Teacher Action Research I 1 | 3 |
| 3) Special Education Concentration (9 hours ) | ||
| ED PSY 6545 | Consultation In Schools And Related Settings | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6325 | Advanced Studies in Classroom & Behavior Management | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6415 | The Law And Special Education | 3 |
| 4) Special Education Concentration Electives (9 hours): | ||
| Cross Categorical Disabilities (6 hours) | ||
| Students have the option of enrolling in a 3 credit hour course from either the Early Childhood Special Education concentration, Autism Studies concentration or an additional course in the Cross-Categorical concentration, in order to meet the 9 credit hour course requirement. | ||
| SPEC ED 6437 | Individual and Schoolwide Systems of Positive Behavior Support | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6345 | Characteristics and Education of Students with High-Incidence Disabilities | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6346 | Reading Instruction and Intervention in Special Education | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6443 | Characteristics and Education of Students with Learning Disabilities | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6450 | 3 | |
| ED PSY 6542 | Social-Emotional and Behavior Interventions | 3 |
| Autism and Developmental Disabilities (9 hours) | ||
| SPEC ED 6430 | Characteristics and Education of Individuals with Low-Incidence Disabilities | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6610 | Foundations of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Research to Practice | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6620 | Assessment and Interventions for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder | 3 |
| Early Childhood Special Education (9) | ||
| SPEC ED 6372 | Screening And Diagnosis Of Developmental Delays: Birth To 5 Years | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6462 | Introduction To Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
| SPEC ED 6463 | Curriculum, Methods, And Materials For Early Childhood Special Ed | 3 |
| 5) Capstone Course (3 hours) | ||
| Students must enroll in the capstone course during their last semester and after completing TCH ED 6909 for practicing teachers. | ||
| TCH ED 6910 | Teacher Action Research Capstone 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Take semester prior to Teacher Action Research Capstone (TCH ED 6910). For non-teacher candidates, ED REM 6040 or TCH ED 6909 can be taken. |
| 2 | This course is not offered in summer sessions. |
Total hours: minimum 33 credit hours
