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M.A. in Special Education and Inclusive Practices

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Flexible Learning & Course Delivery

Earn your degree on your terms

The M.A. in Special Education and Inclusive Practices is a 100% online program. Whether you're working to complete your degree as quickly as possible or trying to fit it into your busy schedule, we will help you meet your career goals.

Program Information

The Rowan Experience
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The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Special Education and Inclusive Practices program at Rowan University provides new and continuing teachers advanced studies focusing on educational, psychological, and sociological needs of the children and youth with disabilities. Students will be prepared to advocate for and use multi-tiered systems of support to identify and serve the diverse needs of all learners, including those with disability labels, in educational settings through a strengths-based lens of inclusivity. This program is key for instructors who would like to become skilled leaders and change agents in special education topics including collaborative teaching, administration and assessment.

Our M.A. in Special Education and Inclusive Practices program offers the following three tracks to meet participating students at their level of interest and education:

  • Graduate Endorsement Track
  • Learning Disabilities Track
  • Early Childhood Special Education Track

Teachers in the state of New Jersey may apply to the M.A. in Special Education and Inclusive Practices program through the New Jersey Teacher Outreach Program (NJTOP®). For more information about NJTOP, click here.

Curriculum
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The M.A. in Special Education and Inclusive Practices is a part-time accelerated program offered in an online format. It requires the completion of 30–36 graduate semester hours (10–12 courses), which are possible to complete in only 5–7 consecutive semesters. Students in our M.A. in Special Education and Inclusive Practices program must be affiliated with a school district (as a full-time substitute teacher, aide, para, lead teacher, or collaborative teacher) with direct access to the same group of students in a p-12 classroom on a consistent, weekly basis, to complete extensive field-based assignments for several required courses. Only for the Clinical Experiences in Special Education course, the College of Education Office of Clinical Experiences can arrange a special placement if the student does not meet the criteria to complete this in his/her own classroom.

  • 10-12 Courses / 30-36 Semester Hours
  • Foundation Courses: No
  • Graduation / Exit / Thesis Requirements: Yes
    • Praxis II Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications (5354)
Course Number Title S.H. (Credits)
Required Courses: 18 S.H.
SELN 10582 Communication Skills For Students With Disabilities 3
SELN 10585 Educational Assessment In Special Education 3
SELN 10578 Special Education Policy, Advocacy, and Teacher Leadership 3
SELN 10610 Inquiry in Special Education Settings 3
SELN 10611 Practicum: Inquiry in Special Education Settings 3
ECSE 10500 Characteristics of Young Children with Disabilities and their Families 3
Graduate Endorsement Track Courses: 18 S.H.
SPED 08555 Education and Psychology of Students with Disabilities 3
SELN 10581 Implementing Positive Behavior Strategies 3
SPED 08515 Curriculum, Instruction, & Transition in Special Education 3
READ 30530 Teaching Reading to Exceptional Children 3
SPED 08520 Clinical Experiences In Special Education 2
SPED 08540 Technology for Students with Disabilities 3
SELN 10592 Clinical Seminar In Special Education 1
Learning Disabilities Track Courses: 15 S.H.
SPED 08555 Education and Psychology of Students with Disabilities 3
READ 30530 Teaching Reading to Students with Disabilities 3
LDTC 18503 Foundations of Learning Disabilities 3
LDTC 18520 Neurological Basis of Educational Disorders 3
LDTC 18510 Applied Learning Theories 3
Early Childhood Special Education Track Courses: 15 S.H.
ECSE 10500 Characteristics of Young Children with Disabilities (birthfive) and their Families 3
ECSE 10501 Methods for Assessing and Teaching Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities 3
ECSE 10502 Methods for Assessing and Teaching Preschool Children (3-5) with Disabilities 3
ECSE 10503 Supporting Diverse Families, Community Partnerships, and Transitions 3
ECSE 10504 Self Study Project Inquiry in Early Childhood Special Education 3

Non-matriculated students will no longer be permitted to register for core courses in the MA in Special Education and Inclusive Practices (G809): SELN 10578, SELN 10582, SELN 10610, or SELN 10611 (ID: 6140066).

Note: The courses listed above are not official and are subject to change. For an official list of available courses please visit the Rowan Global section tally.

Admission Requirements
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The following is a list of items required to begin the application process for the program. There may be additional actions or materials required for admission to the program. Upon receipt of the materials below, a representative from the Rowan Global Admissions Processing Office will contact you with confirmation or will indicate any missing items.

  • Completed Application Form
  • $65 (U.S.) non-refundable application fee
  • Bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution of higher learning
  • Official transcripts from all colleges attended (regardless of number of credits earned)
  • Current professional resume
  • Typewritten statement of professional objectives (all)
    • For the Early Childhood Special Education (birth-5) Certificate of Graduate Study/Track: Please explain how this Early Childhood Special Education (birth-5) Certificate of Graduate Study/Track aligns with your professional objectives and what you hope to learn from this non-certification program.
  • Two letters of recommendation
    • While the official Recommendation Form is required, an actual letter from the recommender is preferred. Letters of recommendation should be from professional administrators (supervisor, principal, or superintendent) and/or former professors who can provide information which attests to the applicant's ability to pursue a graduate degree.
  • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
  • Statement of access to a classroom (only applicable to Early Childhood Special Education track)
    • Please submit 1-2 paragraphs briefly listing/describing at least one licensed, center-based preschool and/or Early Childhood home-based or center-based site that directly works with young children (in the birth-5 range) where you anticipate being able to complete field-related assignments aligned with ECSE track/COGS coursework (i.e., during and/or after-hours from your current employment for certain assignments per semester may work for our purposes). Please be sure to include the site location and contact information (email, phone) of the director. [Note that a local site covering birth-5 would be ideal since we have a course dedicated to infants/toddlers separate from preschool-aged children. If you only identify one local preschool-aged site for three-to-five-year-olds, however, this is okay for our purposes as long as you are willing to brainstorm alternative options with the instructor to observe/interact with younger children in the infant/toddler methods course, as per assignment guidelines.]
  • Copy of NJ Teaching Certification (Standard or CEAS) in Elementary or Secondary Subject Area
    • If your certificate was issued prior to 1994, you must also submit official scores from the Praxis II content specialization test.
  • Interview (Students will be contacted directly by the Faculty Admissions Committee regarding the interview. The interview can be in person or via telephone.)
  • On-site writing sample (conducted during interview)
  • Students in our M.A. in Special Education program that possess an initial area of certification (CEAS or Standard) must be affiliated with a school district (as a full-time substitute teacher, aide, para, lead teacher, or collaborative teacher) with direct access to the same group of students in a p-12 classroom on a consistent, weekly basis, to complete extensive field-based assignments for several required courses. Students in an Alternate Route (CE) program may be considered only if they show ongoing evidence of working full-time in a lead teaching role, good standing in their CE program, and completion of the CE program before beginning clinical practice
    • Only for the Clinical Experiences in Special Education course, the College of Education Office of Clinical Experiences can arrange a special placement if the student does not meet the criteria to complete this in his/her own classroom.
 
Ready to start your journey at Rowan?

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M.A. in Special Education Professionals

Career Outlook

As a graduate from our program, you will have the knowledge and necessary skills to advance in the continually-evolving special education field. You can be assured to put your degree to work, as the overall employment of special education teachers is projected to grow three percent from 2018 to 2028 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Additional Information

Deadlines, Tuition & Financial Aid