Masters in Special Education
Are you a certified educator looking to enhance your skills and knowledge in special education? The Master of Arts in Special Education program can help you become a "Master Teacher" in accordance with the standards set by the Carnegie Institute.
Our program offers a cohort model wherein you can take core courses with other students who share your aspirations of obtaining special education endorsements. The courses are structured to provide practical application and scholarship, and they involve a wide range of online activities such as reading, writing, lectures, discussions, debates, and projects. Our faculty is committed to delivering captivating lectures and easily understandable content, while students can gain from field-based experiences like clinical internships for those seeking endorsements.
Endorsements we offer:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (SV endorsement)
- Cognitive Impairment (SA endorsement)
- Specific Learning Disability (SM endorsement)
Certification process
To get certified in special education in Michigan, you need to complete an 8-week (initial endorsement) or 180-hour clinical experience (additional endorsements). You can complete this experience in your own classroom if you have eligible students under the endorsement area you are seeking. If not, we can help secure a placement for you. After passing the Michigan Test for Certification (MTTC) and finishing coursework, we'll recommend you for certification and endorsement.
Background checks required for clinical experiences
To partake in a clinical experience, an iChat is required. Moreover, every student must reveal any further violations that surface on their background checks throughout the graduate program to the program director and the Associate Director of the Educator Preparation Programs. Not completing and clearing a background check or failing to disclose a violation that later appears on a background check could result in dismissal from the Special Education: The Master Teacher Program.
It is crucial to note that criminal convictions have the potential to hinder students from engaging in clinical experiences, which can adversely affect their ability to complete the Special Education: The Master Teacher program. Furthermore, specific clinical settings may necessitate a distinct background check from the one mandated by CMU. Any expenses related to obtaining the necessary background check will be solely the responsibility of the student before commencing work with that establishment.