General Special Education, M.Ed.
The General Special Education, M.Ed. degree prepares candidates for a variety of roles working with children and adolescents with exceptional needs. This program is designed for those who are interested in special education but are not seeking licensure or endorsement.
If you are seeking licensure or endorsement, please see the Special Education programs.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
PLO1. Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences: Beginning special education professionals understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
PLO2. Learning Environments: Beginning special education professionals create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments so that individuals with exceptionalities become active and effective learners and develop emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and self-determination.
PLO3. Curricular Content Knowledge: Beginning special education professionals use knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities
PLO4. Assessment: Beginning special education professionals use multiple methods of assessment and data sources in making educational decisions.
PLO5. Instructional Planning and Strategies: Beginning special education professionals select, adapt, and use a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to advance learning of individuals with exceptionalities.
PLO6. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: Beginning special education professionals use foundational knowledge of the field and their professional ethical principles and practice standards to inform special education practice, to engage in lifelong learning, and to advance the profession.
PLO7. Collaboration: Beginning special education professionals collaborate with families, other educators, related service providers, individuals with exceptionalities, and personnel from community agencies in culturally responsive ways to address the needs of individuals with exceptionalities across a range of learning experiences.
Program Details:
- Requires 32 SH for completion
Required Courses
MED Core - 8 SH
| EPS 541 | Cognition and Instruction | 2 |
| ESR 505 | Educational Inquiry and Assessment | 3 |
| FND 511 | Social and Cultural Politics of Education: Personal and Contextual Perspectives | 3 |
Note: EPS 541 must be taken for 2 semester hours.
General Special Education Program Requirements - 12 SH
| SPE 500 | Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPE 501 | Educational and Diagnostic Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| SPE 506 | Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education | 3 |
| SPE 509 | Methods of Instruction in Foundational Literacy for Diverse Learners | 3 |
General Special Education Electives - 12 SH
Choose four courses for a total of 12 SH:
| SPE 507 | Methods of Social/Emotional Support | 3 |
| SPE 508 | Literacy Across the Curriculum for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPE 527 | Differentiated and Individualized Curriculum and Instruction | 3 |
| SPE 532 | Early Childhood Special Education Curriculum, Instruction and Methods | 3 |
| SPE 533 | Early Childhood Special Education Diagnostic Assessment | 3 |
| SPE 534 | Early Childhood Special Education Collaboration, Family and Community | 3 |
| MHE 542 | Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers | 3 |