Special Education Graduate Degree Programs in Pennsylvania

Special Education Graduate Degree Programs offer learners the opportunity to refine their knowledge base and skills for working with students who may have a variety of learning, mental, emotional and physical disabilities. Graduate programs in special education differ. They may prepare graduates for state licensure, serve as professional development for those already licensed or groom future administrators or researchers, according to the (BLS). Whether you are looking to gain new insights to apply to an existing career or seek initial licensure and certification, working towards a special education graduate degree is worth considering!

Special Education Graduate Degree Programs: Essentials

Special Education graduate programs are offered as graduate certificates, master’s and doctorate degrees in general special education or concentration areas such as early childhood, autism spectrum disorders, behavioral, speech and language disabilities. Prerequisites vary but commonly require a Bachelor’s degree to enroll in a Master’s program and either a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree to enroll in a doctorate program.

Special Education Graduate Degree Programs appeal to different students:

• New educators who seek initial licensing
• New educators who seek additional license credential
• Experienced educators seeking license renewal
• Experienced educators seeking additional license credential
• Individuals who seek potential careers as university scholars and teachers
• Individuals who seek potential leadership positions

Study Special Education at the Graduate Level

Taking your education to its next level with a special education graduate degree can mean different things depending on the type of program you are in. Some degree programs may involve more than coursework and could entail a supervised practicum in addition to classroom learning. Special education graduate students may study topics such as (O*Net):

• How to develop an individualized education plan (IEP)
• How to collaborate with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers and others
• Instructional methods and techniques (phonetics, multisensory learning, repetition)
• Understanding regulations
• Record keeping
• How to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of the special education student(s)
• How to use adaptive communication technology
• How to teach functional and/or social skills
• Methodology and theory
• Research methodology

Special Education Teacher: Licensing, Education Level

Licensing requirements for special education teachers varies by state. Special ed. teachers in the public school systems are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree and state-issued certification of license. In some states, in order to be fully certified special education teachers to complete a master’s degree in special education (bls.gov). Furthermore, in order to maintain their license, teachers may have to complete annual professional development classes or, if they do not have one, a master’s degree to maintain their license (bls.gov).

DID YOU KNOW? “Many states offer general licenses in special education that allow teachers to work with students with a variety of disabilities. Others offer licenses or endorsements based on a disability-specific category, such as autism or behavior disorders.” (bls.gov).

Types of Special Education Graduate Degree Programs

Knowing whether you want to research, work in administration, teach, develop curriculums or work as a school counselor can help determine your academic path in terms of special education graduate degree programs. Keep in mind that program lengths and course curriculums vary for certificates, masters and doctorate special education degree programs, so there is no substitution for speaking with a prospective education school directly.

Graduate Certificate Special Education

Typically, a graduate certificate in special education requires students to have a bachelor’s degree and may have other prerequisites. Certificates tend to be shorter term than a full degree, and may entail about 18 credits *. Graduate certificate in special education programs may offer add on credentials and/or keep one’s options open; sometimes credits may be transferred to a master’s degree if that is something you can think about for a later date.

Special Education Masters Programs

Special education master’s programs are varied, and education schools may offer Master of Science (MS), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Education (MEd.) in Special Education and/or Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) & Special Education. The average program length is about 2-years of full time study, which could entail 32 to 36 credits. The type of master’s degree you choose will depend on whether you have a valid teaching license, whether you are looking for preliminary certification and a master’s degree or whether you are coming into special education with an undergraduate degree in a related field such as a bachelor’s in human services or education (but not specifically special education). Often you can select a specific concentration area such as:

• Academic and behavioral support
• Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
• Autism
• Mild/moderate disabilities
• Pre-K – 8years
• Learning disabilities

PhD Programs Special Education

Doctor of Education and PhD degree programs in special education might prepare students for scholarship, research and academia. Doctoral programs typically involve individualized research, and may consist of about 60 credits beyond the master’s degree, which could entail about 5 years of full time study *. Students may also choose the option of a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) which may be geared to administration and leadership. Some possible concentration areas could include:

• Educational policy
• Higher Education
• Educational leadership
• Special education

Special Education Graduate Degree Programs: Campus or Online?

Special education graduate programs are offered in different formats; campus (residential), online, and hybrid (partially online). Some graduate schools offer several options, while others may not. If you have a preference, use it in your search to refine the results. You can also search for special education doctorate or master’s programs by location; study abroad or look into a city or state within the U.S. depending on your needs.

Accreditation

There are two types of accreditation: institutional and programmatic (professional). Universities and colleges with graduate special education programs may be accredited regionally. You can check the list of accredited institutions on the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) websites. Additionally, you can look for accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) which has been consolidated into the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Look for special education graduate degree programs that meet your learning, geographical, academic and professional needs by choosing the degree level and browsing sponsored listings within that category. Some of your options might include: Master of Education in Special Education, Master of Science in Special Education, Master of Arts in Special Education, Doctor of Education in Learning and Instruction, and many others. Don’t forget to use the ‘request info’ settings to contact your prospective graduate schools for full program details, admission procedures and above all, to stay on top of application deadlines!

GradSchools.com offers 25 Graduate Schools with Special Education Graduate Degree Programs in Pennsylvania

* Program lengths and number of courses vary.