Accelerated Graduate Pathway Leading to Initial Certification in Special Education

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The Accelerated Special Education Initial Certification Pathway allows USM undergraduate students with an interest in special education certification to have courses taken in their undergraduate sequence apply toward the graduate Master of Science in Special Education degree. This allows for exposure to education related courses over multiple years and a reduced course load while in the graduate program.

Requirements at the undergraduate level:

Recommended Courses and Core

HRD 200 - Multicultural Human Development Credits: 3 (Sociocultural Analysis (SCA)
SED 300 - Ethics and Serving Individuals with Disabilities Credits: 3 (Ethical Inquiry)
or
EDU 310 - Education, Schooling, and Democracy Credits: 3 (Ethical Inquiry/International)
Apply for Accelerated Program prior to the first semester of junior standing (e.g. 60 credits).

Prerequisite to the M.S. in Special Education: Teaching Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities (certification)

Students applying to the M.S. in Special Education certification concentration are required to successfully complete an exceptionality course approved by the Maine Department of Education.
SED 235 - Students with Exceptionalities in General Education Credits: 3 (Core Culture, Power, and Equity), grade of “C” or better

Required Courses (18 credits)

SED 518 Targeted and Individualized Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities
SED 615 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
SED 653 Assessment of Academic Achievement
SED 682 Special Education Regulations, Procedures, and IEP Team
SED 687 Technology for Learning and Communicating
SPY 501 Variability in Human Development

Requirements at the graduate level:

Required courses (18 credits)

EDU 562 Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
SED 625 Multi-Tiered Intervention and Assessment for Math Difficulties
SED 627 Multi-Tiered Intervention and Assessment for Reading Difficulties
SED 688 - Internship in Special Education for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities Credits: 6
EDU 600 - Research Methods
SED 699 - Directed Study

42 total credits (including the prerequisite), 282 Special Education certification, and a Master’s degree.

For Graduate-level course descriptions, Click Here.

Admissions

Application Requirements and Instructions

Deadline: rolling

Submit the following:

Graduate Application to the Special Education Initial Certification program. Application to the program must be submitted while completing last 300-level course work and prior to any 400-level course work.
Free Admissions Account and Application in Tk20: In addition to the materials listed below, you must also complete a free Tk20 Admissions Account and Application in order for your accelerated pathway application to be reviewed. Submit the Accelerated Pathway application via the Tk20 system.
Three Recommendations: One each from field placement supervisor/mentor, education professor, and major professor. Each must have a separate form for recommendation.
Essay: a brief essay (300-500 words) that responds to the following prompt: Please describe what you think it means as a teacher to provide equitable learning opportunities for all students. How do you see yourself providing equitable opportunities to learn for your students? Illustrate your thinking by using specific examples.

Admission to the M.S. in Special Education for the Accelerated Special Education Initial Certification Pathway

Students will apply to the M.S. in Special Education program using the standard graduate admission application; to be considered for admission via the accelerated pathway, a student must have satisfactorily completed the BA degree requirements, and have maintained a GPA of 3.0 for courses in the program, with grades no lower than a B in the following courses: SED 235, SED 518, SED 615, SED 653, SED 682, SED 687, SPY 501. The graduate application can be found here: https://usm.maine.edu/special-education/supplemental-content-ms-special-education-integrated-general-education-and-special.
Recommendations, Resume, and Essay from Accelerated Special Education Initial Certification Pathway application will be used as part of the submission requirements of the graduate admission application.
Students will become fully matriculated in the M.S. in Special Education program once all conditions for admission have been met.

Scholarships: There are scholarships for education students and we highly suggest you apply for them, while applying to the program, or afterwards: http://usm.maine.edu/sehd/financial-aid.