Special Education - Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Special Education from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is a Campus Master Special Education degree that prepares you for a Education career. The special education program at Shippensburg University is working to meet the needs of a changing society. The program, an integral part of the Department of Educational Leadership and Special Education, has been designed to conform to the Special Education Standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and to the standards and regulations for graduate education at Shippensburg University, National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). The faculty are highly sensitive to the impact of cultural diversity on the growth and development of children. While these factors are important in the development of curriculum in any educational program, they are especially critical in the educational planning for students with disabilities. The curriculum consistently demands the critical examination by students of the assumptions, both implicit and explicit, made in the selection and use of measurement instruments and instructional procedures and materials for any particular child. Purpose The purpose of the program is to equip special education teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to instruct students from several categorical areas (learning disabilities, mental retardation, and behavior disorders). Participants completing the program of study will possess the necessary skills to provide instruction to students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Students' learning will reflect historical and contemporary knowledge, research, theory, experience, and practice meeting the academic, personal, and social needs of their unique clientele. Specifically, students will be equipped with knowledge about (1) characteristics of children and adolescents with mild/moderate/severe learning disabilities, mental retardation/developmental disabilities, and emotional/behavior disorders, and (2) methods and strategies appropriate for instruction in the least restrictive environment regardless of the exceptionality category. The special education program is designed to reflect the current knowledge base, including existing and envisioned practices in educational institutions, and clearly delineated models. Curricular coherence is strengthened through faculty study and dialogue on purpose, course content, and intended student-learning outcomes. The program also uses procedures and problem-solving techniques indicative of the reflective educator model. The Programs The master of education degree in special education has four tracks. One can earn comprehensive certification in special education while earning the master of education degree. Alternatively, someone holding special education certification or other educational certifications can pursue work in the specialty areas of learning disabilities, behavior disorders, or mental retardation/developmental disabilities without certification. The department offers the following graduate degree specializations in special education: master of education degree in special education with comprehensive certification. master of education degree in special education with an emphasis in learning disabilities. master of education degree in special education with an emphasis in emotional/behavior disorders. master of education degree in special education with an emphasis in mental retardation/developmental disabilities. The master's degree in comprehensive certification is a 33-credit program with no electives. It is designed for individuals who already hold either elementary or secondary teaching certification. For individuals interested in special education certification, the following course will be treated as a deficiency (i.e., required background course) if it does not appear on the students' transcripts: a course in the introduction to exceptionalities The master's degree without certification requires a minimum of 33 credits. This program is primarily for teachers who already hold special education certification or for regular education teachers who wish to develop skills for working with students who have disabilities who are in the general classroom. The master's degree without certification provides flexibility in tailoring a graduate program based on the past learning experience of the student as well as his or her future personal and professional goals. View more details on Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Special Education courses.