2022-2023 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog

Special Education M.S.: Specialization for Special Educators

Program Rationale:

This interdisciplinary program is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and/or certification in special education. In this specialization students take course work designed to broaden and/or deepen their knowledge of the field in one of three tracks:   Language Arts Instruction for Exceptional Learners, STEM Instruction for Exceptional Learners, or Advanced Studies in Disability.  The candidate’s Planned Program of Graduate Study is developed by the candidate and their assigned Academic Advisor to fulfill professional and personal goals.  Courses for this program are aligned with the Advanced Preparation Standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).

Program Learning Outcomes:

 

1.    Possess strong knowledge of content, content pedagogy, and learner development (typical and atypical).

2.    Create an inclusive and culturally responsive learning environment.

3.    Use data, content knowledge, and evidence-based pedagogical content knowledge to critically examine practice for the purpose of improving student      learning.

4.    Design and deliver instructional and assessment strategies that facilitate significant learning for all students including struggling learners and those with disabilities.

5.    Design, deliver, and assess individualized instructional strategies to deepen literacy and content learning.

6.    Act collaboratively, ethically, and responsibly to ensure student growth and advance the profession.

 

Admission Requirements:

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and/or certification in special education 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

 

Professional Requirements

SPED 532Contemporary Issues in Special Education

3

(Students are required to take SPED 532 for 3 credits)

Tracks

Students take 18 credits of advanced-level course work in special education. Up to 6 credits of related interdisciplinary course work from other departments may be included in consultation  with an Academic Advisor.

Language Arts Instruction for Learners with Exceptionalities Track

Directed electives

12

SPED 506Foundations of Language for the Exceptional Child

3

or

SPED 517Special Education Methods in Teaching Reading (K-12)

3

or

SPED 518Special Education Methods in Teaching Writing (K-12)

3

SPED 529/LLA 529Multisensory Structured Language Instruction Practicum

3

or

SPED 528/LLA 528Multisensory Structured Language Instruction

3

Up to 6 credits in Literacy Education may be included in consultation with an Academic Advisor.

STEM Instruction for Learners with Exceptionalities Track
SPED 519Special Education Methods in Content Area Instruction (K-12)

3

SPED 581Assistive Technology in Special Education

3

STEM 506Problem Based Learning in STEM Education

3

STEM 520STEM Practices in the Physical Sciences

3

or

STEM 530STEM Practices in the Earth/Space Sciences

3

or

STEM 540STEM Practices in the Life Sciences

3

The remaining 6 credits are decided in consultation with an Academic Advisor.
Advanced Studies in Disability Track
SPED 504Universal Design, Inclusion and Accessibility in Learning, Teaching, and Beyond

3

SPED 506Foundations of Language for the Exceptional Child

3

SPED 536Autism Spectrum Disorder

3

SPED 537Executive Function, ADHD, and Learning

3

The remaining 6 credits are decided in consultation with Academic Advisor.

Research and Capstone Requirements

SPED 596Capstone Intervention Project I

3

SPED 597Capstone Intervention Project II

3

SPED 598Research in Special Education

3

SPED 596 and SPED 597: Plan E

Total Credit Hours: 30