M.Ed. Special Education with Certification: Early Childhood Special Education

This plan is appropriate for candidates who are not already certified in special education. A survey or introduction to special education (ESE 548 or an equivalent course) is a pre-requisite for this program of study.

Candidates in this program of study are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, and professional knowledge to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements. Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the ESE 516 or ESE 536, ESE 556, ESE 655, and ESE 596 courses.

Application to the Teacher Education Program is required. A program of study must accompany the application for admission to the program. All courses must be selected with the written approval of a Special Education faculty advisor. Deviations from these guidelines for individual candidates must be approved in writing by the advisor on an official advisement form.

▓ You must be admitted to this degree program before finishing your first 12 units of graduate work.

Requirements

For this M.Ed. Special Education with Certification program, students must complete 45 units in the following areas, which are organized into three blocks:

Block A—Education Coursework (12-18 units):

The courses in this block are required for those candidates entering the program without a degree or certification in elementary or secondary education.  

• For candidates who already have a degree in elementary education, these requirements are waived and you may take additional elective coursework to fulfill the 45-credit hour minimum to graduate from the program.

• For candidates who already have certification in secondary education, the elementary curriculum and instruction block is required, but the educational foundations and educational psychology courses can be waived and additional elective coursework can be used to fulfill the 45-credit hour minimum to graduate from the program.

In the list below, EDF 500 and EPS 605 are strongly recommended if you did not complete an undergraduate education degree or certification program. BME (Bilingual and Multicultural Education) courses are required for the Structured English Immersion (SEI) endorsement. Candidates who have full SEI endorsement at admission must provide proof of the full endorsement. If proof of full SEI endorsement is presented at admission, candidates are not required to take the BME courses as part of their program of study.

• Educational Foundations (3 units):

• Choose one course from: EDF 500, 670, 671, 672, 677

• Elementary Curriculum and Instruction (6 units):

• Complete both: ECI 531 and 573

• Structured English Immersion (6 units):

• Complete both: BME 631 (or approved equivalent) and  BME 500 (or approved equivalent)

• Educational Psychology (3 units):

• Choose one course from: EPS 605, 610

 Block B—Required Special Education and Early Childhood Certification Courses (33 units):

• Complete: ESE 516, 536, 556, 585 (or cross-listed equivalent: DIS 519), and ESE 655 (15 units)

• ESE 608 Fieldwork Experience (3 units)

• Early Childhood, taken with methods courses: ESE 556

• ECI 620 (3 units)

• ESE 698 (3 units)

• 9 units of applied ESE course work:

• ESE 596 (Supervised Student-Teaching); or

• ESE 695 (Internship)

 Block C—Elective Coursework (0-15 units):

Candidates who have remaining units within the 45-unit minimum or who wish to exceed the minimum units for this program of study may choose to take elective course work from the following:

Please Note:  Candidates must also pass the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment (professional knowledge and Special Education focus area), and meet State requirements on Federal and State Constitutional knowledge for Arizona Teacher Certification.

Click here for more information about our Special Education graduate courses and faculty.