Master of Education (MEd in Exceptional Student Education

Admissions Requirements  

• Application for Admission
• $50 application fee
• Earned undergraduate degree or master's degree from a college or university with institutional accreditation
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities are required for enrollment
• Professional Resume
• Three letters of recommendation; one of the forms must be completed by the applicant's current principal
• Applicant Statement
•  One of the following:
  • Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better OR,
  • Upper division GPA of 3.0 or better

Additionally, all international applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit a combined score of 550 or better (new scoring of 213 or better) or the Internet based test scoring of 80 or better.

International transcripts are required to be translated if the grading and evaluation system used differs from those used by the United States education system. Official translation and a course-by-course evaluation from all prior institutions and grade-point average computation must be provided to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Please use one of the following services for evaluation:

World Educational Services
22 Prince St.
PMB 101
New York, NY 10012

Josef Silny & Associates
7101 SW 102 Ave.
Miami, FL 33173

Application materials should be sent to Stetson University:

Stetson University Office of Graduate Admissions
421 N. Woodland Blvd.
Unit 8289
DeLand, Florida 32723
Fax: 386-822-7112
Email: gradadmissions@stetson.edu

Program Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
EDUC 501	Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Planning	3
EDUC 524	Diagnosis and Treatment of Reading Problems I	3
EDUC 547	Nature and Needs of Diverse Populations	3
EDUC 553	Social, Vocational, and Personal Skills for Diverse Populations	3
EDUC 558	Differentiated Instruction	3
EDUC 565	Instructional Design I and II	3
EDUC 570	Consultation Collaboration: The Role of the Teacher	3
EDUC 573	Instructional Strategies for Teaching Learning Disabled Students	3
EDUC 574	Classroom and Behavior Management	3
EDUC 595	Seminar	3
Total Credits		30

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge of foundations of exceptional student education
   • Identify state and federal legislation that govern the education of students with exceptionalities.
   • Classify the characteristics of students with exceptionalities using the eligibility criteria of categories included in current state and federal laws and regulations governing K–12 education programs.
   • Compare typical and atypical development of physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional stages of students in the K–12 educational system.
   • Interpret principles and practices in the provision of education for students with exceptionalities based on legal and ethical standards.
   • Apply knowledge of the requirements for developing individual educational plans (IEPs), educational plans (EPs), and transition IEPs.
   • Evaluate the role and function of systemwide models of support for assisting all students, including students with exceptionalities, in accessing the general education curriculum and achieving high expectations.
   • Apply effective methods of communication, consultation, and collaboration with students, parents, caregivers, and all other stakeholders, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as equal members of educational teams.
   • Use effective methods for coaching and supporting paraprofessionals, tutors, and volunteers to assist students with exceptionalities across settings.
   • Determine the purposes and functions of professionals, advocacy organizations, and agencies relevant to educating students with exceptionalities.
   • Determine the factors associated with disproportionality in exceptional student education.
2. Knowledge of assessment and evaluation
   • Determine the purposes and characteristics of different types of assessments and the appropriate use.
   • Apply the legal requirements and ethical principles regarding assessment of students with exceptionalities.
   • Identify measurement concepts (e.g., reliability and validity), characteristics, and uses of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments for students with exceptionalities.
   • Determine the purpose and requirements for participation of students with disabilities in the statewide assessment program and available accommodations, waivers, and exemptions.
   • Interpret and apply the results of formal, informal, and performance-based assessments to address specific needs of students with exceptionalities.
   • Analyze assessment data to identify student needs and evaluate student progress in acquiring, generalizing, and maintaining skills across settings.
3. Knowledge of instructional practices in exceptional student education
   • Select reliable sources of evidence-based instructional practices and interventions.
   • Apply appropriate instructional approaches, strategies, and materials based on assessments of the student’s educational needs (e.g., grade-level standards, academic and functional performance, effect of exceptionality).
   • Choose effective instructional strategies to promote a student’s generalization of knowledge and skills across content areas, curriculum, and settings.
   • Identify the characteristics and purposes of the core curriculum, supplemental programs, and intensive interventions as they relate to language arts and mathematics in a multi-tiered system of supports.
   • Apply techniques for differentiating, accommodating, and modifying classroom instruction to meet the educational needs of individual students with exceptionalities.
   • Apply flexible grouping strategies (e.g., academic, behavioral, social) for specific instructional activities.
   • Use criteria for selecting and utilizing print and nonprint media for instructional use to match student needs and interests.
   • Analyze characteristics of specialized instructional approaches for students with significant disabilities.
4. Knowledge of the positive behavioral support process
   • Identify and choose appropriate prevention and intensive intervention strategies for students who display challenging behaviors.
   • Distinguish the various concepts and models of positive behavior support.
   • Analyze the legal and ethical issues pertaining to positive behavior support strategies and disciplinary procedures for students with exceptionalities.
   • Interpret individual and group data to apply interventions that increase positive behavior.
   • Interpret the essential elements of a functional behavior assessment and measure the effects of the behavior intervention plan through data collection strategies.
5. Knowledge of multiple literacies and communication skills
   • Identify language development and the components of language structure.
   • Distinguish characteristics of communication disorders and the impact on academic achievement and functional skills.
   • Identify appropriate assistive technology and alternative communication systems to facilitate communication across all educational settings.
   • Determine the sequence of reading development and the critical components of reading proficiency included in the state standards.
   • Apply specialized instructional methods and techniques to address deficits in phonological processing in students with exceptionalities.
   • Apply evidence-based instructional methods for increasing reading proficiencies in phonics, word recognition, and fluency that meets the specific educational and functional needs of individual students with exceptionalities.
   • Apply evidence-based instructional methods for increasing literacy (e.g., oral language, vocabulary, reading comprehension) in all content areas that meet the specific educational and functional needs of individual students with exceptionalities.
   • Determine and apply strategies for facilitating students’ critical-thinking, executive functioning, and metacognition skills.
   • Select and use effective instructional methods and supports for teaching writing foundations, the writing process, and purposes of writing to meet specific educational and functional needs of individual students with exceptionalities across all content areas.
   • Apply evidence-based instructional methods for increasing mathematic skills in all content areas that meet the specific educational and functional needs of individual students with exceptionalities.
6. Knowledge of the transition process
   • Determine appropriate programs for career development and career and technical education that meet the needs of individual students with disabilities.
   • Use results of transition assignments to determine appropriate planning strategies to assist the student, parents, caregivers, and stakeholders in developing postsecondary education, career goals, and postschool outcomes.
   • Select instructional approaches to assist students with exceptionalities to engage in self- determination and self-advocacy practices.
   • Identify and compare resources and strategies that can assist individual students with disabilities to function independently in postsecondary education, home and community living, and employment.