The 30 credit hour Personalized Professional MA path provides the opportunity for you to personalize your coursework to your specific professional goals as an educator. This MA does NOT lead to a license or an endorsement. A current teaching license is not required for the Personalized Professional MA.
Students in this MA degree plan will choose 3 courses (9 credits) from the SPED core course options. Then, in consultation and with approval from, your faculty advisor, select 5 courses from the Thematic Course Categories to customize your learning (15 credits). Finally, take the Concentration Courses which includes a research course (3 credits) and the Capstone course (3 credits) for a total of 30 credits.
This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.
SPED Core Courses: Choose 3 (9 credit hours)
Thematic Course Categories: (15 credit hours)
In consultation and with approval from, your faculty advisor, select five courses from the Thematic Course Categories to customize your learning.
- Course 1
- Course 2
- Course 3
- Course 4
- Course 5
Concentration Courses: (6 credit hours)
Total Credit Hours 30
Capstone Requirement
SPED 5401 is the Special Education Capstone class, which fulfills the COMPS requirement for MA students. The intent of the Capstone is to help candidates synthesize learning through a final project that speaks to academic and professional development in the SPED Program. The capstone should tell the story of what was learned, specific areas of interest, and address ongoing barriers experienced in the field. Your Capstone requirements will be fulfilled by completion of SPED 5401.
Program Requirements and Courses
To complete the SPED Education program and earn a master’s degree, students must complete the appropriate course work as outlined. All courses require a grade of B- or better and a 3.0 minimum GPA is required for graduation.
Course Scheduling
During the fall and spring semesters, most courses are offered in the late afternoon and evening and meet for three hours once a week over a 16-week semester. Courses are offered in various formats, including completely face-to-face classes, hybrid, or online classes. In the summer semester, three-to eight-week sessions are offered, and courses may be in the morning, afternoon or evening.
Planning
For practicing full-time teachers, we recommend taking one course each fall and spring semester, and up to two courses each summer. Plan carefully because some courses are only offered once a year. Several courses have case study requirements with a K-12 student population. If you are not working in a school, you will consult with your instructor for an alternative assignment.
Active Status
Students must complete their programs within seven years, maintaining a GPA of 3.0 (B average). Please refer to the Student Handbook for information on Academic Probation. Students typically take four courses each calendar year. Failure to enroll over three contiguous semesters will result in a requirement to submit readmission materials.
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