Special Education M.S.: Specialization for Teachers Seeking Cross Endorsement
Program Rationale:
The Master of Science in Special Education: Specialization for Teachers Seeking Cross Endorsement is designed to prepare general education teachers to possess the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions to develop effective teaching and learning environments for individuals with disabilities. Designed for students who have initial, provisional, or professional certification in elementary education or a 7-12 secondary subject certificate in biology, business, chemistry, earth science, English, history/social studies, mathematics, or physics, this Specialization leads to a master's degree and provides coursework that leads to a cross endorsement in Special Education. Students in this Specialization must have a current Connecticut teaching certification. The curriculum for this program is aligned with standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and meets certification requirements of the Connecticut State Department of Education.
Program Learning Outcomes:
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of foundational issues in special education and their impact on the field.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of the development and characteristics of learners, individual learning differences, and appropriate instructional strategies.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze multiple forms of standardized and curriculum-based assessments and use that information for a variety of educational decisions.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to use their knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for students with exceptional learning needs.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to select, adopt, and use instructional strategies to promote learning and to modify learning environments for students with exceptional learning needs.
- Students will promote professional, ethical, and collaborative practices in the field of special education.
Admission Requirements:
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. Applicants must also have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.70 on a 4.00 point scale (where A is 4.00) or its equivalent, and good standing (3.00 GPA) in all post-baccalaureate course work.
The admissions application, application fee, and official transcripts from each college and university attended (except Central Connecticut State University) must be submitted to the Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Office.
Contact: 860-832-2400
Requirements
Core
| SPED 503 | Evidence-Based Practices for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| SPED 514 | Cognitive Behavior Management and Social Skill Strategies | 3 |
| SPED 515 | Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 516 | Instructional Programming for Students with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| SPED 532 | Contemporary Issues in Special Education | 1 TO 3 |
| (Students are required to take SPED 532 for 3 credits) | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 13-15 |
Methods
| SPED 517 | Special Education Methods in Teaching Reading (K-12) | 3 |
| SPED 518 | Special Education Methods in Teaching Writing (K-12) | 3 |
| SPED 519 | Special Education Methods in Content Area Instruction (K-12) | 3 |
Student Teaching or Practicum
| SPED 521 | Student Teaching in Special Education - Elementary | 3 |
| SPED 522 | Student Teaching in Special Education - Secondary | 3 |
| or | |
| SPED 520 | Student Teaching Seminar | 1 |
| SPED 523 | Practicum in Special Education - Elementary | 2 |
| SPED 524 | Practicum in Special Education - Secondary | 2 |
| SPED 525 | Elementary Internship in Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 526 | Secondary Internship in Special Education | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 5-7 |
SPED 520 to be taken concurrently with SPED 523, SPED 524, SPED 525, and SPED 526.
Research and Capstone Requirements
| SPED 596 | Designing Action Research in Special Education (Plan E) | 3 |
| SPED 597 | Implementing and Documenting Action Research in Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 598 | Research in Special Education | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
SPED 596 and SPED 597: Plan E
Total Credit Hours: 38-40
Total Credit Hours: 38-40