Special Education- The Master Teacher MA Special Education- The Master Teacher MA

Special Education: The Master Teacher
MA

Master's degree in special education

You've already proven your commitment to students with disabilities. Now, take the next step with our Master's in Special Education. This program will give you advanced skills in teaching and leadership, helping you excel in your career and classroom. With hands-on projects and real-world experience, you'll be ready to make a real difference in students' lives.

AT A GLANCE

Degree Type
Master of Art (M.A.)
Format
Online
Credit Hours
30 - 33 Credit Hours
Go To Why This Program Program HighlightsAccelerated Program Careers & Outcomes

Special education pathways at CMU

Picture yourself as a strong advocate, guiding and supporting students with disabilities at every stage of their lives. Our program will help expand your skills and knowledge to new areas of special education. 

We also offer several pathways for obtaining special education certification and endorsements in the State of Michigan.

  • If you are a certified teacher and are interested in an initial or additional special education endorsement, we offer pathways for earning endorsements in autism spectrum disorder, cognitive impairment and specific learning disability. 
  • If you are seeking initial certification, we offer an expedited pathway for those with bachelor’s degrees to earn a standard teaching certificate with a cognitive impairment, autism spectrum disorder or specific learning disability endorsement. These pathway will prepare to you to teach students with disabilities K-12 in the State of Michigan. 
  • If you are seeking to earn your bachelor's degree, we offer a pathway where you can obtain a non-teaching bachelor’s degree that is paired with accelerated admission to the MA-SPE. The MA-SPE is a fully online graduate degree that leads to K-12 special education certification.

Contact CMU Online for information on these pathways to special education certification and endorsement at onlineprograms@cmich.edu or 989-774-3867 and 800-950-1144.

Courses What Will Transfer DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

Master's degree in special education program highlights

As a student in this program, you'll join the ranks of thousands of CMU-educated teachers.

  • Gain real-world experience: Combine your coursework with real-world experience through hands-on clinical training before you graduate. To partake in clinical experience, an iChat is required. 
  • Accredited program: CMU's Educator Preparation Programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
  • Certifications and pathways: This program is available to individuals who hold PreK-12 general or special education certification. Pathways toward initial special education certification are available for those without certification.

To get certified in special education in Michigan, you need to complete an 8-week (initial endorsement) or 180-hour clinical experience (additional endorsements). You can complete this experience in your own classroom if you have eligible students under the endorsement area you are seeking. If not, we can help secure a placement for you. After passing the Michigan Test for Certification (MTTC) and finishing coursework, we'll recommend you for certification and endorsement.


Accelerated master's in special education

Earn up to 50% of your master’s while you finish your bachelor’s degree with an online accelerated master's program. You'll save time and money by counting up to 15 credits toward both your bachelor's and master's degree.

By double-counting all 15 credits, domestic students save up to $4,155 and international students save up to $1,560.

    • Minimum GPA at time of application: 3.0 GPA of at least 15 credits at CMU.
    • Requirements to maintain eligibility: average of 3.0 and no E's in double-counted courses.

    If your GPA is lower than a 3.0 or you have fewer than 15 credits at CMU, you can still be considered for admission if you demonstrate why you are prepared to be successful in graduate coursework.

    You must have a minimum of 60 undergraduate credit hours completed before starting coursework in the accelerated special education degree. To take full advantage of the program, make sure you apply for admission before taking any of the double-counted courses listed below.

    • Up to 15 credits of the following courses can be double-counted:
      • SPE 655, SPE 660, SPE 661, SPE 662, SPE 686
    • You'll select your double-counted courses with an advisor. Then, you'll count them towards both your undergraduate degree and your graduate degree – either for your major or as electives.

    The M.A. in special education requires 30 credits. You may double-count 15 credits before finishing your bachelor's degree, leaving 15 credits remaining to complete your master's degree. If you don't complete all 15 double-counted credits before you finish your bachelor's degree, you'll need to take more than 15 credits to reach the 30 credits required for the M.A. in special education.

    Jobs in education

    CMU-trained educators teach in schools across Michigan. We've been a leader in teacher education since 1892. You will have the opportunity to put your master's degree in special education to good use. 

    Career Projected Salary
    Special Education Teacher

    $64,270
    Elementary School Teacher $62,310
    Middle School Teacher $62,970
    Students using a computer

    The Literacy Center

    Founded in 2015 with support from generous donors, The Literacy Center at CMU serves teachers and students in the region and throughout the state through efforts to support literacy learning for all, from early childhood through adolescence.

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