Program Description

General Purpose

The focus of the program is the further preparation and certification of specialists in an area of special education. This involves the ability to diagnose children and young adult’s difficulties, plan curricular approaches, and develop and deliver instructional programs with the help of other pertinent professionals in the school.

Objectives

1. To introduce students to concepts, practices, and approaches that concern children with school-related difficulties.
2. To provide a practicum/internship setting that encourages students to both apply what they have learned and to further refine diagnostic and prescriptive skills with children and young adults in a specialist area, i.e., learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, developmental cognitive disabilities, early childhood special education, visual impairment, or cross-categorically, i.e., special education strategist.
3. To encourage within students an inquiring and questioning attitude toward their profession.
4. To encourage students to view their specialty within the broader context of the school setting. Included here would be a familiarization with issues, trends, and research that mark contemporary education.
5. To enable students to become conversant with literature of the field and to encourage them to be life-long learners.

Areas of Study Offered

A Master’s degree or credential* can be obtained in these areas:

Special Education
Special Education/Early Childhood
Special Education/Cognitive/Developmental Disabilities
Special Education/Emotional Disturbance
Special Education/Learning Disabilities
Special Education Strategist
Special Education/Visual Impairment

Coursework in the area of gifted/talented is also available.

A certificate in Autistic Spectrum Disorders is also available. For additional information, please visit www.und.nodak.edu/org/graain/. The courses taken in a previously completed Autistic Spectrum Disorders program may be applied to a Master’s degree offered through Teaching and Learning.

*Note that only students admitted to the master’s program in Special Education, or who have completed a master’s degree in Special Education at UND, are eligible to take advanced coursework in special education. Therefore, in order to complete the methods, assessment and internship required for credentials in Special Education, students must apply and be admitted to the master’s program in Special Education.

A student choosing to pursue a master’s degree in Special Education should not take more than nine semester credits before admission to the program. Only nine non-degree credits are eligible for application to a master’s program of study.

There are two types of degree programs available: The Master of Education and the Master of Science. The Master of Education degree is designed for certified teachers preparing to be teachers of students with disabilities. The Master of Science degree has two tracks. Track 1 is designed for students who wish to study and do research in the area of disabilities and is available to both certified and non-certified persons. Track 2 is intended for non-certified persons only and is designed for individuals working in related professions who wish to gain knowledge and skills in the area of disabilities in order to work with individuals with disabilities in non-educational settings.

Master of Education in Special Education

Prerequisites: Certification in Early Childhood*, Elementary, Middle or Secondary Education*; Education of the Exceptional Student (T&L 315)

* Early Childhood and Secondary Education majors must complete coursework in elementary reading and math methods.

Major: Includes a minimum of 18 credits of Special Education coursework, plus two credits of T&L 995 or 997. Courses can be chosen from those listed on the advising handouts.

Cognate Area: At least six semester credits in a related area such as inclusive practices, reading, counseling, another disability area or administration.

Foundations of Education: Six semester credits with EFR 500, Foundations of Educational Thought (3 cr.) being required. The second EFR course can be chosen from those offered or approved by the Department of Educational Foundations and Research (EFR).

Master of Science in Special Education

Track #1

Prerequisites: Same as Master of Education requirements

Major: Same as Master of Education requirements

Scholarly Tool: At least five credits in Quantitative and/or Qualitative Methods

Minor or Cognate Option: If the minor/cognate option is selected, the 27-credit major is reduced by the number of credits in the minor or cognate.

Minor: An approved minor of at least ten credits from one department with a graduate program other than the Department of Teaching and Learning. Courses must be selected from those listed in the graduate catalog. The minor is signed by the chairperson of the minor department and will be listed as a minor on the transcript.

Cognate: At least nine credits in one area of concentration (other than Special Education) or in more than one area. (300-400 level courses in departments outside of the Department of Teaching and Learning which have graduate programs are acceptable). The cognate is not listed on the transcript.

Track #2

Intended for non-certified personnel only. This program is the same as Track #1 except that six credits of Foundations of Education are required, rather than five credits of Scholarly Tools.

Field Experience

There are three types of field experiences in the graduate program. For students seeking a teaching license, field experience is required. The Special Education Field Experience Request Form must be completed prior to enrollment in a field experience. Forms are available from the program area or the website. Please note that regardless of the internship option selected, each intern completes the same set of required, specialization-specific assignments. At the graduate level, field experience is completed in one of three ways:

• Traditional Internship
• On-the-Job Internship
• Resident Teacher Internship

Traditional Internship

This internship option leads to an initial special education credential that is added to a North Dakota license in early childhood, elementary, middle school, or secondary education.

On-the-Job Internship

This internship option is designed for our advanced special education graduate students, i.e., students with either undergraduate or graduate teaching licenses or credentials, respectively, in special education. These students are already special educators adding an additional specialization credential, i.e., LD, ED, DCD (MR), ECSE, or VI, to their special education teaching license. These students complete this internship in either fall or spring semesters while employed. A detailed plan must be submitted articulating how they will meet the internship requirements while working. This option requires an additional application to the program area faculty. The Criteria for On-the-Job Internships in Special Education Form is available from the program area or on the web site.

Resident Teacher Program

The Resident Teacher Program in Special Education provides a group of inexperienced teachers with support in entering the special education teaching profession. Resident teachers have an opportunity to earn a M.S. in Special Education through on-campus coursework and on-the-job field experience in a North Dakota school district.

Each resident teacher assumes full responsibility for a special education caseload and must be certified to teach in North Dakota. Resident teachers will earn stipends and a waiver of University tuition for a major portion of work toward the master’s degree. (Residents are responsible for university fees each semester.) Resident teachers will enroll in graduate study during the summer prior to assuming teaching responsibilities.

Experienced resident mentors from the school district enhance the Resident Teacher Program. These mentors coach and provide support to the resident teachers and work with the University mentors. The resident mentors will offer resident teachers consultation, demonstration teaching, feedback and support.

The University mentor represents the University of North Dakota’s interests in the Resident Teacher Program. This individual supervises the resident teachers and offers the resident mentors consultation and support.

To qualify as a resident teacher, the following conditions must be met:

1. Complete an undergraduate degree in Elementary, Middle Level or Secondary Education before residency begins.
2. Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75, with preference given to those with a 3.00 GPA or better.
3. Submit an application by March 1 to Special Education, Department of Teaching and Learning, University of North Dakota, Box 7189, Grand Forks, ND 58202-7189 (available at: http://www.und.nodak.edu/dept/tl/specedu)
4. Apply for the M.S. in Special Education. Application is made to the Graduate School at the University of North Dakota (see admissions process below). This is a separate application from the one in #3 and requires a $35 application fee.
5. Be available for full-time graduate study during the summer session immediately preceding the residency.

Admissions Process for the Master’s Degree Program

Note: All students wishing to attain credentials in special education must apply to the master’s program.

The graduate application process consists of the following:

1. Application form
   
2. Application fee ($35)
   
3. Three letters of recommendation
   
4. Two official transcripts from each institution attended
   
5. Personal Statement

*Graduate program application procedures and forms can be found under “Graduate School Forms” on the UND web site at: graduateschool.und.edu.