Special Education, M.S.

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Amanda Bozack, Director, School of Teacher Education and Leadership
Karen Douglas, Graduate Program Coordinator
Graduate Faculty
See Graduate Faculty list at:
http://gradcollege.asp.radford.edu/faculty.html

Master of Science Degree in Special Education

The Master of Science in Special Education is a single degree, offering practicing educators and those intending to enter the teaching profession the opportunity to design a program of study to meet their interests and teacher licensure needs.

Admission Requirements

A combination of factors including GPA, personal narrative, resume, professional references, and teaching experience will be used for determining acceptance to the graduate program in special education. Submit an application with all required documentation to the Graduate College.

Comprehensive Examination

For successful completion of the Master of Science in Special Education program, all candidates are required to pass a comprehensive examination of their knowledge and application of content learned in the program.

Non-Degree Coursework

Student may apply to Radford University’s College of Graduate Studies and Research as a non-degree seeking student. Non-degree students seeking to enroll in graduate level special education courses must obtain the permission of the director of the school or the graduate coordinator. It is the policy of Radford’s College of Graduate Studies and Research that no more than 9 credit hours taken as a non-degree seeking student may be petitioned for acceptance toward a degree.

Degree Requirements

I. M.S. in Special Education with Concentration – 30 hours (To add licensure to the M.S. in Special Education, additional professional studies coursework and internship are required)

II. M.S. in Special Education, Fifth Year – 30 hours

III. M.S. in Special Education without concentration – 30 hours

Options (Choose One)

I. M.S. in Special Education with Concentration

A. Special Education, General Curriculum, K-12

B. Special Education, Adapted Curriculum, K-12

C. Special Education, Early Childhood, birth-five

D. Special Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, preK-12

E. Special Education, Blindness and Visual Impairment, preK-12

A. Special Education, General Curriculum

This option is for those who will work with students with disabilities who learn within K-12 general education curriculum primarily within general education settings.

Core Courses (12 hours)

EDEF 605 - Introduction to Educational Research Credits: (3)
EDSP 622 - Collaboration to Teach and Support Diverse Learners Credits: (3)
EDSP 651 - Students with Diverse Learning Needs and the Special Education Process Credits: (3)
EDSP 670 - Proactive Classroom Management and Advanced Positive Behavior and Support Credits: (3)

Required Program Courses (18 hours)

EDSP 645 - Instructional and Adaptive Methods in Mathematics Credits: (3)
EDSP 646 - Instruction and Intervention Strategies in Reading and Writing for Students with Disabilities Credits: (3)
EDSP 669 - Diagnostic and Assessment Procedures for Individuals with Disabilities Credits: (3)
EDSP 672 - Characteristics of Learners with Disabilities who Access the General Education Curriculum, K-12 Credits: (3)
EDSP 675 - Teaching Students with Exceptional Learning Needs in the Elementary General Curriculum Credits: (3)
EDSP 676 - Teaching and Transitioning Exceptional Learners in the Secondary General Curriculum Credits: (3)
To obtain a VDOE collegiate professional license in Special Education, General Curriculum K-12, an additional 12 semester hours of internship experiences are required. Students who complete one year of successful, co-supervised full-time teaching experience in this endorsement area in a public school or accredited nonpublic school during their graduate program may be given the opportunity to have this experience accepted in lieu of the supervised teaching internship. These internship courses are not required to obtain the concentration in General Curriculum.
EDSP 791 - Elementary Teaching Internship in Special Education: General and Adapted Curriculum Credits: (6)
EDSP 792 - Secondary Teaching Internship in Special Education: General and Adapted Curriculum Credits: (6)

B. Special Education, Adapted Curriculum

This option is for those who will work with students with complex disabilities who require an individualized, adapted curriculum and specialized supports to gain access to the general education curriculum and learn within K-12 general education settings.

Core Courses (12 hours)

EDEF 605 - Introduction to Educational Research Credits: (3)
EDSP 622 - Collaboration to Teach and Support Diverse Learners Credits: (3)
EDSP 651 - Students with Diverse Learning Needs and the Special Education Process Credits: (3)
EDSP 670 - Proactive Classroom Management and Advanced Positive Behavior and Support Credits: (3)

Required Program Courses (18 hours)

EDSP 663 - Characteristics of Students with Severe Disabilities Credits: (3)
EDSP 664 - IEP, Assessment and Program Planning for Adapted Curriculum Credits: (3)
EDSP 665 - Individualized Supports and Specialized Care of Students with Significant Disabilities Credits: (3)
EDSP 667 - Language Development and Communication Strategies for Students with Complex Disabilities Credits: (3)
EDSP 668 - Transition and Community-based Instruction Credits: (3)
EDSP 674 - Teaching Students with Individualized Adapted Curriculum Credits: (3)
To obtain VDOE licensure in Special Education, Adapted Curriculum, K-12, an additional 6 semester hours of internship experiences are required. Students who complete one year of successful, co-supervised full-time teaching experience in this endorsement area in a public school or accredited nonpublic school during their graduate program may be given the opportunity to have this experience accepted in lieu of the supervised teaching internship. These internship courses are not required to obtain the concentration in Adapted Curriculum.
EDSP 781 - Teaching Internship in Special Education: Adapted Curriculum (Elementary K-8) Credits: (3)
EDSP 782 - Teaching Internship in Special Education: Adapted Curriculum (Secondary 6-12) Credits: (3)

C. Special Education, Early Childhood Birth-Five

This option prepares graduates to work with and advocate for infants and young children with developmental delays and disabilities birth to five and their families in a variety of early intervention, home and school settings.

Core Courses (12 hours)

EDEF 605 - Introduction to Educational Research Credits: (3)
EDSP 622 - Collaboration to Teach and Support Diverse Learners Credits: (3)
EDSP 651 - Students with Diverse Learning Needs and the Special Education Process Credits: (3)
EDSP 670 - Proactive Classroom Management and Advanced Positive Behavior and Support Credits: (3)

Required Program Courses (18 hours)

EDSP 686 - Instructional Programming to Teach Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers with Disabilities Credits: (3)
EDSP 648 - Family-centered Intervention and Program Management in Early Childhood Special Education Credits: (3)
EDSP 637 - Early Childhood Assessment and Intervention Credits: (3)
EDSP 602 - Speech-Language Disorders & Development: Birth to Five Years Credits: (3)
EDSP 639 - Medical Aspects of Teaching Young Children with Disabilities Credits: (3)
*Elective - Must be a 600 level course in one of the following prefixes: EDSP, EDRD, or EDET (3 credit hours)
To obtain VDOE licensure in Special Education, Early Childhood, Birth-Five, an additional 12 semester hours of internship experiences are required. Students who are on a provisional early childhood special education license can complete one year of successful, supervised full-time teaching experience in this endorsement area in a public school or accredited nonpublic school during their graduate program and be given the opportunity to have this experience accepted in lieu of the supervised teaching internship. These internship courses are not required to obtain the concentration in Special Education, Early Childhood.
EDSP 740 - Teaching Internships in Early Childhood Special Education: Home and Community-Based Services Credits: (6)
EDSP 741 - Teaching Internships in Early Childhood Special Education: School-Based Services Credits: (6)

D. Special Education, Hearing Impairments

This option is for those who will work in a variety of educational settings with students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Core Courses (12 hours)

EDEF 605 - Introduction to Educational Research Credits: (3)
EDSP 622 - Collaboration to Teach and Support Diverse Learners Credits: (3)
EDSP 651 - Students with Diverse Learning Needs and the Special Education Process Credits: (3)
EDSP 670 - Proactive Classroom Management and Advanced Positive Behavior and Support Credits: (3)

Required Program Courses (18 hours)

EDSP 526 - Introduction to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Credits: (3)
EDSP 527 - Curriculum and Methods for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students Credits: (3)
EDSP 625 - Audiologic Assessment and Intervention Credits: (3)
EDSP 628 - Language Development and Literacy for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students Credits: (3)
EDSP 669 - Diagnostic and Assessment Procedures for Individuals with Disabilities Credits: (3)
EDSP 646 - Instruction and Intervention Strategies in Reading and Writing for Students with Disabilities Credits: (3)
To obtain VDOE licensure in Special Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, preK-12, an additional 12 semester hours of internship experiences are required. Students who complete one year of successful, co-supervised full-time teaching experience in this endorsement area in a public school or accredited nonpublic school during their graduate program may be given the opportunity to have this experience accepted in lieu of the supervised teaching internship. These internship courses are not required to obtain the concentration in Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
EDSP 755 - Teaching Internship in Special Education: Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Preschool-Elementary Level Credits: Variable credit, (4-6)
EDSP 756 - Teaching Internship in Special Education: Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Secondary Level Credits: Variable credit, (4-6)

E. Special Education, Blindness and Visual Impairment

This option is for those who will work in a variety of educational settings with students who are blind or have visual impairments.