The College of Education offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education: General Curriculum (masters + teaching license) that prepares teachers to work with students with learning disabilities, emotional disabilities, mild intellectual disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders and autism spectrum disorders in grades K-12. Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree (i.e., you are post baccalaureate) and complete the professional studies and endorsement course requirements in the program and demonstrate the competencies exhibited by skillful teachers and those required for Virginia licensure in both professional studies and the endorsement area. Candidates must be proficient in all competencies to be recommended for licensure.
The internship (student teaching), required for all licensure completers in the Initial Licensure Program, is a semester long field-based teaching experience in the appropriate grade level or subject area. Self-analysis and reflection on planned and implemented instruction and frequent conferences with the mentor teacher and the university supervisor are prominent aspects of the experience. Because the internship must be a supervised experience, student teaching placements are made in schools local to the university.
Program Course Sequence
The following professional studies courses, or their equivalents, are required of all candidates in the K-12 Special Education Program, General Curriculum:
- EDCI 500 Teaching and the Development of the Learner (3 credits)*
- EDCI 506 Foundations of American Education (3 credits)*
- EDCI 507 Early Literacy and Language Development (3 credits) *
- EDSE 512 General and Special Education Goals and Practices: Middle and Secondary (3 credits)*
- EDSE 519 General and Special Education Goals and Practices: Elementary (3 credits)*
- EDSE 521 Language and Literacy for Special Populations (3 credits)*
- EDSE 533 Positive Approaches to Behavior Management (3 credits)*
- INDT 501 Instructional Technologies (3 credits)*
- EDCI 550 M.Ed. Initial Licensure Internship (6 credits)*
Field experiences are embedded in the following courses: EDCI 507, EDSE 512, EDSE 519, and EDSE 521.
Endorsement Courses: Special Education General Curriculum
In addition to the professional studies course work outlined above, the following endorsement courses are required of all candidates seeking the Special Education General Curriculum endorsement:
- EDSE 531 Survey of Special Education: Characteristics and Legal Issues*
- EDSE 534 Assessment, Evaluation, and Instructional Planning*
- EDSE 535 Collaborative Consultation and Transition Planning*
- EDCI 525 Mathematics Content for the Elementary Classroom (3 credits)
The following course beyond the initial licensure professional studies course work (excluding field experience credits) and endorsement course work is required of all candidates for the M.Ed. degree:
- EDCI 589 Applied Research (3 credits)
*Courses required for licensure
Documents, Deadlines & Policies
Program Policies: Graduate Program Catalog
Questions about the program, contact:
Dr. April Brecht
Director of Advising Center Services
Phone: (540) 286-8032
Email: abrecht@umw.eduDr. Melissa Jenkins
Program Director of Special Education
Phone: (540) 654-5865
Email: mjenkin5@umw.edu
