Master of Education in Special Education

The M.Ed. in Special Education is a graduate online program uniquely focused on educator preparation for meeting the needs of students with disabilities. Graduate candidates admitted to one of three programs may seek to earn their:

• Master's degree with initial Texas certification* (as part of federally funded: Project Match Made in Schools)
• Master's degree with initial Texas certification*
• Master's degree only. Accepted students may pursue:
  • Applied focus (high and low incidence disability focus)
  • A high incidence disability focus
  • A low incidence disability focus

*Recommendation for Texas educator certification is available only to Texas residents. Students completing this program outside Texas should work with their State education agency to determine eligibility in meeting their State's certification/licensure requirements.

Now Accepting Applications for:

*All applications will be reviewed and decisions made within 45 days of submission.
*We will continue to accept applications after the suggested deadlines.

Admission

Admission to Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction Programs is competitive and some qualified students may not be admitted if demand exceeds the program’s capacity to serve all applicants. All students must meet university, college, department, and Texas Administrative Code qualifications in order to participate in educator preparation programs. Out-of-state students will not qualify for Texas educator certification. Therefore, students should review their state's requirements to determine if completion of a program at UTA will lead to certification in their state.

Unconditional Admission Criteria

• Two or more years of relevant work experience.
• Undergraduate transcripts with at least a 3.0 GPA during the last 60 hours or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The higher of these GPA's will be used for admission purposes. A 3.0 GPA on the last 9 hours of graduate coursework may be considered in place of the undergraduate GPA.
• Two professional letters of reference. Letters from supervisors are strongly encouraged. Applicants for the M.Ed. in Special Education who seek certification submit a personal statement of interest and two professional letters of reference. M.Ed. in Special Education applicants who do not seek certification need only submit a personal statement of interest.

In addition, program-areas have additional requirements including documents for TEA reporting, including: 1) a written response to the given prompt (fulfills “other screening instrument” as required by The Texas Education Agency) and 2) completion of Attestation and FERPA forms. The overall grade point average (GPA) of each incoming class admitted between September 1 and August 31 of each year by an educator preparation program (EPP) may not be less than 3.00 on a four-point scale or the equivalent.

Probationary Admission Criteria

• Applicants who have less than 2 years of relevant work experience, AND have a GPA of at least 3.0 and two letters of reference, may be granted probationary admission. The faculty admissions committee may require additional documents (e.g., GRE scores) for consideration. M.Ed. in Special Education program applicants may also be admitted on a probationary status with less than 2 years of relevant work experience, and a personal statement of interest.
• Students granted probationary admission must maintain a 3.0 (B or better) GPA in the first 9 credit hours of graduate coursework in the College of Education program to be converted from probationary to unconditional admission.

In addition, program-areas have additional requirements including documents for TEA reporting, including: 1) a written response to the given prompt (fulfills “other screening instrument” as required by The Texas Education Agency) and 2) completion of Attestation and FERPA forms. The overall grade point average (GPA) of each incoming class admitted between September 1 and August 31 of each year by an educator preparation program (EPP) may not be less than 3.00 on a four-point scale or the equivalent.

Recommendations

Applicants seeking admission to C&I programs must submit three recommendation forms to the department, using this Recommendation Letter Form.

Recommendation forms must be emailed to Berhane Doilicho at berhane.doilicho@uta.edu.

Additional Application Process for Master of Education  in Special Education w/Initial Special Education Certification  as part of Project Match Made in Schools

Now accepting applications for Spring 2022.

1. Apply to the master's program of your choice: M.Ed. in Special Education OR MSW in Social Work
2. Apply for Project MMS by November 1, 2021

Contact an advisor for the College of Education or School of Social Work (patrice.green@uta.edu)

Applications will be scored, and the top individuals will be invited for a brief web-based interview to ensure fit between career goals and program outcomes.

Students from underrepresented groups (e.g., ethnic minority, linguistically diverse, and persons with disabilities) are encouraged to apply.

Questions? Email Dr. Ambra L. Green (Special Education)

Teacher Certification

This degree program only prepares students to be certified teachers in Texas. If you are an out-of-state individual seeking certification in Texas, you must present your credentials to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for review.

If you are an out-of-state individual seeking certification in another state, you must consult with that state’s education authorities to achieve certification.

Students seeking Texas certification must satisfy a criminal background check and other legal requirements before clinical teaching and employment in a Texas school.

For more information on certification in Texas and its requirements, please visit the Office of Educator Certification.

View degree program in catalog