ASU Distance Learning Degrees

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Masters in Special Education

Degree At A Glance:

Number of Credits	36
Cost Per Credit	$ 300
Total Tuition	$ 10,800

Print Degree for Masters in Special Education

The M.Ed. degree programs in Special Education lead to T-5 certification in Special Education General Curriculum or Special Education Adapted Curriculum. Any person who has T-4 certification in a teaching field or who has completed a four-year degree program outside the field of teaching and meets the other admission criteria may pursue the master’s level programs.

Program Contact Information
Program Advisor	Dr. Patricia Jenkins		229-500-4407
Online Specialist	Dr. Denata Williams	Schedule Now with Dr. Denata Williams	229-500-2913

Albany State University recommends the following course track for transfer students.
If you would like to use a different track, please contact your Online Support Specialist.

Area A: Nature of the Learner and Behavior Problems (3 hours)

Course Listing for Area A: Nature of the Learner and Behavior Problems
Course	Title	Credits
SPED 5542	Behavior Modification for Exceptional Students	3 hours SPED 5542 - Behavior Modification for Exceptional Students 3 credit hours Course Description Application of behavior modification principles and behavior analysis in both general and special education classrooms.

Area B: Programs & Problems of the School (3 hours)

Course Listing for Area B: Programs & Problems of the School
Course	Title	Credits
EDUC 5504	History of American Education	3 hours EDUC 5504 - History of American Education 3 credit hours Course Description A survey of major developments in the rise of public school in the U.S. from the colonial period to the present.
EDUC 5509	Philosophy of Education	3 hours EDUC 5509 - Philosophy of Education 3 credit hours Course Description A study of the basic tenets of education focusing on current issues and their basic assumptions in schools. The derivations of issues and practices are analyzed.
EDUC 5538	Curriculum Principles	3 hours EDUC 5538 - Curriculum Principles 3 credit hours Course Description Models for curriculum development and the forces that bear on curriculum decision making will be studied. This is the basic course in principles of curriculum development for graduate students, including those from diverse backgrounds with a variety of career goals.
EDUC 5540	Curriculum Principles	3 hours EDUC 5540 - Curriculum Principles 3 credit hours Course Description Models for curriculum development and the forces that bear on curriculum decision making will be studied. This is the basic course in principles of curriculum development for graduate students, including those from diverse backgrounds with a variety of career goals.

Area C: Teaching Field (12 hours)

Course Listing for Area C: Teaching Field
Course	Title	Credits
SPED 5510	Characteristics of and Instructional Strategies for Teaching Mildly Disabled	3 hours SPED 5510 - Characteristics of and Instructional Strategies for Teaching Mildly Disabled 3 credit hours Course Description A study of the commonality of characteristics leading to the identification, placement, and service delivery models for children/youth with mild disabilities and strategies to address identified needs of this student population. Emphasis will be placed on the guiding principles, implementation, and evaluative criteria for the inclusion of systematic instruction, task analysis, and behavioral management of children/youth with mild learning and behavioral problems.
SPED 5545	Educational Assessment of Exceptional Children	3 hours SPED 5545 - Educational Assessment of Exceptional Children 3 credit hours Course Description Focuses on the use of evaluation to determine classification and eligibility, to plan individualized education programs (IEPs) and to evaluate teacher effectiveness and pupil progress.
SPED 5563	Issues & Interrelated Special Education	3 hours SPED 5563 - Issues & Interrelated Special Education 3 credit hours Course Description Focuses on the current trends and issues affecting special educators. Objectives for the teacher competency tests in special education are addresses and studied.
SPED 5570	Practicum in Special Education	3 hours SPED 5570 - Practicum in Special Education 3 credit hours Course Description Field-based experiences provide an opportunity for extensive training and application of knowledge with exceptional children and youth in the areas of mild intellectual disabilities, behavior disorders and specific learning disabilities.
SPED 5590	Teaching of Rdg & Math to Exceptional Learners	3 hours SPED 5590 - Teaching of Rdg & Math to Exceptional Learners 3 credit hours Course Description A study of specialized reading and math techniques and strategies for use with students with learning disorders includes diagnosis, remediation, and determination of readability levels, error analysis and corrective strategies.

Area D: Research (6 hours)

Course Listing for Area D: Research
Course	Title	Credits
EDUC 5500	Educational Statistics (Prerequisite for EDUC 5502)	3 hours EDUC 5500 - Educational Statistics (Prerequisite for EDUC 5502) 3 credit hours Course Description Application of basic descriptive statistics to education. Data graphs and tables, probability, sampling statistics, correlation and hypothesis testing are studied.
EDUC 5502	Action/Classroom Research	3 hours EDUC 5502 - Action/Classroom Research 3 credit hours Course Description A study of research methods, procedures and designs, including the preparation of research abstracts and action research as it applies to educational settings.

Area E: Electives (9 hours)

To be selected with advisor

Course Listing for Area E: Electives
Course	Title	Credits

Gifted Endorsement (9 hours)

Course Listing for Gifted Endorsement
Course	Title	Credits
SPED 5516	Nature & Characteristics of Gifted	3 hours SPED 5516 - Nature & Characteristics of Gifted 3 credit hours Course Description GIFT 5516 has been designed as one semester introduction to and overview of the field of gifted education. Topics include: theoretical and historical contexts; characteristics of gifted learners; influences on gifted learners (family, community, culture, etc.); identification of gifted, talented and creative learners; instructional models and practices; legislation and policy guidelines; and current issues in the field. This course will has been designed as a "hybrid" course involving both face to face (f2f) and online instructional activities, including: lecture, small large group discussion, student presentations, expert presentations, and various types of "observations" of gifted learners and learning environments.
SPED 5529	Instructional Methods in Gifted Edu	3 hours SPED 5529 - Instructional Methods in Gifted Edu 3 credit hours Course Description This Course explores concepts, strategies, methods, and techniques of teaching the gifted student. Opportunities are provided for development of strategies based on principles of gifted education. Special emphasis will be devoted to selection of strategies for the development of creativity.
SPED 5536	Curriculum for Gifted Education	3 hours SPED 5536 - Curriculum for Gifted Education 3 credit hours Course Description The course explores how appropriate curricula for the gifted is a response to the cognitive and affective needs which may be unique to gifted learners as well as those they share with their peers. Participants will examine modifications in the content, process, product, affect, and learning environment of classroom and curricula as they relate to gifted learners. They will gain experience in developing concept-based, open-ended, flexibly paced curriculum that can be implemented in the classroom immediately

Reading Endorsement (9 hours)

Students are required to take three health/physical education courses to meet the graduation requirement for AA/AS programs. One of the three courses must meet the fitness competency requirement (for online that is PHED 1161 or PHED 1162). Any PHED or HLTH course with a 1000 number satisfies the additional PE requirements. Veterans of more than one year of active military service may apply for an exception to the Physical Education requirement.

Course Listing for Reading Endorsement
Course	Title	Credits
EDRG 5594	Introduction to Theory & Pedagogy in Reading	3 hours EDRG 5594 - Introduction to Theory & Pedagogy in Reading 3 credit hours Course Description This course is designed to provide an overview of foundational knowledge for reading instruction and practical, technological, and theoretical information about the reading and writing processes needed to instruct diverse populations are covered. Current research in the field of reading education is included to equip the teacher with a balanced perspective.
EDRG 5595	Diagnosis & Prescriptive Procedures in Rdg	3 hours EDRG 5595 - Diagnosis & Prescriptive Procedures in Rdg 3 credit hours Course Description Focuses on using assessment tools to plan, evaluate, and revise effective instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
EDRG 5596	Content Area Literacy	3 hours EDRG 5596 - Content Area Literacy 3 credit hours Course Description Focuses on instructional strategies of literacy skills teachers can use to help learners transfer skills in specific content areas.

ESOL Endorsement (12 hours)

Course Listing for ESOL Endorsement
Course	Title	Credits
ESOL 5501	Methods & Material of Teaching ESOL	3 hours ESOL 5501 - Methods & Material of Teaching ESOL 3 credit hours Course Description Methods and Materials for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) aims to support candidates in studying, applying, and reflecting on knowledge of how language works and is learned; the relationship of culture to language learning and to learners’ adaptation to new schools and settings; ways of structuring curricula and instruction; and strategies for developing the classroom learning community and providing effective language teaching and learning.
ESOL 5502	Instructional Strategies	3 hours ESOL 5502 - Instructional Strategies 3 credit hours Course Description This course is intended for both regular education and ESOL teachers and will focus on developing instructional strategies for supporting ESOL students in content area learning. Course participants will develop instructional and leadership skills needed for teaching ESOL. Participants will reflect upon using proven instructional practices to enhance learning in today’s challenging classroom environment.
ESOL 5503	Applied Linguistics	3 hours ESOL 5503 - Applied Linguistics 3 credit hours Course Description Through this course, participants will become knowledgeable about the nature and structure of language and how first and second languages develop. Participants will explore language teaching strategies consistent with the current understanding of the nature, structure, and development of language. By developing a repertoire of effective strategies, participants will become more proficient at supporting students’ second language development. Teachers will investigate best practices and current research and consider how to adapt and integrate these principles into their own educational practice.
ESOL 5504	Multicultural Education Issues	3 hours ESOL 5504 - Multicultural Education Issues 3 credit hours Course Description This course provides and in-depth discussion of the concept of culture and helps students/teachers/school personnel recognize the influence of culture on learning, communication, belief systems and value orientations, and patterns of thinking and behaving. Instructional applications including creating an appropriate learning environment and/or curriculum and materials for culturally diverse students will be given.

Program Completion Rates, Median Debt, and More

The following program details are intended to help you make an informed decision about the college that’s right for you.

Tuition and Fees Information Table
Tuition & Fees as of July 30, 2018
Tuition	$10,800
Institutional Fee	$225 / per semester
Technology Fee	$65 / per semester

For more information on jobs related to this program, please click on the below links to the O*NET website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Table of related jobs to this degree/program
25.2052.00	Special Education Teachers, kindergarten and Elementary School
25-2053.00	Special Education Teachers, Middle School
25-2054.00	Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

This program is designed to prepare graduates to pursue a job in this field or related fields. Although career and professional development services are available to students and graduates, finding a job is the individual responsibility of the student. We do not guarantee that any student will be placed in any particular job, or at all.

Total Credits (36 Hours)

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