Education, MA: Special Education K-12 Emphasis (add-on certification)
33 credit hours
The Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in special education K–12 requires 33 credit hours, 4 core courses and 21 credit hours of elective courses selected from specialized certification courses. The special education emphasis provides professional education courses required for the special education mild/moderate disabled (K-12) (add-on) teaching certification in Missouri. Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students who wish to add on the special education certification will receive the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education required practicum experiences through student teaching.
Students in the Master of Arts in Education with two years of special education experience, who wish to add on the special education certification are required to complete only 3 credit hours of special education practicum coursework.
Master of Arts in Education students who wish to earn the emphasis in Special Education, and who also have earned an initial teacher certificate may fulfill the practicum requirement through EDS 55000 Practicum: Cross Categorical and EDS 55400 Practicum: Cross Categorical.
Master of Arts students who have 2 or more years of experience in teaching are only required to take one 3 credit hour practicum. Upon completion of the coursework all students should take and pass the Mild-Moderate: Cross Categorical Disabilities K-12 and Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications (050) Missouri content exam to be considered “highly qualified” in the State of Missouri. An additional exam may be required, depending on the initial area of certification.
Requirements
Core Curriculum
One of the following:
| EDU 51000 | Conceptualization of Education | 3 |
| EDU 51010 | Conceptualization of Education for Beginning Teachers | 3 |
One of the following:
Special Education Curriculum
For add-on advanced certification, students should send all transcripts to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to determine the exact courses necessary. All courses below have a prerequisite of EDU 34100/EDU 54100 Education of the Exceptional Child.
| EDS 50200 | Behavior Management | 3 |
| EDS 53000 | Introduction and Methods of Teaching Children with Disabilities in Cross-Categorical Settings | 4 |
| EDS 53300 | Speech and Language Development for the Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| EDS 53700 | Special Education Counseling | 3 |
| EDS 54000 | Career Development | 3 |
| EDS 55000 | Practicum for Teaching Children with Disabilities in Cross-Categorical Settings | 1-3 |
| EDS 55400 | Practicum for Teaching Children with Disabilities in Cross-Categorical Settings (1-3) | 1-3 |
| EDS 55700 | Remediation in Elementary Math | 3 |
| EDU 50200 | Psychology of Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| EDU 50300 | Elementary Reading Methods | 3 |
| EDU 50900 | Analysis and Correction of Reading Disabilities | 3 |
| EDU 52200 | Practicum: Diagnosis of Reading Difficulties | 2 |
| EDU 52400 | Assessment of Intellectual Skills | 3 |
Notes: (1) Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise indicated. (2) EDU 50200 is required only for students who have not had a Child Psychology or Human Growth and Development course, which is the study of the individual birth through adolescence (not birth through death). (3) EDU 55400: Students should only enroll in one practicum per semester.