Master of Education in Special Education

The Special Education Program is designed to prepare highly qualified teachers at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and to prepare researchers, teacher educators, and leaders at the doctoral level in the field of special education. The EDSP program is ranked #11 in the most recent U.S. News & World Report survey (2015). There are two full time undergraduate Special Education teacher preparation programs that lead to a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education: Elementary/Middle Special Education and Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education. In addition, the Special Education program offers two options to receive teacher certification at the Master's level. The course of study for all the special education certification programs prepares teachers to assume the increasingly complex and sophisticated responsibilities of a teacher of students with high and low incidence disabilities. Graduates will be eligible for special education teacher certification in the state of Maryland, with certification reciprocity in 49 states. All programs are approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Students in the EDSP program receive an unparalleled education experience that emphasizes excellence in scholarship and professional practice within a diverse community. In addition, the university community, the state of Maryland, and the Washington, DC metropolitan area provide an unparalleled setting for undergraduate and graduate study. The program's proximity to the United States Congress, advocacy and professional organizations, and governmental agencies, including the US Department of Education - Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), provides opportunities for on-site experiences for prospective students. Public and private schools in Maryland provide opportunities for students to gain experience with a culturally and linguistically diverse student population in urban, suburban, and rural settings.

For the M.Ed. programs, students must submit scores on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test (meeting the State of Maryland passing scores) prior to admission into the program and have an undergraduate 3.0 GPA. The Master's of Arts program requires a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and the submission of the Miller Analogies Test or the Graduate Record Examination test scores at or above the 40th percentile rank. The AGS program requires a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, a master's GPA of 3.5, and submission of scores on the MAT, GRE, or Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test. Admission to the Ph.D. program requires:

Master's degree or equivalent in Special Education or a related field from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.5 or better,
An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better,
A score on the Graduate Record Exam placing the student at or above the 50th percentile on verbal, quantitative, and analytic subtests,
Two years of research or work experience with exceptional populations,
Three letters of recommendation from individuals who have direct knowledge of the applicant's academic capabilities, work experience, and professional characteristics,
A statement of academic and research goals including intended area of study, research interests, and plans for future employment,
Evidence of writing skills shown in the statement of academic and research goals,
EDMS Research Methods I or equivalent.
A TOEFL score of 100 is required for international students who are not native speakers of English.