Special Education (M.A.)

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Typically students seek the Master’s degree in Special Education while pursuing certification in one or more areas. A degree of flexibility provides additional opportunities for those not needing or wanting certification. Students wishing to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Special Education must select from the following specializations: Advanced Specialist in Disabilities, Early Childhood Special Education, or Multicategorical Special Education K-12. Students are encouraged to discuss program specializations with an advisor at the time of admission to the program.

NOTE: Students who do not hold either elementary or secondary education certification may only pursue the Multicategorical specialization and will need to complete additional coursework and certification requirements for initial teacher certification. A series of Praxis tests are required for successful completion of the program and to earn initial teaching certification in the state of South Dakota. Students pursuing initial teacher certification will need to pass the Praxis II Special Education Core Knowledge, and the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exam for successful completion of the program and teacher licensure. Students who do not possess certification will need to have completed all of the admission requirements for teacher education at the University of South Dakota. Students who are seeking teacher certification are encouraged to meet with an advisor for clarification.

Master of Arts, Special Education Plan B (non–thesis): Total 32-34 credit hours

M.A. in Special Education - Advanced Specialist in Disabilities (ASD) Specialization: Total 32-33 credit hours

Major Area Coursework

ASD specialization core required course work:
SPED 702 - Diagnostic Teaching 3 cr hrs
SPED 709 - Special Education Collaboration Or Consultation in the Schools 3 cr hrs
SPED 794 - Internship (M.A.) (C) 1 to 8 cr hrs (3 credit hours required)
Select one of the following courses (2-3 credit hours):
SPED 517 - Vocational-Transitional Programming (C) 2 to 3 cr hrs
SPED 519 - Medical Issues in Special Education 2 cr hrs
SPED 736 - Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder 3 cr hrs
Specialized course work (13 credit hours below):
SPED 720 - Learning Strategies 3 cr hrs
*Select two survey courses (4 credit hours required):
SPED 710 - Survey Cognitive Disabilities 2 cr hrs
SPED 730 - Survey: Learning Disabilities 2 cr hrs
SPED 735 - Survey: Autism Spectrum Disorders 2-3 cr hrs (2)
SPED 740 - Survey: Behavior Disorders 2 cr hrs
*Select two methods courses (6 credit hours required):
SPED 708 - Low Incidence Disabilities 2 cr hrs
SPED 711 - Educating Students With Cognitive Disabilities 3 cr hrs
SPED 737 - Educating Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders 3 cr hrs
SPED 741 - Educating Students With Emotional/ Behavior Disorders 3 cr hrs
SPED 731 - Educating Students With Learning Disabilities 3 cr hrs
Elective Special Education course if needed to equal 24 credits in Special Education
Note:

*Students are expected to take at least one survey course and one methods course in the same area.

Supporting Area Coursework

EDAD 720 - Special Education Law for School Administrators 3 cr hrs
EDER 761 - Graduate Research & Design (C) 3 cr hrs
Additional Supporting course work 2 credit hours

M.A. in Special Education - Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Specialization: Total 33 credit hours

Major Area Coursework

ECSE specialization core required course work:
SPED 705 - Advanced Family/Professional Collaboration 2 cr hrs
SPED 710 - Survey Cognitive Disabilities 2 cr hrs
SPED 715 - Behavior Management 2 to 3 cr hrs (3 credit hours required)
Select one of the following two courses:
SPED 780 - Assessment of Persons With Disabilities 3 cr hrs
SPSY 893 - Workshop in Preschool Assessment (C) 3 cr hrs
Specialized course work:
SPED 519 - Medical Issues in Special Education 2 cr hrs
SPED 770 - Survey: Early Childhood Special Education 3 cr hrs
SPED 771 - Strategies, Planning & Assessment in Early Childhood Special Ed. 3 cr hrs
SPED 772 - Atypical Development (Birth-5) 3 cr hrs
SPED 794 - Internship (M.A.) (C) 1 to 8 cr hrs (3 credit hours required)

Supporting Area Coursework

EDER 761 - Graduate Research & Design (C) 3 cr hrs
Approved Elective 3 credit hours required
Select one course from the following:
ELED 592 - Special Topics (C) 1 to 3 cr hrs EARLY LANGUAGE AND LITERACY (3 credit hours required)
Or
ELED 713 - Advanced Curriculum & Practices in Early Childhood Education 3 cr hrs

M.A. in Special Education - Multicategorical SPED K-12 (MSEK-12) Specialization: Total 33-52 credit hours

Major Area Coursework

MSEK-12 specialization core required course work (18 credit hours):
SPED 517 - Vocational-Transitional Programming (C) 2 to 3 cr hrs (2 cr hrs required)
SPED 703 - Education of Persons With Exceptional Needs 3 cr hrs
SPED 705 - Advanced Family/Professional Collaboration 2 cr hrs
SPED 708 - Low Incidence Disabilities 2 cr hrs
SPED 715 - Behavior Management 2 to 3 cr hrs (3 cr hrs required)
SPED 731 - Educating Students With Learning Disabilities 3 cr hrs
SPED 780 - Assessment of Persons With Disabilities 3 cr hrs
Select two survey courses (4 credit hours):
SPED 710 - Survey Cognitive Disabilities 2 cr hrs
SPED 730 - Survey: Learning Disabilities 2 cr hrs
SPED 735 - Survey: Autism Spectrum Disorders 2-3 cr hrs (2 credit hours required)
SPED 740 - Survey: Behavior Disorders 2 cr hrs

Supporting Area Coursework (8-9 credit hours)

EDER 761 - Graduate Research & Design (C) 3 cr hrs
ELED 757 - Assessment, Diagnosis, and Interventions for Effective Reading Instruction 3 cr hrs
Elective 2-3 cr

Field Experience (3-6 credit hours required)

Complete one of the following combinations listed below:

Combination 1 Multicategorical Specialization + Endorsement in Special Education & Initial Teacher Certification (3-6 credit hours):

SPED 688 - Student Teaching 1-8 cr hrs (i.e., initial teacher licensure with endorsement in multicategorical SPED) 0-5 cr hrs required
SPED 795 - Practicum in Special Education 1 to 6 cr hrs (1 credit hour required)

Courses for initial certification (if needed for combination 1) 0-15 credit hours

EDFN 575 - Human Relations (C) 3 cr hrs
EPSY 735 - Child/Adolescent Learning and Development 3 cr hrs
INED 511 - South Dakota Indian Studies (C) 3 cr hrs
TET 715 - Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education 3 cr hrs
EPSY 743 - Psychology of Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood 3 cr hrs

Combination 2 Multicategorical Specialization +Initial SPED Endorsement (3-6 credit hours):

SPED 688 - Student Teaching 1-8 cr hrs (i.e., endorsement track) 5 cr hrs required
SPED 795 - Practicum in Special Education 1 to 6 cr hrs (1 credit hour required)

Combination 3 Multicategorical Specialization without SPED Endorsement (3-6 credit hours):

SPED 794 - Internship (M.A.) (C) 1 to 8 cr hrs (i.e., non endorsement track) 3 cr hrs required
SPED 795 - Practicum in Special Education 1 to 6 cr hrs (0 cr hrs required)