Special Education M.A.
Getting Started
The Special Education Program recommends that all students pursuing the M.A. in Education, Special Education Option be enrolled concurrently in an Educational Specialist Credential program. Students pursuing only the M.A. degree must have permission from their faculty advisor.
Admission to the Program
In addition to the general requirements of the university, specific requirements for admission to classified status are:
1. Official admission to the university;
2. Application for admission to the College of Education for the M.A. in Education, Special Education Option;
3. Submission of an application for a Certificate of Clearance or evidence of a credential or permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC);
4. Completion of prerequisite courses ESPE 529 and 530 with grades of "B" or better;
5. Three letters of recommendation, one from the school where the candidate has most recently taught or is currently teaching, to be evaluated by faculty members in the program;
6. Completion of the graduate entrance writing requirement by one of the following:
a. Completion, with a grade of "B" (3.0) or better, of one of the following courses: EDUC 306, ENG 306, HUM 306, MGMT 306, NSCI 306, or SSCI 306 at this university or an equivalent course;
b. Satisfactory completion of the Writing Requirement Exemption Examination (WREE) offered at this university.
Students who do not meet these criteria may be admitted as conditionally classified graduate students. Students admitted in this category may be changed to classified standing with approval of the College of Education. No more than 20 quarter units may be used to demonstrate fitness to complete the program.
Advancement to Candidacy
In addition to the above program admission requirements, master's degree candidates must successfully complete the following requirements in order to be advanced to candidacy:
1. Achieved full admission to the M.A. in Education, Special Education Option (Early Childhood, Mild/Moderate or Moderate/ Severe);
2. Completion of one of the following sets of courses for the emphasis with a grade point average of 3.0 ("B") or better with no grade lower than a "B-;"
A. Early Childhood
ESPE 637. Assessment and Evaluation
ESPE 650. Development and Assessment of Young Children with Disabilities
ESPE 665. Curriculum and Methods in Special Education: Early Childhood
B. Mild/Moderate
ESPE 624. Managing Learning and Social Communities
ESPE 637. Assessment and Evaluation
ESPE 655. Curriculum and Methods in Special Education: Language Arts
C. Moderate/Severe
ESPE 624. Managing Learning and Social Communities
ESPE 637. Assessment and Evaluation
ESPE 651. Curriculum Strategies for Students with Moderate/Severe Disabilities
3. Secured approval of candidacy from the College of Education;
4. Filed an approved graduate program for completion of the degree. This must be prepared in consultation with an assigned advisor in the College of Education and approved by the Chair of the Department of Special Education.
Note: Advancement to candidacy must be processed prior to completion of 20 quarter units of master's degree course work. Students will not be permitted to take the comprehensive examination in the same quarter they are advanced to candidacy.
Please refer to the University catalog at http://catalog.csusb.edu for official information.