Master of Science

The Master of Science program is designed for persons who desire to improve their teaching skills and who are contemplating an advanced degree beyond the master's. Generally speaking, M.S. theses differ from M.Ed. creative projects in that they are experimental research. That is, a study is designed to determine the relationship between an independent variable (i.e., an intervention or treatment) and a dependent variable (i.e., a target behavior). The intent of such research is to contribute knowledge to the field of special education and to improve services for people with disabilities.

Master of Science Requirements

Departmental Core (9 credits)
Course
DescriptionCredits
SPED 6020
Design and Evaluation of Effective Instruction
3
SPED 6300
Collaboration Skills for Classroom Teachers
3
SPED 6060Historical and Legal Foundatios of Special Education 3
Research sequence (15 credits)
CourseDescriptionCredits
SPED 6700
Introduction to Educational and Behavioral Research
3
SPED 6720
Educational Applications of Behavior Analysis I
3
SPED 6740
Single-Subject Research Methods and Designs
3
SPED 6970
 Thesis6
Electives (12 credits)

All master's students are required to enroll in courses that support their area(s) of interest. Courses may either be taken in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation or in other departments.

Course work taken post bachelors degree can be applied from licensure or endorsement areas such as:
  • Early Childhood
  • Reading
  • Mild/Moderate
  • English as a Second Language
  • Severe Disabilities
  • Administrative/Supervisory
  • Dual Sensory Impairments
Course work can be applied from a single program or accrued across departments such as:
  • Family and Human Development
  • Instructional Technology
  • Psychology
  • Elementary Education
  • Sociology or Social Work
  • Secondary Education
  • Program Evaluation

Note: The rationale for offering credit in supporting areas is to provide students with the opportunity to identify and cultivate expertise in specific area(s) of study. To accomplish this goal master's students should identify their interests and then with their advisor carefully identify courses to explore their interests.

Master's Program Elective Course Credit Policy

Twelve of the thirty six credits associated with the Distance Master's degree program in Special Education are elective credits. The criteria used to determine if a course qualifies for elective credit is, the course number is 5000 level or above and the course is educationally relevant.

No more than six elective credits may come from nontraditional courses, (e.g., workshops, conferences, institutes, PBS, UEN, KUED). All nontraditional courses must be graded and be affiliated with a university graduate program. Finally, all nontraditional courses must be pre-approved by a students' graduate committee to determine if the course qualifies for elective credit.