Special Education: The Master Teacher, M.A.
Minimum Totals for Graduation: 30-33 hours
This program is also offered via Global Campus/CMU Online.
The Master of Arts in Special Education is designed for students who seek advanced study in special education. This graduate program is designed to provide training experiences leading to the development of those competencies specifically related to working with persons with disabilities in a variety of public education and community settings as a teacher or teacher consultant.
The Master Teacher
The Master of Arts Degree in Special Education: The Master Teacher is conceptualized as a degree designed specifically to build upon the strengths of certified educators. It is intended to expand their skills and knowledge base in order to prepare them to assume the role of what the Carnegie Institute refers to as "The Master Teacher."
Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards
Admission Requirement Snapshot
GPA: 3.00
Entrance Exam: N/A
Prerequisite: Michigan teaching certificate in either elementary or secondary education.
Application Deadline: July 1
See Admission Requirement Details Below
Admission
Beyond the standards of Graduate Studies admission, Special Education requires the following:
- Prior to admission to a master's degree program, the candidate must have a bachelor's degree and a valid Michigan Elementary or Secondary Standard, Permanent, or Life certificate or special education endorsement. If applicants do not meet this requirement, they should contact the EHS Center for Student Services (421 EHS Building, CMU, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, 989-774-3309).
- Admission to the Master of Arts degree program in Special Education requires an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.00. (Applicants below the required grade point average may appeal through the chairperson for exception.) Additionally, applicants are required to submit a current statement of purpose for pursuing the degree, and two letters of recommendation regarding the applicant's performance with Special Education populations.
Retention and Termination Standards
This graduate program leads to a Master of Arts degree in Special Education. The degree is based upon satisfactory completion of a minimum of 30-33 semester hours of graduate work and satisfactory demonstration of the competencies identified within the stated objectives and activities of the program.
Program Requirements
Emphasis Area I (15 hours)
Select one of the following groups. Group A is for students seeking an initial special education endorsement and Group B is for students seeking an additional special education endorsement.
Group A - Initial Endorsement
| SPE 660 | Understanding Students with Disabilities | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 661 | Individualized Education Program Development and Implementation | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 662 | Culturally Responsive Instruction and Collaboration | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 750 | Consultation and Collaboration in Special Education | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 785 | Assessment and Program Improvement in Special Education | 3(3-0) |
Group B - Additional Endorsement
| SPE 600 | Current Issues and Historical Trends in Special Education | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 695 | Research for Special Education | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 750 | Consultation and Collaboration in Special Education | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 785 | Assessment and Program Improvement in Special Education | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 790 | Special Education Graduate Capstone | 3(3-0) |
Endorsement Area II (12-15 hours)
Select one of the following options based on interest:
Option A: Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement (15 hours)
| CSD 550 | Communication Assessment and Intervention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 530/PSY 575 | Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characteristics and Etiology | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 531 | Autism Spectrum Disorder: Educational Implications | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 532 | Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 671 | Transition for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities | 3(3-0) |
Option B: Specific Learning Disability Endorsement (12 hours)
| SPE 577 | Introduction to Specific Learning Disability | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 650 | Promoting Self-Determination and Self-Regulation in Students with SLD | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 675 | Literacy Instruction for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 690 | Mathematics Instruction for Students with Specific Learning | 3(3-0) |
Option C: Cognitive Impairment Endorsement (12 hours)
| SPE 620 | Evidence-based Approaches for Teaching Students with Mild Cognitive Impairment | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 624 | Behavioral Assessment and Intervention for Students with Cognitive Impairment | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 641 | Evidence-based Approaches for Teaching Students with Moderate/Profound Cognitive Impairment | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 671 | Transition for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities | 3(3-0) |
Plan B Requirement (3 hours)
| SPE 689 | Graduate Practicum in Special Education | 6(Spec) |
Total: 30-33 semester hours