The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education, with the focus on Initial Certification for Exceptional Student Education, is designed to meet the needs of students who are interested in obtaining their initial Florida Certification in Special Education. The program consists of 75 semester hours that include prerequisites, core and major requirements. The amount of prerequisite course work will depend on the individual students educational background and ranges from 18 to 32 hours. The program is approved by the Florida Department of Education.

ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM

Applicants seeking admission to the College of Education and Human Services must have the following to be eligible for a graduate program: 1.) A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution; 2.) A 3.0 GPA during the last 60 hours in your first baccalaureate program or a composite score (verbal and quantitative sections) of a 1000 on the Graduate Records Examination (GRE); 3.) If the overall GRE score is less than a 1000, the General Knowledge Exam is required before full admittance. Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for admissions must apply under the college’s exception policy.

Applicants must also submit 3 letters of recommendation on official letterhead. All applicants seeking admission are required to meet with an academic advisor and sign a tentative program of study prior to admission. Contact the Office of Academic Advising at (904) 620-2530 for further information.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

PREREQUISITES (32 Semester Hours) (With a degree outside education)

• EEX 5053 Foundations of Special Education - 3 credits
• EDF 6211 Advanced Educational Psychology - 3 credits
• EDG 6250 Instructional Strategies in the Curriculum- 3 credits
• EEX 4101 Language Development and Disorders - 3 credits
• EEX 6225 Special Education Generic Competencies: Lab Eval - 3 credits
• EEX 6256 Language Arts for the Learning Impaired Student - 3 credits
• EEX 6283 Social, Personal, and Career Skills for learners w/exceptionalities- 3 credits
• EDF 6442 Assessment in the Curriculum - 3 credits
• EEX 3250 Reading Methods for Learners w/Exceptionalities - 3 credits
• EEX 3251 Developmental Skills of Math for Special Education Problems - 3 credits
• RED 3310 Reading Methods for Elementary Teachers - 3 credits

CORE REQUIREMENTS (9 Semester Hours)

• EDF 6480 Foundations of Educational Research - 3 credits
• EDF 6607 Education in America - 3 credits
• EHD 5990 Teaching Multi Disable Deaf Studies or other couse - 3 credits

CLINICAL REQUIREMENTS (13 Semester Hours)

• EDF 3945 Field Lab I - 2 credits
• EDF 3946 Field Lab II - 2 credits
• EEX 6841 Practicum in Special Education - 9 credits

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (21 Semester Hours)
Required Courses

• EEX 6625 Educational Management for Exceptional Student - 3 credits
• EEX 6052 Nature, Needs, & Curriculum: Varying Exceptionalities - 3 credits
• EEX 6402 Communication, Collaboration, & Consultation Skills: Special Ed - 3 credits
• EEX 6234 Teaching Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities - 3 credits
• EEX 6259 Literacy Strategies for Students with Mild Disabilities - 3 credits
• TSL 3550 Principles & Issues of TESOL - 3 credits
• TSL 4340 TESOL Methods & Curriculum - 3 credits

TWO YEARS OF CURRENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED OR MUST COMPLETE CLINICAL REQUIREMENT. IF CLINICAL REQUIREMENT IS SATISFIED BY TEACHING EXPERIENCE, ADDITIONAL COURSE WORK MUST BE TAKEN TO SATISFY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS.

• No more than 10 semester hours can be completed before a student is fully admitted, including a maximum of 6 semester hours of approved transfer credits from another institution.
• A student may receive credit for a course only once. However, the GPA will reflect all repeated courses.
• The College of Education and Human Services is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
• Graduation will most likely be delayed for students who attempt dual enrollment in their last semester.
• Student must apply for the graduate practicum (EEX 6841) during the term prior to graduation.
• Passing all parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam is required for the teacher certification endorsement to be included on transcripts to complete internship and be eligible for graduation.
• An approved dual/concurrent enrollment form is required prior to registering for courses at another institution.
• Students are strongly advised not to enroll in courses at another institution during their last semester at UNF.