Master of Arts in Special Education

The M.A. in Special Education is designed to give teachers the necessary skills and information to teach in a general education classroom, in a self-contained special education classroom, work in a related field in special education, or teach in partnership in an inclusive education setting. The goal of this program is to give teachers the skills to effectively teach students with disabilities. The program consists of 42 graduate credits. A required core of 21 credits fulfill the New Jersey Department of Education requirements for the Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement. Currently, alternate route special education certification is also available for those currently emergency certified in special education (requires 6 credits of the concentration followed by the remaining 15 credits). The remaining 21 credits of the degree consist of one of three specialization tracks.

Option A: General Education Certification in K-8 or K-12:

For students who are not currently certified in general education but wish to become general education certified while earning their M.A. degree (and certification) in Special Education.

Option B: Learning Disabilities Specialization:

For students who are currently certified in general education and want to specialize in working with children with learning disabilities while earning their M.A. degree in Special Education.

GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75
  • Official undergraduate/graduate transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation for graduate study
  • Satisfactory scores on the general Graduate Record Exam (GRE), or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) (Students who complete the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in ABA, Special Education or General Education prior to matriculating into the Master’s program in Special Education are exempt from this requirement.)
  • Writing sample: an essay of at least 5 pages, preferably related to special education, that you previously submitted as part of an undergraduate or graduate course.
  • Personal interview

ADDITIONAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIALIZATIONS

Option A: General Education Certification in K-8 or K-12

  • Students wishing to pursue K-12 certification need an undergraduate content major in the area that they would like to teach (e.g., math, science, social studies, English).
  • Students wishing to pursue K-8 certification need a content major or a liberal arts major.
  • The PRAXIS exam is not required for admission: however, the passing score, as established by the state of New Jersey, is required for certification. Students are expected to pass this exam prior to student teaching.
  • In addition, nine undergraduate credits in behavioral sciences are required for certification by the state of New Jersey. Students are expected to have completed these courses prior to student teaching. These courses include two Psychology courses and one Sociology course.
    Psychology: PS 211 Child Psychology and either PS 209 Prenatal and Infant Psychology (Elementary Certificate) or PS 216 Adolescent Psychology (Secondary Certification) or their equivalents. Sociology: Either SO 231 Sociology of Poverty, SO 323 Sociology of Racial and Cultural Groups, SO 343 Sociology of Education, SO 425 Sociology of Gender, SO 474 Contemporary Social Problems, or SO 476 Urban Sociology.

Option B: Learning Disabilities Specialization

  • NJ Teacher Certification

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Required Core Courses (21 credits):

This course sequence is approved by the New Jersey Department of Education requirements for the Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement.
ED 521 Overview of Students in Special Education (3)
ED 523 The History of Special Education and the Law (3)
ED 525 Assessment and Planning for Students with Individualized Needs (3)
ED 530 Academic Curriculum Alternatives, Adaptations, and Technology (3)
ED 535 Theories of Teaching, Learning & Reading for Students with Individualized Needs (3)
ED 537 Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers (3)
ED 540 The Special Education Teacher as Collaborator (3)

Option A, Teaching Certification – Additional Required Courses (21 graduate credits + 12 undergraduate credits):

This course sequence is approved by the New Jersey Department of Education as meeting requirements for certification in general education for K-8 or K-12.
ED 500 Curriculum Theory and Development (3)
ED 505 Student Development and Learning (3)
ED 510 Reading and Communication (3)
ED 515 Classrooms and Community: A Social Unit (3)
ED 520 Professional Skills (3)
ED 610 Education Research I (3)
ED 611 Education Research II (3)
ED 470 Student Teaching (9) (undergraduate course)
ED 475 Student Teaching Seminar (3) (undergraduate course)

Option B, Learning Disabilities – Additional Required Courses (21 credits):

This option is for students who are currently certified in general education and want to specialize in Learning Disabilities.
ED 557 Learning Disabilities: Concepts, Characteristics & Identification Procedures (3)
ED 559 Assessment of Learning Disabilities and Instructional Planning Techniques (3)
ED 564 Diagnosis and Corrections of Reading Difficulties (3)
ED 568 Instructional Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities (3)
ED 569 Advanced Instructional Techniques for Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (3)
ED 610 Education Research I
ED 611 Education Research II

Transfer of Credit

Caldwell College will accept the transfer of six credits of graduate work from another accredited institution provided the credits were completed within five years of the student’s registration at Caldwell College. Official transcripts of previous graduate work as well as the description of each course must be submitted for review at the time of application. Approval of transfer credit is based on course content and grade earned in the course. Each transfer request will be reviewed by the Program Coordinator.

Statement of Outcomes Assessment

As the capstone requirement for the Masters in Special Education, students pursuing option A (General Education Certification) and C (Learning Disabilities) must successfully complete a two-semester capstone course, ED 610 Education Research I & ED 611 Education Research II. In these classes, students will first complete a review of the literature in a particular area within special education. They will then design and conduct an action research project.