Admission Requirements:

The graduate student seeking admission to the Master of Arts degree program in the Special Education Department is required to:

1. Meet the Graduate School admission requirements;
2. Present a valid teaching certificate. Students who do not have a teaching certificate must complete requirements as outlined in the SEM-T program.
3. Achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 as an undergraduate (including “last-half GPA”) or achieve a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 but less than 3.0 and receive acceptable scores on the Graduation Record Examination (GRE) or achieve a GPA of 3.0 in 6-9 credit hours of relevant graduate level coursework (degree or non-degree) as determined by the Graduate Coordinator;
4. Submit two outside letters of recommendation regarding professional competence for admission to the program;
5. Be recommended for acceptance by a faculty member (this may involve a personal interview); and
6. In the case of international students, provide a score of 90 on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB).
7. Personal statement from the applicant;
8. MTTC Basic Skills Test

Admissions and program requirements for Master of Arts programs in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Learning Disabilities and Speech-Language Pathology are described separately.

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Program Requirements:

The graduate student seeking a Master of Arts degree through the Department of Special Education must:

1. Complete a minimum of 33 to 37 hours of approved graduate credit with a minimum 3.0 GPA;
2. Complete an approved master’s degree program that has been planned with a special education graduate advisor;
3. Complete the degree requirements within six years of enrolling for the first course applicable to the degree program;
4. Receive a recommendation from the area faculty committee for continuance in the program. This is done upon completion of 12 to 15 hours of courses, and before the internship/practicum. The committee will consider GPA, faculty recommendations, demonstrated competence in academic and professional work, and rate of progress in the program.
5. Meet all other requirements of the Graduate School.

Exit Requirements:

Exit criteria involve achievement of the objectives for graduate study in special education listed previously, as demonstrated by:

1. Successful completion of all course work on program (minimum GPA of 3.0);
2. Successful completion of required practica/internship; and
3. Successful completion of thesis, if pursuing the thesis option, or other culminating experience, which may include but not be limited to comprehensive oral or written examination, portfolio or other product, performance or exhibit.

Department Information:

Special Education - College of Education

Advisor Information:

Derrick Fries, Ph.D.
Graduate Coordinator

128 Porter Building
(734) 487-3300
dfries@emich.edu

Master of Arts in Special Education

Program Total: 33-37 hours

Students choosing to complete an independent study as part of the master of arts program must complete EDPS 667 - Principles of Educational Research , SPGN 699 - Independent Study  and SPEI /SPGN 694 - Seminar: Interdisciplinary Special Education . Students may elect to write a thesis as part of the master of arts program. If pursuing the thesis option, students must complete SPGN /SPEI 694 - Seminar: Students with Emotional Impairment  and SPGN 692 - Master’s Thesis . Additionally, students must complete cognates EDPS 667 - Principles of Educational Research , PSY 600 - Psychological Statistics I , or EDPS 621 - Statistical Applications in Educational Research .

Programs within the Department of Special Education include Emotional Impairment, Cognitive Impairment, Physical Impairment and other Health Impairment, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment and General Special Education (this last program does not result in any special education endorsement from the State of Michigan). If endorsement in any area of special education is being sought, the appropriate endorsement sequence must be completed.

Extended Program:

This graduate program is available at an EMU off-campus location. For a list of locations, please click here .