Special Education, M.Ed.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

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 Council for Exceptional Children Advanced 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.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the program requires an applicant to:

Complete requirements for a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Present a cumulative 3.0 (4.0 scale) grade point average or higher on all undergraduate work.
Present a current renewable certificate in Special Education.

For candidates who have a Bachelor’s in Special Education:

Special Education Core (24 credit hours)

EDRS 6301 - Introduction to Research in the Human Sciences 3 Credit Hours
SPED 6721 - Professional Seminar 3 Credit Hours
CURR 6575 - Curriculum Trends and Issues 3 Credit Hours
SPED 7721 - Assessment in Special Education 3 Credit Hours
SPED 7705 - Urban and Multicultural Issues in Special Education 3 Credit Hours
SPED 7724 - Collaboration and Inclusion 3 Credit Hours
** SPED 6500 - Dyslexia: Methods and Instructional Strategies 3 Credit Hours
* SPED 7767 - Strategies for Challenging Behaviors 3 Credit Hours
SPED 6795 - Comprehensive Exam for the Master of Education: Special Education 0 Credit Hours

Electives (6 credit hours total)

* SPED 7716 - Autism: Theories and Characteristics 3 Credit Hours
* SPED 7726 - Autism: Collaboration and Instruction 3 Credit Hours
** READ 7263 - Comprehensive Language and Literacy Assessments and Interventions 3 Credit Hours
** SLPA 7720 - Language Disorders and Literacy 3 Credit Hours
Other 6000/7000 level classes with permission of advisor

*These classes make up the Autism Endorsement

**These classes make up the Dyslexia Endorsement

Candidates who do NOT have a Bachelor’s in Special Education will need to take the following two classes as electives in their FIRST semester:

Prerequisites:

SPED 6709 - Regulations and Requirements in Special Education 3 Credit Hours
SPED 6715 - Educational Characteristics of Learners: Mild Disabilities 3 Credit Hours