Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities Non-Licensure

Master of Education — Moderate Disabilities (Non-Licensure)

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Develop your teaching career.

The Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities (Non-Licensure) program at Worcester State University helps you develop specialized knowledge and skills in the field of moderate disabilities. This flexible, part-time program is designed for working professionals who are interested in special education but are not seeking Massachusetts teacher licensure in this field.

You will work closely with your faculty advisor to identify your unique academic and career goals and develop a program of study to achieve them. You will also conduct in-depth research on a topic in moderate disabilities that interests you. Your studies culminate in a comprehensive thesis project, for which you will compile an electronic portfolio of work that not only demonstrates your mastery of all program competencies but also showcases your professional development.

Candidates for the Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities (Non-Licensure) program 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 are advised to contact the program coordinator for further information prior to formal application to the program.

The program allows candidates who possess the following to obtain a master of education with a concentration in moderate disabilities without an initial licensure in moderate special needs:

  • Candidate has licensure in other non-academic areas such as occupational therapy or speech language pathology
  • Candidate has licensure in an academic area and is interested in a master of education in moderate disabilities
  • Candidate is a non-resident of Massachusetts and does not plan to teach in Massachusetts but is interested in the special education program

Candidates who have completed this program and decide to earn an initial licensure in moderate disabilities, must fulfill the following criteria:

  • Pass all the MTEL requirements
  • Meet with the program coordinator
  • Apply to the initial licensure program and be accepted
  • Register for ED-921, ED-922, ED-923, ED-924, ED-909, ED-926, and ED-928

OR

Candidates who are working on this program and decide to earn an initial licensure in moderate disabilities must fulfill the following criteria:

  • Withdraw from the Non-Licensure program through the Department of Graduate and Continuing Education (DGCE)
  • Apply to the Moderate Disabilities Initial Licensure program through DGCE
  • Pass all the MTEL requirements

Access online information about the program, including an application and admission requirements.

View the Catalog

Explore sample courses in this program.
ED-981 Advanced Foundations of Education
The course explores historical, philosophical, psychological, legal, and cultural foundations for education and school practices.
3 credits
ED-982 Research in Education
The course examines different research methods and designs, including writing hypotheses, reviewing literature, gathering data, and preparing research proposals.
3 credits
ED-993 Seminar: Research in Content Concentration
Program and completion of a minimum of 18 credits in the content area of concentration. The course focuses on educational issues. Students conduct a formal study that seeks to investigate teaching and learning in the student’s content strand of concentration.
3 credits
ED-905 Introduction to Special Education
This course is designed to address the physical, cognitive, behavioral, and psychological aspects of atypical development of children and adolescents with varying disabilities. The course examines special education laws, educational policies and regulations, and legal and ethical responsibilities of special educators in inclusive classroom settings and as an active member of a multidisciplinary learning team. Emphasis is also given to the conceptual frameworks for understanding cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, and linguistic differences and how they influence learning of individuals with exceptionalities. Participation of parents and the community in the educational process is addressed.
3 credits
ED-906 Analysis and Implementation of Interventions to Support Learning of Students with Moderate Disabilities
This course focuses on the knowledge and skills of behavior analysis to enable special educators to design curricula that support the social and cognitive demands of the environment for students with moderate special needs in a general education setting. It emphasizes “positive behavior intervention support” (PBIS), modification and accommodations to promote students’ positive and appropriate behaviors, and classroom management. Special emphasis is placed on developing a functional behavioral plan to efficiently and effectively identify the interventions to address students’ needs.
3 credits
ED-907 Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Inclusion
This course focuses on the principles of Universal Design for Learning and the practice of inclusion for special education students. Topics related to the implementation of UDL principles and instructional design and inclusion in K-12 setting are discussed. The course also focuses on teaching content to students with disabilities through the UDL framework.
3 credits
ED-908 Special Education and Related Services: Consultation, Collaboration, and Interprofessional Skills
The course focuses on the frameworks and principles involved in collaboration, consultation, and interprofessional collaborative practice. The Individualized Education Program (IEP), interprofessional collaborative practice processes, and competencies are explored. Discussions include dynamics of team process, roadblocks to communication, analysis of a school system, and special education services.
3 credits
ED-913 Differentiated Reading Instruction
The course provides an understanding of the psychological bases of the reading process; applies the theories of the psychologist to classroom situations.
3 credits
ED-914 Teaching and Learning Literacy across Multiple Disciplines
The course presents meaningful theory and related teaching strategies to aid pupils in reading and learning from their content area textbooks.
3 credits
ED-929 Mathematics Assessment and Instruction for Diverse Learners
This course presents mathematical concepts, methods, and materials to facilitate learning. Emphasis is also placed on supporting students with mild to moderate disabilities learn and understand mathematic contents.
3 credits
CD-910 Speech/Language Development, Differences, and Diversity
Students gain an in-depth understanding of speech/language development, knowledge of cultural differences, and the disorders of speech/language.
3 credits

Program of Study

The Worcester State University Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities (Non-Licensure) program is a 37-credit program, consisting of 12 3-credit courses and a 1-credit portfolio course. The portfolio course requires candidates to document mastery of content and pedagogical standards beyond the initial license.

The courses in the program fall into 3 categories. The first set of courses meets the core education requirements common to several of the MEd programs. There are 4 core courses, which total to 10 credits.

Completion of these courses assures that candidates have acquired graduate-level knowledge and skills in the foundation of education and in the interpretation, planning, and implementation of educational research.

Candidates are advised to take the course ED-981 early in the program as it provides the foundation for the graduate program. The research course ED-982 informs candidates on interesting areas of research as well as providing a foundation for ED-993. The seminar course is completed near the end of the program and leads to a research paper in the area of moderate disabilities. ED-992 must be taken during the last semester. The course guides candidates in compiling a program portfolio that demonstrates successful attainment of the state standards and the college standards for the master of education degree.

These courses are required to complete the MEd in Moderate Disabilities (Non-Licensure) 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 required to take 1 course as elective under the advisement of the program coordinator.

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