Skip to main content

Program: Special Education

Degree: Master of Education
Delivery Method: On Campus
Teacher Education and Learning Sciences (TELS)

Apply Now 

The Special Education program at NC State prepares students for excellence in teaching, assessment, curriculum development, classroom and behavior management, teaching students with high incidence disabilities, evaluation and professional leadership, as well as other areas of service to students with disabilities and to schools and agencies. Our nationally recognized faculty provides excellent teaching, leadership opportunities, and high standards of performance. We prepare special educators via two graduate-level programs, the Master of Education (M.Ed.) and the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.).

Program Description

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education is intended for people who currently possess a valid teaching license. Graduates with this degree, and General Curriculum certification, typically teach students with high incidence disabilities (i.e., those with specific learning disabilities—SLD, intellectual disability—ID, emotional disabilities—ED). Alternatively, this degree is also suited for students who want to pursue deep knowledge in special education but do not want to obtain a teaching license. Schools and agencies eagerly seek NC State graduates in Special Education.

The NC State M.Ed. degree in special education has great flexibility in that the courses are delivered online, face-to-face, hybrid (i.e., online and face-to-face), and through Distance Education (i.e., off-campus at nearby schools). Most students complete the requirements of the M.Ed. in 30 credit hours; full-time students can complete the degree program in about 1.5 years, while part-time students can complete this program over a longer time period.

Request More Information About Special Education

Get more information about our flexible programs that will prepare you to meet the needs of all students, especially those with disabilities and special needs.

Course of Study

Comprehensive course descriptions can be found at the NC State University course catalog website (see https://www.acs.ncsu.edu/php/coursecat/directory.php).

Curriculum

Required Special Education Courses (18 credits)

  • ECI 572—Resource Room Teaching in Special Education
  • ECI 573—Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers
  • ECI 581—Educational Diagnosis and Prescription for Children with
    Exceptionalities
  • ECI 585—Education of Children with Exceptionalities
  • ECI 681—Seminar Special Education Literacy
  • ECI 658—Internship in Special Education

Required Special Education Methods Courses (12 credits)

  • ECI 571—Methods and Materials in Learning Disabilities
  • ECI 576—Teaching Functional and Life Skills to Students with Disabilities
  • ECI 584—Intervention for Behavior Problems of Students with Disabilities
  • ECI 682—Special Education Seminar in Teaching Numerical Concepts

Faculty

Program Faculty

Admission Requirements

Admission is competitive and we seek graduate students with (a) at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in undergraduate study, (b) a comprehensive and scholarly statement of the student’s goals in pursuing the M.Ed. degree, (c) all transcripts of previous study in higher education, and (e) excellent recommendations from others (e.g., educators and employment supervisors) who have worked with the candidate. Applicants whose qualifications do not meet all of the above requirements can also be admitted under “provisional status.”