Master's (M.Ed.) Special Education (Without Certification)
Quick Facts
- Application requirements: Two letters of recommendation (at least one recommendation must come from a faculty member at an accredited academic institution), transcripts, minimum GPA of 3.0 (undergraduate), proof of English language proficiency, and essay
- International Students: Please visit this page for information regarding transcript evaluation requirements.
- Deadline(s): July 15 for fall start, December 15 for spring start and April 15 for summer start. The application and all supporting materials are due by the listed deadlines.
- Course Requirements: 10 courses (30 credits)
- Typical Course Load: Fall (2 courses), Spring (2 courses), Summer (2 courses) which allows candidates to complete the program in two years (two falls, two springs and one summer).
- Time to Completion: 2 years
- Practical Experience Component: Field work is an important part of the program. Those students who are already teachers have the opportunity to complete the field work at their current positions.
- Alumni Current Positions: Graduates work as teachers in both public and private K-12 classrooms.
Overview
The evolution toward inclusive classrooms has meant that teachers in all grades and subjects are increasingly called on to work with children with a broad range of abilities. Giving master’s candidates the tools to support each child learn and grow is the mission of Lehigh’s M.Ed. in Special Education.
The master’s program is designed for those who hold a bachelor’s degree in Special Education or related fields and seek to gain effective methods for working with and advocating for individuals with disabilities. Lehigh’s faculty in Special Education are noted experts in such areas as autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, academic interventions, and emotional and behavioral disorders. Our students engage in coursework to become skilled practitioners in establishing effective teaching and learning environments for students who have a broad range of learning, cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and speech/language needs.
Those seeking to earn a master’s degree take required courses and choose one of the following areas of concentration:
- Intensive Academic Intervention will advance educator’s knowledge and use of evidence-based instructional practices to effectively teach students who have intensive academic needs, such as students with learning disabilities.
- Low Incidence Disabilities will advance educator’s knowledge and use of evidence-based instruction to effectively teach students with low incidence disabilities, such as students with multiple and severe disabilities.
- English as a Second Language is for educators to gain knowledge and use of evidence-based instructional practices to support the learning and second language development of English learners (ELs) in PK-12 settings. Students with a Level 1 instruction certification who choose this concentration will also earn an ESL certification upon successfully completing all coursework.
- General Special Education Studies is for educators to gain in-depth knowledge about special education.
Our program is designed to be flexible, so that students have the opportunity to obtain two areas of concentration (e.g., Intensive Academic Intervention and Low Incidence Disabilities). Students also have the opportunity to earn a certificate by completing approved coursework in a particular area: Certificates in Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages are approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The certificate in Behavior Analysis fulfills the coursework required for BCBA certification.
Centennial School
Many of our current master’s students who are pursuing their Special Education Master’s degree and/or certification work at our highly acclaimed and nationally recognized lab school: Centennial School. A primary goal of Centennial is to prepare special education teachers to work with students with emotional and behavioral needs and autism spectrum disorder as well as their families. Graduate students work full time as teacher associates, under supervision, while completing their Special Education Master’s degree and/or certification. Graduate students who work at Centennial School also receive an additional two hours of on-site training every week on topics specific to students with emotional and behavioral disorders and autism spectrum disorder. The workshops are usually presented by professional staff who work at the school and on occasion from one of Centennial's outstanding cadre of professional consultants.
Centennial School offers our graduate students optimal opportunities to be engaged in hands-on learning and immersed in evidence-based practices, including positive behavior support strategies and data-based instruction.
Click here for Centennial School employment opportunities. Benefits include a stipend, 18 graduate credit hours of tuition remission annually, plus full medical and dental benefits.
Curriculum Concentration 1: Intensive Academic Intervention (30 credits)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE NAME | CREDITS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required Core (9 credits) | |||
| SPED 419 | Intensive Intervention in Reading | 3 | |
| SPED 421 | Intensive Intervention in Mathematics and Content Area Literacy | 3 | |
| SPED 452 | Assessment in Special Education | 3 | |
| Research Requirement (3 credits) | |||
| EDUC 461 | Single-Subject Research Design | 3 | |
| Diversity Requirement (3 credits) | |||
| SPED 404 | Cultural and Linguistic Diversity | 3 | |
| SPED 404 | |||
| Electives: Choose 5 Courses with Advisor's Approval (15 credits) | |||
| SPED 402 | Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 | |
| SPED 409 | K-12 Classroom Environment and Management | 3 | |
| SPED 410 | Behavior Analysis: Ethics and Professional Conduct | 3 | |
| SPED 411 | Early Childhood Education | 3 | |
| SPED 416 | Autism Spectrum Disorders and Evidence-Based Practices | 3 | |
| SPED 432 | Positive Behavior Suppor | 3 | |
| SPED 465 | Advanced Inclusionary Practices in K-12 | 3 | |
| EDL 432 | Special Education Law | 3 | |
| EDUC 456 | Trauma and Resilience in Schools | 3 | |
| EDUC 406 | Foundations of Social Emotional Learning | 3 | |
| EDUC 401 | Globalization and Contextualization | 3 | |
| Other electives as approved by advisor | |||
Curriculum Concentration 2: Low Incidence Disabilities (30 credits)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE NAME | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core (9 credits) | ||
| SPED 418 | Alternative Curricular Approaches | 3 |
| SPED 423 | Supporting Transition for Individuals with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 452 | Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| Research Requirement (3 credits) | ||
| EDUC 461 | Single-Subject Research Design | 3 |
| Diversity Requirement (3 credits) | ||
| SPED 404 | Cultural and Linguistic Diversity | 3 |
| Electives: Choose 5 Courses with Advisor's Approval (15 credits) | ||
| SPED 402 | Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| SPED 409 | K-12 Classroom Environment and Management | 3 |
| SPED 410 | Behavior Analysis: Ethics and Professional Conduct | 3 |
| SPED 411 | Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| SPED 416 | Autism Spectrum Disorders and Evidence-Based Practices | 3 |
| SPED 432 | Positive Behavior Suppor | 3 |
| SPED 465 | Advanced Inclusionary Practices in K-12 | 3 |
| EDL 432 | Special Education Law | 3 |
| EDUC 456 | Trauma and Resilience in Schools | 3 |
| EDUC 406 | Foundations of Social Emotional Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 401 | Globalization and Contextualization | 3 |
| Other electives as approved by advisor | ||
Curriculum Concentration 3: English as a Secondary Language (30 credits)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE NAME | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core (15 credits) | ||
| EDUC 391 | Educational Linguistics | 3 |
| EDUC 419 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| EDUC 420 | Contemporary Issues in English Language Learner Education | 3 |
| EDUC 423 | Curriculum and Materials Design for English Language Learners | 3 |
| SPED 452 | Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| Research Requirement (3 credits) | ||
| EDUC 461 | Single-Subject Research Design | 3 |
| Diversity Requirement (3 credits) | ||
| SPED 404 | Cultural and Linguistic Diversity | 3 |
| Electives: Choose 3 Courses with Advisor's Approval (9 credits) | ||
| SPED 402 | Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| SPED 409 | K-12 Classroom Environment and Management | 3 |
| SPED 410 | Behavior Analysis: Ethics and Professional Conduct | 3 |
| SPED 411 | Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| SPED 416 | Autism Spectrum Disorders and Evidence-Based Practices | 3 |
| SPED 432 | Positive Behavior Suppor | 3 |
| SPED 465 | Advanced Inclusionary Practices in K-12 | 3 |
| EDL 432 | Special Education Law | 3 |
| EDUC 456 | Trauma and Resilience in Schools | 3 |
| EDUC 406 | Foundations of Social Emotional Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 401 | Globalization and Contextualization | 3 |
| Other electives as approved by advisor | ||
Curriculum Concentration 4: General Special Education Studies (30 credits)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE NAME | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core (6 credits) | ||
| SPED 452 | Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 465 | Advanced Inclusionary Practices in K-12 | 3 |
| Research Requirement (3 credits) | ||
| EDUC 461 | Single-Subject Research Design | 3 |
| Diversity Requirement (3 credits) | ||
| SPED 404 | Cultural and Linguistic Diversity | 3 |
| Electives: Choose 6 Courses with Advisor's Approval (18 credits) | ||
| SPED 402 | Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| SPED 409 | K-12 Classroom Environment and Management | 3 |
| SPED 410 | Behavior Analysis: Ethics and Professional Conduct | 3 |
| SPED 411 | Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| SPED 416 | Autism Spectrum Disorders and Evidence-Based Practices | 3 |
| SPED 432 | Positive Behavior Suppor | 3 |
| SPED 465 | Advanced Inclusionary Practices in K-12 | 3 |
| EDL 432 | Special Education Law | 3 |
| EDUC 456 | Trauma and Resilience in Schools | 3 |
| EDUC 406 | Foundations of Social Emotional Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 401 | Globalization and Contextualization | 3 |
| Other electives as approved by advisor | ||
Course descriptions can be found in the course catalog.
