The M.Ed. in Special Education

Program Description

A Master of Education degree in Special Education is offered by the Department of Education of the University of New Hampshire. The goal of the program is to prepare highly qualified special education teachers certified at the Master's degree level who are capable of collaborating with classroom teachers as team teachers or consultants to meet the needs of children and young adults with disabilities in inclusive, non-categorical public school settings.

On-campus coursework and field-based internship experiences will lead graduate students to competencies in the areas of educational assessment, holistic instruction, direct instruction, curriculum development, management of learning environments, selection and modification of instructional materials, application of research findings, case and systems advocacy, and the organization and evaluation of special education service systems.

The program of studies includes a minimum of 44 credit hours of graduate courses divided into two segments: Core Courses (32 credits), and Elective Courses (12 credits minimum). Prerequisite coursework in the areas of special education, reading, and mathematics should be satisfied before the student attains degree candidacy.

M.Ed. Degree Requirements

Prerequisites for General Special Education Certification:

1. All candidates are required to complete a course in mathematics teaching methods and a course in reading teaching methods. At UNH, courses that meet the reading requirement are EDUC 806, Introduction to Reading Instruction and EDUC 907, Foundations of Reading Instruction. Courses which meet the mathematics requirement are MATH 701, Exploring Math for Teachers I and MATH 702, Exploring Math for Teachers II. Equivalent courses taken at another college or university may be substituted.

2. All students are required to complete EDUC 850, Introduction to Exceptionality and EDUC 851, Educating Exceptional Learners. Equivalent courses taken at another college or university may be substituted.

3. Credits for prerequisite courses will not count toward those needed for the M.Ed. degree.

Core Courses (32 credit hours)
Required courses for all students:

EDUC 756/856 Supporting Families of Individuals with Exceptionalities 4 cr.
EDUC 900C Internship and Seminar in Special Education 6 cr.
EDUC 901C Internship and Seminar in Special Education 6 cr.
EDUC 938 Advanced Seminar in Special Education 4 cr.
EDUC 939 Assessment of Children withLearning Difficulties 4 cr.
EDUC 940 Teaching Children with Learning Difficulties 4 cr.
EDUC 981 Methods and Techniques of Educational Research 4 cr.

Elective Courses (12 credit hours minimum)

EDUC 852 Contemporary Issues in Learning Difficulties 4 cr.
EDUC 853 Contemporary Issues in Behavior Disorders 4 cr.
EDUC 854 Contemporary Issues in Developmental Disabilities 4 cr.
EDUC 855 Fostering Social Relationships for Students Who Experience Severe Disabilities 2 cr.
EDUC 860 Introduction to Young Children with Special Needs 4 cr.
EDUC 876 Reading for Children with Special Needs 4 cr.
EDUC 908/909 Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading Difficulties 4 cr.
EDUC 947 Curriculum for Young Children with Special Needs: Evaluation and Program Design 4 cr.
EDUC 951 Laws and Regulations Affecting the Education of Individuals with Disabilities 4 cr.

Students will select elective courses in consultation with their adviser. At most, 4 credit hours of EDUC 899, Thesis may count as elective work.

Other courses may be included on recommendation from the adviser.

Concluding Experiences

All students will have the option of one of two concluding experiences:

1. Research project with a defense, or

2. A research thesis that meets the requirements of the Graduate School and the Education Department (6-10 credits).

Requirements for the thesis are explained in the Graduate School publication entitled Thesis and Dissertation Manual. Requirements for the project may be obtained from the adviser or on the program Web site www.gradschool.unh.edu.

Grades and Credit Hours

The M.Ed. degree requires a minimum of 44 hours of graduate level credits. The exact number of credit hours will depend on the student’s background, competencies, and professional goals, and will be determined by the adviser.

Additional Related Certifications

For a list of coursework required for optional additional certifications, see Learning Disabilities Certification, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Certification, and Special Education Administration Certification.