Program Coordinator: Dr. Sue Fan Foo
Tel: 508 929-8071
email: sfoo@worcester.edu
Moderate Special Needs Courses
Candidates for the Master of Education (M Ed.) with a concentration in Moderate Special Needs (P-8 or 5-12) are required to meet the competencies established by the Office of Graduate Programs for all candidates seeking a Master of Education Degree through Worcester State University.
Candidates must possess an Initial license as a Teacher of Students with Moderate Special Needs from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For more information on the Initial Licensure Program for Moderate Special Needs, please go to http://worcester.edu/Graduate/Shared%20Documents/Cert/CertModerateSpecialNeeds.aspx
The Worcester State University Special Education Master’s Program is a 37-credit program, consisting of twelve (12) three-credit courses and a one-credit portfolio course. The portfolio course requires students to document mastery of content and pedagogical standards beyond the initial license.
The courses in the M.Ed. with a concentration in Moderate Special Needs (P-8 or 5-12) program fall into 3 categories. The first set of courses meets the core education requirements common to several of the M. Ed. programs. There are four core courses, that total to ten (10) credits. Completion of these courses assures that students have acquired graduate level knowledge and skills in the foundation of education, and in the interpretation, planning and implementation of educational research.
Core M.ED. Requirements:
ED 981 Advanced Foundations of Education 3 credits
ED 982 Research in Education 3 credits
ED 993 Seminar: Research in Content Concentration 3 credits
ED 992 Portfolio Evaluation 1 credit
Candidates are advised to take ED 981 Advanced Foundations of Education early in the program as it provides the foundation for the graduate program. The research course ED 982 Research in Education informs candidates on interesting areas of research as well as a foundation for ED 993 Seminar: Research in Content Concentration. The seminar course is completed near the end of the program and leads to a completed research paper in the area of Moderate Special Needs. ED 992 Portfolio Evaluation must be taken during the last semester. The course guides candidates in compiling a program portfolio that demonstrates successful attainment of the state standards for initial licensure and the college standards for the Master in Education Degree.
Core Content/Pedagogical Courses
CD 910 Speech & Language Development, Differences,
Diversity 3 credits
ED 914 Teaching Reading in the Content Areas 3 credits
ED 929 Mathematics Assessment and Instruction for Diverse
Learners 3 credits
These three courses are required to complete the M Ed. with a concentration in Special Needs to meet the state regulations regarding “content or pedagogical courses beyond those for the initial license based on the academic discipline, developed or taught in collaboration with experts who hold at least a master’s degree in that discipline or hold a full time faculty position in that discipline in the arts or sciences or appropriate professional school other than education.” Candidates are allowed to take additional courses as electives under the advisement of the program coordinator.
Elective Courses (Suggested choices but not limited to):
EA 931 Administration of programs for children with Special
Needs 3 credits
ED 911 Advanced Foundations of Reading 3 credits
ED 913 Differentiated Reading Instruction 3 credits
ED 918 Reading as Language 3 credits
ED 925 Consultation and Interpersonal skills 3 credits
ED 910 Technology in Education 3 credits
ED 951 Integrating Language Arts and Social Studies in The
Elementary/Middle Schools 3 credits
ED 953 Integrating Science and Mathematics in the
Elementary/Middle Schools 3 credits
ED 917 Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading Difficulties In
the Middle and Upper Grades or
EE 915 Detection and Remediation of Early Reading Difficulties
3 credits
Students who have completed Worcester State University Post-Baccalaurette Program for Initial Teacher License in Moderate Special Needs and elect to continue taking courses leading to the Master of Education Degree, may transfer 12 credits from the initial licensure program. The students then complete an additional 25 credits, for a total of 37 to earn a Master of Education Degree with a concentration in Special Education.
To access the online application and admission requirements, please go to: http://worcester.edu/Graduate/Shared%20Documents/graduateadmissions.aspx
To access the online information about the program, please go to: http://worcester.edu/Graduate/Shared%20Documents/Masters/MastEducationModerateSpecialNeeds.aspx?PageView=Shared