students around table

Special Education (M.S.)

Specialize your training to support all individuals with diverse learning abilities and behavioral needs through professional excellence and advocacy.

For current teachers or for those seeking the ABA specialization, earn your M.S. degree from a Special Education Program that aspires to be globally renowned for its expertise, leadership, diversity, and high quality teacher and professional preparation in the field of special education and behavioral analysis.

Program Snapshot
Program type:
Master's Degree
Format:
Online
Est. time to complete:
1.5+ years
Credit hours:
32+

Why Earn a Master's in Special Education 100% Online at UND?

The special education online program is designed for educators and other professionals interested in the study of children, adolescents and/or adults with diverse learning abilities. This fully online graduate special education degree is appropriate for certified teachers and those with a bachelor's degree in a field other than education. The M.S. in special education emphasizes scholarly application for practitioners, and students may continue their education and pursue a Doctor of Education. For individuals without an undergraduate education degree, earn a master's of education in special education.

Special Education Specializations

Customize your online graduate degree in special education by choosing from nine specializations:

  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), verified by the Association of Behavior Analysis International
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)
  • General Special Education (GSE)
  • Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD)
  • Intellectual Disabilities (ID)
  • Learning Disabilities (LD)
  • Special Education Strategist (SES)
  • Visual Impairment (VI) - Only 100% online VI program in the nation

Top Online Special Education Degree in the Nation

UND is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top online education program for educational quality, affordability and career outcomes. Online students will pay the in-state tuition as a North Dakota resident.

You will learn from an interdisciplinary group of faculty members with extensive experience as teachers, professors and researchers. We offer an approved teacher certification program for North Dakota that is transferable to most states.

#5 - top 50 master's degrees in special education

#21 - Best online graduate education program for veterans

Accredited by CAEP and Approved by ESPB

The Special Education Program within the Department of Teaching, Learning, & Professional Practice is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by Educational Standards and Practices Board (ESPB).

teaching group of people
Special Education Resident Teacher Program

This unique program allows Resident Teachers (RTs) to earn a master's degree in special education through online coursework and on-the-job experience in a school district/special education unit.

Learn About RT

M.S. in Special Education

  • Online: The M.S. program is entirely online with no on-campus travel requirement.

  • Individualized: Responsive faculty, one-on-one advising and customized program of study with nine specialization. Master's project applicable to field.

  • Barrier-Free: No entry exams. Consistent course offerings for timely graduation. Flexible completion of structured lessons, coursework tied to practical experiences. Option of on-the-job fieldwork.

  • Reputable: Ranked by thebestschools.org as a top online university in the country.

Jobs in Special Education

57K
Median annual wage for special education teachers.*
8%
Projected job growth for special education teachers through 2026.* Teachers with master's degrees fall on the high end of the scale or earn a premium income.


*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Job prospects for special education teachers are excellent due to the rising enrollments of students receiving special education and shortages of qualified teachers. Job openings are expected as a result of teacher retirements or career changes. Additionally, the demand for behavior analyst positions has more than doubled with the national trend increasing in almost every state.

A Special Education degree gives you the strategic skills you need, including:

  • Curriculum Development
  • Lesson Planning
  • Event Planning
  • Autism Therapies
  • Strategic Planning

Our graduates work in schools, hospitals, human services agencies, state and private institutions and in private practice. Special Education alumni have gone on to a variety of successful careers with:

  • West Fargo School District
  • University of North Dakota
  • Anne Carlsen Center
  • Grand Forks Public Schools
  • Blake High School
  • Family Support Services of North Idaho, LLC

Living and Breathing Special Education

Teacher earns online master's degree in special education from UND while becoming a father to three children with distinct learning needs.

Watch a Q&A with UND Special Education faculty.

Special Education M.S. Courses


SPED 552. Inclusive Methods. 3 Credits.

The study of a variety of methods and materials for teaching and assessing children and youth with learning and behavior problems in the general education classroom.

SPED 511. Identification and Assessment of Young Children with Special Needs. 3 Credits.

A study of the principles and procedures for screening, identifying and evaluating young children with special needs. Emphasis will be placed on exposing students to available assessment instruments and providing opportunities for actual testing of preschoolers. Prerequisite: Admission to one of the master's programs in special education.

SPED 545. Assessment and Behavior Change Systems. 4 Credits.

This course will address the process of identifying behaviors targeted for change and the use of behavioral assessment techniques to identify and analyze behavior-environment relations for the purpose of developing successful, functionally-based intervention strategies. Students will learn a variety of methods for behavior assessment, interventions, analysis of interventions, experimental analysis, and interpreting outcomes including the use of practical behaviorally-based assessment tools such as checklists, rating scales, structured observation tools, and curricular assessments. F,S,SS.

SPED 542. Ethical and Professional Conduct for Behavior Analysts. 3 Credits.

This course introduces ethical and professional considerations relevant in the professional practice of applied behavior analysis as well as the ethical and disciplinary standards of the profession. Students will become familiar with the ethical and professional conduct and legal issues relevant to Board Certified Behavior Analyst-level practitioners found in the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's Guidelines for Responsible Conduct for Behavior Analysts and Disciplinary and Ethical Standards and Disciplinary Procedures (2012), as well as the professional conduct consistent with the practice of applied behavior analysis. F,S,SS.

SPED 502. Braille Reading and Writing. 2 Credits.

In this course students learn: 1) to read and write the literary code of grade 2 braille and 2) to teach the literary code of grade 2 braille to students of all ages.

Be In Demand

Connect with the special education faculty you'll work with at UND or explore other education majors.

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