Master's in Special Education Requirements

Upon offer of admission, the following will be required: Successful passage of FBI criminal background check

Admission Requirements for the M.Ed.

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) is designed for those who do not have a previous degree in education.  This degree will have a pedagogical focus to build a foundation for the art and science of teaching. 

1. A bachelor’s degree.
2. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.75 for all undergraduate work (based on A = 4.00).
3. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

Admission Process

1. Complete the School of Graduate Studies' online application.
2. Submit the application fee of $35.
3. Three Letters of Recommendation are required: one from an employment supervisor or administrator, one from a professional colleague or university professor, and one from a professional of your choosing.  
4. Request one official copy of all academic transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attempted credit at, including undergraduate and graduate course work. 
5. One Personal Statement, which will include the questions listed below specific to special education, will be required on the master's application.  

Personal Statement

The length of each response should be 1-2 pages double-spaced.  The personal statement is scored for depth of discussion, authenticity, organization, and mechanics.

Respond to the four questions below:

1. Explain how your experiences/interests reflect your capacity for the specialization area you are applying for specifically (i.e., ASD, BIS, EBD, ECSE, General, ID, LD, SES, and VI).
2. Identify a behavioral or learning need with an individual with whom you know professionally or personally and describe your approach to managing the individual's specific need.
3. Graduate school may be challenging due to competing demands for your time.  Please address how you will navigate these challenges by utilizing your strengths.
4. In this master’s program, you will receive constructive feedback to develop and/or enhance your skills.  Explain how you have perceived and managed this type of feedback in your past experiences.

Specialization Areas

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): The ASD specialization area focuses on children, adolescents, and adults with ASD and addresses several aspects of ASD including characteristics, assessment, methods/strategies, inter-agency collaboration/support, and application in a field setting.
• Behavior Intervention Specialist (BIS): The BIS specialization prepares educators to support children and adolescents who use behaviors that interfere with instruction and social-emotional development. This specialization provides training and experience in assessment and treatment of challenging behaviors and facilitation of interdisciplinary and stakeholder teaming to support individual children and their caregivers.
• Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE): The ECSE specialization area focuses on children from birth to age eight and addresses various disabilities, primarily developmental in nature, and addresses several aspects of ECSE including characteristics, assessment, methods/strategies, all forms of development, (e.g., language, physical), and application in a field setting.
• Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD): The EBD specialization area focuses on children and adolescents with both emotional and behavior disorders and addresses several aspects of EBD including characteristics, assessment, behavior and academic methods/strategies, and application in a field setting.
• General Special Education: The general specialization area is a “design your own program” option. Students can choose courses from all of the courses offered by the special education program.
• Intellectual Disabilities (ID): The ID specialization area focuses on children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities and addresses several aspects of ID including characteristics, assessment, methods/strategies, and application in a field setting.
• Learning Disabilities (LD): The LD specialization area focuses on children and adolescents with learning problems that are not due to developmental, emotional, or cognitive disabilities and addresses several aspects of LD including characteristics, assessment, methods/strategies, and application in a field setting.
• Special Education Strategist (SES): The SES specialization area is a cross-categorical area that encompasses all of the courses in the specialization areas of ID, EBD, and LD.
• Visual Impairment (VI): The VI specialization area focuses on children and adolescents who are visually impaired or blind and addresses several aspects of VI including characteristics, assessment, braille code, methods/strategies, orientation/mobility, and application in a field setting.

Degree Requirements

Students seeking the Master of Education degree at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as particular requirements set forth by the Special Education Program. 

1. A minimum of 30 credits at or above the 500 level is required for the degree. Additional credits may be needed for teacher licensure.
2. A maximum of one-fourth of the credit hours may be transferred from another institution.
3. Two credits of SPED 995 Scholarly Project or four credits of T&L 998 Thesis.
4. Nine credits of Special Education Core Coursework.

   Course List

   Code	Title	Credits
   SPED 525	Legal/Ethical Aspects in Special Education	3
   SPED 578	Behavior Management	3
   Select 1 of the Following:
   SPED 500	Introduction to Visual Impairment	3
   SPED 510	Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education	3
   SPED 552	Inclusive Methods	3

5. Choose six credits of foundation/pedagogical coursework.

Choose one or more specialization areas and complete the required courses and elective courses for a minimum total of 30 credits for the M.Ed. degree:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Elective Courses: Choose additional courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements.   

 

If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

 Behavior Intervention Specialist (BIS) 

Elective Courses: Choose additional courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements.  

 

If seeking special education endorsement in BIS in North Dakota, confer with your advisor regarding these requirements. If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)

Elective Courses: Choose additional courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements.  

 

If seeking special education endorsement in ECSE in North Dakota, confer with your advisor regarding these requirements. If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD)

Elective Courses: Choose additional courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements. 

 

If seeking special education endorsement in EBD in North Dakota, confer with your advisor regarding these requirements. If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

General Special Education

Note that there are no additional required courses. A minimum of 19 credits can be selected from the following courses:

Choose courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements. 

 

Confer with your advisor regarding these requirements.  If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state's requirements.  

Intellectual (ID)

Elective Courses: Choose additional courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements. 

 

If seeking special education endorsement in ID in North Dakota, confer with your advisor regarding these requirements. If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

Learning Disabilities (LD)

Elective Courses: Choose additional courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements.

 

If seeking special education endorsement in LD in North Dakota, confer with your advisor regarding these requirements. If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

Special Education Strategist (SES)

Elective Courses: Choose additional courses in the Special Education Program Area to equal a minimum of 30 credits.  Additional credits may be required for your state's teacher licensure requirements. 

 

If seeking special education endorsement in SES in North Dakota, confer with your advisor regarding these requirements. If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

Visual Impairment (VI)

 

If seeking special education endorsement in VI in North Dakota, confer with your advisor regarding these requirements. If seeking teacher certification in a state other than North Dakota, refer to that state’s requirements.

Accelerated Bachelors/Master's (ABM) Admission

The Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s (ABM) 4+1 program allows exceptional undergraduate students at UND an opportunity to complete the requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees at an accelerated pace. All requirements for both degrees must be met, and students may double count up to 12 graduate-level credits toward the requirements for both their bachelor’s and master’s degree requirements.  ABM students must obtain their master’s degree within 12 months of completing the bachelor’s degree.

The M.Ed. in Special Education offers two options for the ABM program:

1. B.S.Ed. Early Childhood Education with a minor in Special Education/M.Ed. in Special Education with Specialization in Early Childhood Education.
2. B.G.S. with a major in General Studies/M.Ed. in Special Education with a Specialization in Special Education Strategist. (No previously earned credits are required for the M.Ed. in SPED 4+1 option.)

Admission Requirements

1. Students interested in the accelerated program will follow the admission process listed above for the M.Ed.
2. In addition to these requirements, students will need to submit an Accelerated/Combined Program of Study as part of the admission process.

Degree Requirements

Option 1 - Early Childhood Education ABM

Admission to Teacher Education Requires: Praxis Core Pass score; Live Text purchase; Introductory Letter; Level One Disposition Degree Requirements. 

Transferred credits or credits fulfilled with Associates Degree in Early Childhood or Education include:

Courses:

Option 2 - Special Education Strategist ABM

• The Bachelor of General Studies - Please see the Bachelor of General Studies requirements which are located in the academic catalog.
• Master of Education in SPED 4+1 -  M.Ed. in SPED 4+1 requirements are the same as the M.Ed. requirements.