Special Education Overview

Special Education

Overview

The Master of Arts in Special Education is designed to enhance the teaching skills necessary to provide quality education for all students in today's classrooms. Theory and skills will be presented to help teachers address the educational needs of children and youth who have a variety of mental and/or physical disabilities. The curriculum meets the standards for special education dictated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for certification. Program content and pedagogy is intended to provide comprehensive training for teachers of exceptional children. Upon completion of the master's program, teachers will be able to serve as master teachers and will be prepared to serve as curriculum specialists and in-service professionals.

Educational Objectives

The objectives of the graduate program in special education are:

to compel teachers to become reflective practitioners and scholarly agents of change
to enable teachers to redefine their personal philosophies of education to expose teachers to contemporary issues in special education
to enable teachers to conduct diagnostic assessment, and design and implement instructional strategies for exceptional children
to prepare teachers to effectively participate in parent and family conferencing for exceptional children
to expose teachers to the current educational philosophies of effective management of students with behavioral disorders in the classroom
to prepare teachers to effectively provide educational development for students with severe disabilities
to develop the concepts and skills necessary to analyze and conduct research in special education

Degree Program
The Master of Arts in Special Education consists of three options. Option I is designed for persons who are certified in special education and who choose to pursue a Master's Degree in Special Education. Option II is designed for students holding a baccalaureate degree and elementary certification and who wish to obtain certification in Special Education-Mentally and/or Physically Handicapped while earning a Master of Arts Degree in Special Education. Option III is designed for teachers who hold certification in areas other than elementary or special education, as well as those who hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than education. All three options require the completion of an independent research project.

Practica and Student Teaching
Students who are pursuing a Master of Arts Degree and certification in special education will be required to complete a practicum/internship in an area school. The practicum/ internship is designed to provide students with actual teaching experiences with special needs children in a school setting and under the supervision of classroom teachers and college faculty. This experience provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate competence in using instructional techniques and curriculum appropriate for a variety of exceptional children. Those students seeking initial certification will be required to complete a full semester of student teaching in a classroom under the supervision of a classroom teacher and member of the college faculty.

Pennsylvania Teacher Certification and Employment
Pennsylvania Certification (Instructional I) is dependent upon completion of the course of study delineated under options II or III, recommendation of the college, and achievement of passing scores on the PRAXIS Test (National Teacher's Exam). Students seeking initial certification must take the Core Battery Tests and the Specialty Area Test in Special Education. Students who hold certification in an area other than special education must take only the Specialty Area Test in Special Education.

To convert the Instructional I certificate to an Instructional II certificate, teachers must be employed full time for a minimum of three years and earn 24 additional credits beyond the bachelor's degree within six years of full-time employment.

Salary increases are commonly associated with the achievement of the master's degree.

For more information or an application, include your program of interest and contact us at gadmit@setonhill.edu
or write to us at:
Office of Graduate Studies
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill Drive
Greensburg, PA 15601-1599
1-800-826-6234