Special Education, M.Ed.

degree requirements

A minimum of 35 semester hours of coursework (at least 21 semester hours in special education) is required for the degree. At least 9 hours are required at the 500 level. Additional hours are required for the Learning Behavior Specialist I certification.

Please select a CONCENTRATION that matches your degree interests:

CONCENTRATION 1 for students seeking the M.Ed. degree only (no certificate), is a flexible program that allows students to tailor the program to meet their educational interests and professional goals.

Core Curriculum

ED 445: Adolescence and the Schools
SPED/EPSY 582: Forging Collaboration with the Family and Community
SPED 573: Understanding Research in Special Education

Political and Social Context (select one)

SPED 461/ED 461: Political and Sociocultural Perspectives on Special Education
ED 402: Philosophy of Education and Urban School Policy
ED 403: Policy Issues in the History of American Education
EPSY 449: History and Philosophy of Early Childhood Education
DHD 401: Foundations of Disability and Human Development
DHD 430: Introduction to Disability Policy and Organization
DHD 514: Ethical Issues in Disability
DIS 535: Advocacy and Empowerment in Disability
PS 406: Politics of Urban Education
PS 570: Educational Policy: Historical and Philosophical Analysis
PS 571: Education Policy: Formation, Implementation and Outcomes
PS 582: Cultural Pluralism and Education Policy

Characteristics of Learners(select one)

SPED 466/EPSY 466: Language Development, Diversity, and Disabilities
SPED 465/EPSY 465: Cognitive Development and Disabilities
SPED 467/EPSY 467: Social/Emotional Development and Disabilities
EPSY 420: Social Development of Urban Children
EPSY 429: Constructivist Approaches to Development: Piaget and Vygotsky
EPSY 446: Characteristics of Early Adolescence
EPSY 502: Social Psychology of Education
ED 421: Advanced Educational Psychology
ED 422: Advanced Developmental Psychology and Educational Processes

Promoting Academic Learning (select one)

SPED 463: Instructional Adaptations in Reading and Writing I
SPED 473/ED 473: Teaching Math and Science with Adaptations
SPED 471: Curricular Adaptations for Learners with Significant Disabilities
SPED 583: Instructional Adaptations in Reading and Writing II
CIE 482: Assessment and Instruction: A Multicultural Perspective
CIE 480/SPED 480: Technology and Multimedia: Learning Tools in the Classroom

Promoting Social and Emotional Learning (select one)

SPED 472/ED 472: Promoting Academic and Prosocial Behavior I
SPED 572: Promoting Academic and Prosocial Behavior II

Assessing Learner's Needs (select one)

SPED 462: Assessment of Individuals with Disabilities
SPED 576: Internship in Assessment

Internship (select one)

SPED 578: Classroom-Based Inquiry
SPED 577: Field Teaching Internship
SPED 579: Research Internship

Electives:

9 semester hours

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS =35-36

CONCENTRATION 2 for students seeking the M.Ed. degree and the Learning Behavior Specialist II Certificate. Individuals seeking an LBSII must currently hold an LBSI certificate.

LBSII certification areas available

Assistive Technology Specialist
Bilingual Special Education Specialist
Curricular Adaptation Specialist
Behavior Intervention Specialist
Multiple Disabilities Specialist
Transition Specialist

Hours Requirements

One specialty certification (meet admission requirements and earn 18 credits with satisfactory progress)
Two specialty certifications (meet admission requirements and earn 36 credits) and a master’s degree upon satisfactory progress)

LBSII notes

** Certified special educators who want to build specialized knowledge and skills in these six Illinois-approved areas for certification: assistive technology, behavior intervention, bilingual special education, curriculum adaptation/inclusion, multiple disabilities, transition. For bilingual special education, the candidate must demonstrate bilingualism in one of the 14 target languages and pass the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Target Language Proficiency Test (given in the following languages: Arabic, Cantonese, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Polish, Russian or Spanish).

** Candidates must hold an Illinois Learning Behavior Specialist I certificate and have at the end of the required coursework two years of teaching in special education.

** Required semester hours: 18 semester hours for one certification; 36 hours for two certifications and the masters degree.

Course Requirements

Click here for a list of the courses required for the LBSII areas and the degree.

CONCENTRATION 3 is designed for individuals who aim to become special education teachers. These students will earn the M.Ed. degree plus the special education teaching certificate called the Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS I). Those with an LBS I certificate are eligible to teach children and young adults ages 5 - 21 in 7 disability categories: Learning Disabilities; Emotional and Social Challenges; Mental Retardation; Autism; Physical Disabilities; Traumatic Brain Injury; and Other Health Impaired.

Core Curriculum (50 semester hours)

Block One

SPED/ED 461: Political and Sociocultural Perspectives on Special Education - 3 hours
SPED 462: Assessment of Individuals with Disabilities - 3 hours
SPED/EPSY 465: Cognitive Development and Disabilities --3 hours
SPED/EPSY 466: Language Development, Diversity, and Disabilities - 3 hours
SPED/EPSY467: Social/Emotional Development and Disabilities - 3 hours
SPED 573: Understanding Special Education Research - 3 hours

Block Two

SPED 463: Instructional Adaptations in Reading and Writing I - 3 hours
ED/SPED 473: Teaching Math and Science with Adaptations - 3 hours
SPED 471: Curricular Adaptations for Learners with Significant Disabilities - 3 hours
SPED/ED 472: Promoting Academic and Prosocial Behavior I - 3 hours
SPED/EPSY 582: Forging Collaborations with Family and Community -- 3 hours
SPED 583: Instructional Adaptations in Reading and Writing II - 3 hours

Internships:

SPED 576: Internship in Assessment - 3 hours
SPED 577: Field Teaching Internship - 3 hours or SPED 578: Classroom Based Inquiry - 3 hours

Block Three

SPED 572: Promoting Academic and Prosocial Behavior II -2 hours
SPED 580: Special Education Student Teaching - 6 hours