Special Education (MEd)
Admission Requirements
Applicants are required to submit the following materials:
- Graduate Application to the Graduate School
- Admission to the College of Education and Human Development
- Baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution
- Valid Kentucky Teaching Certificate or Statement of Eligibility for candidates outside Kentucky.
- If you are certified in Kentucky, please indicate that on your application. You are not required to submit this documentation as we have access through the Education Professional Standards Board.
- If you are certified in another state, please read the Out of State disclaimer.
- Official transcripts with a 2.75 minimum GPA in the Bachelor's degree and a 3.0 or higher GPA for graduate work
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Signed Professional Code of Ethics/Technology User Agreement/Statement of Understanding of Admissions Guidelines
Note: The GRE is no longer required for this degree program.
Candidates who earned a baccalaureate (and/or advanced) degree outside the United States and whose native language is not English must submit official TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo scores that meet minimum criteria, and must submit an evaluated transcript from WES (World Education Services) or ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators).
Program Requirements
MEd in Special Education with a concentration in Learning and Behavior Disorders (grades P-12)
Academic Plan code(s): SPE_MEDSLB, SPE_MEDLBO
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite for entry into the program | ||
Teacher Certification | ||
| Introduction to Exceptional Children (or equivalent) | ||
| Inquiry (Critical Thinker) | 9 | |
| Applied Behavior Analysis 1 | ||
| Education Research in P-12 Setting | ||
| Single Case Research Methods and Designs | ||
| Advocacy (Professional Leader) | 6 | |
| Academic and Behavior Response to Intervention | ||
| Applications of Assistive Technology | ||
| Action (Problem Solver) | 3 | |
| Learning and Behavior Disorders Practicum 1 | ||
| Midpoint Assessment | ||
| Area of Emphasis | 18 | |
| Teaching Mathematics to Students with Disabilities | ||
| Methods for Students with Learning and Behavior Disorders 1 | ||
| Assessment Procedures for Students with Learning & Behavior Disorders 1 | ||
| Characteristics, Needs, and Respones to Students with EBD 1 | ||
| Structured Literacy for Diverse Learners 1 | ||
| Autism: Introduction and Understanding | ||
or EDSP 650 | Behavior Assessment | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 36 | |
- 1
Course is required for certification.
Midpoint Assessment: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; grade no lower than "B-" in all coursework; Target performance or better on all Hallmark Assessment Tasks to date (EDSP 512, EDSP 516, EDSP 518, and EDSP 644); Target performance or better on all Advanced Program rubrics.
Exit Assessment: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; grade no lower than "B-" in all coursework; Target performance or better on all Hallmark Assessment Tasks; Target performance or better on all Advanced Program rubrics; positive recommendation from the Special Education Program Committee.
Degree Candidacy: Students not enrolled during the semester in which they intend to graduate must register for degree candidacy as outlined in the Graduate Catalog.
Successful completion of appropriate PRAXIS Exams is required for Learning and Behavior Disorders teacher certification.
PRAXIS Disclaimer:
"Teacher certification requirements are subject to change. Before registering for PRAXIS test(s), please refer to the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) website at epsb.ky.gov/ or ets.org/praxis for current requirements."
MEd in Special Education with a concentration in Moderate and Severe Disabilities (grades P-12)
Academic Plan Code(s): SPE_MEDMSV, SPEMEDMSO
This program can be completed in a traditional classroom format or entirely online.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite for admission to the program: | ||
Teacher Certification | ||
| Introduction to Exceptional Children | ||
| Inquiry (Critical Thinker) | 9 | |
| Applied Behavior Analysis 1 | ||
| Education Research in P-12 Setting | ||
| Single Case Research Methods and Designs | ||
| Advocacy: (Professional Leader) | 6 | |
| Academic and Behavior Response to Intervention | ||
| Applications of Assistive Technology | ||
| Action (Problem Solver) | 3 | |
| Moderate and Severe Disabilities Practicum | ||
| Mid-Point Assessment | ||
| Area of Emphasis | 18 | |
| Foundational Concepts in Intellectual and Physical Disability 1 | ||
| Assessment of Students with Moderate/Severe Disabilities | ||
| Moderate/Severe Disabilities Curriculum and Methods I 1 | ||
| Moderate/Severe Disabilities Curriculum and Methods II 1 | ||
| Autism: Introduction and Understanding | ||
| Behavior Analytic Approach to Communication 1 | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 36 | |
- 1
Course required for certification.
Midpoint Assessment: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; grade no lower than "B-" in all coursework; Target performance or better on all Hallmark Assessment Tasks to date (EDSP 520, EDSP 609, EDSP 611, and EDSP 644); Target performance or better on all Advanced Program rubrics.
Exit Assessment: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; grade no lower than "B-" in all coursework; Target performance or better on all Hallmark Assessment Tasks; Target performance or better on all Advanced Program rubrics; positive recommendation from the Special Education Program Committee.
Degree Candidacy: Students not enrolled during the semester in which they intend to graduate must register for degree candidacy as outlined in the Graduate Catalog.
Successful completion of the appropriate PRAXIS Exams is required for Moderate and Severe Disabilities teacher certification.
Praxis Disclaimer:
"Teacher certification requirements are subject to change. Before registering for the test(s), please refer to the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) website at www.epsb.ky.gov or http://www.ets.org/praxis/ky for current requirements."
The Master of Education in Special Education program prepares students to meet the requirements for certification and/or licensure. If you plan to pursue professional licensure or certification you should first determine your state’s criteria for examination and licensure to see how/if our program meets those requirements prior to enrollment. We recommend that you also contact your state’s licensing board directly to verify that the requirements have not changed recently and to answer any questions especially those regarding additional requirements beyond the degree.
Although this program has determined that it meets educational requirements for licensure in other US states and jurisdictions, this program is designed specifically to align with Kentucky certification requirements for the supervised student teaching or culminating clinical experience. Therefore, students in this program are required to complete their student teaching or clinical experience at an approved placement location in the state of Kentucky. Please contact the program director to discuss possible arrangements to complete culminating experiences in Southern Indiana before enrolling in the program.
More information about certification or licensure is available at the following website: https://louisville.edu/oapa/licensure-information (you may search by school or by the name of the program then click on 'View Details' to display the information).
For programs with an online option, more information about certification or licensure is available here: https://louisville.edu/online/About-Us?tab=disclosures.
