Special Education, M.Ed.

The Department of Literacy and Special Education in the College of Education at the University of West Georgia (COE-UWG) offers the Master of Education program in Special Education (MEd-SPED). The program in Special Education prepares candidates who hold a current teaching certificate to expand their professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions for enhancing effective practice through the exploration of new knowledge and the comprehension of research constructs. Candidates who successfully complete this program and other requirements of the state certification agency (GaPSC) may be eligible for a certificate upgrade of their current Georgia teaching certificate to a level 5.

The M.Ed. in Special Education - General Curriculum is a 30 hour program with 24 hours in the special education core and 6 hours of electives, plus an exit exam/Electronic Portfolio. For those students who do not have a degree in special education but do have a clear, renewable, professional teaching certificate in special education, the program consists of 30 credit hours in Special Education and 6 hours of prerequisite courses, plus an exit exam/Electronic Portfolio. Courses meet the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards - Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood and the Council for Exceptional Children standards. Candidates need to work closely with their advisor for most effective scheduling of classes. Most of the SPED MEd classes are offered twice per year.