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Special Education Graduate Degree Entrance Requirements

  1. Application to the university/program: Download an Application for Graduate Study and submit it to the ODU Office of Graduate Admissions, Rollins Hall (757-683-3685) or submit your application online.

    Application Deadlines:

    Fall Semester: Application and Credentials received by June 1
    Spring Semester: Application and Credentials received by November 1
    Summer Semester: Application and Credentials received by March 1
    (Dates subject to change. Contact the Admissions Office for further information.)

    Note: If you wish to apply for Financial Aid, deadlines for application are as much as six months earlier. Contact the Financial Aid office at 757-683-3683. Financial aid is awarded only to regularly admitted graduate students. The Financial Aid Office also offers a graduated payment plan.

  2. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) must be taken and the scores submitted to ODU before your application can be formally accepted. A combined GRE score of 900 (Verbal and Quantitative sections, with a minimum Verbal score of 450 or better) and 4.5 on the Analytical Writing section is required for regular admittance. The GRE is given year round on computer. Information on registration, locations, etc. can be obtained by writing the Education Testing Service, c/o Graduate Record Exam, CN 6000, Princeton N.J. 08541-6000 or by contacting the University Testing Center (683-3697). Please contact the ETS for more information or Prometric Testing Center's National Registry (formerly Sylvan Technology Center) at 1 (800) 967-1100. A Miller Analogies Test minimum score of 45 is required for regular admittance. The University Testing Center serves as the test administration center for the MAT.
  3. Praxis I, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing exam (ACT) must be taken and passed according to the scores established by the Virginia Department of Education before your application can be formally accepted. Students who already hold the Collegiate Professional or Postgraduate Professional Certificate are not required to take the PRAXIS I, SAT or ACT exams. The PRAXIS II Specialty Area Exam is not required at this time. Information is available in the Teacher Education Services Office (Education Building, Room 152).
  4. Transcripts: contact all college(s) and university(s) previously attended for your official transcripts to be sent directly to: Office of Admissions, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529. A GPA of at least 2.80 in your undergraduate work from an accredited institution is required.
  5. Admission and prerequisite requirements: admission to the graduate program in special education is granted by the department's graduate program director in conjunction with special education faculty. The following requirements are necessary for admission to the program. Individuals who have a non-teaching B.S or B.A. and wish to earn a M.S. Ed. and qualify for a teaching license in special education should refer to our Prerequisite Program Requirements Checklist

    Regular admittance requires:
    1) a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts and sciences from an accredited institution*;
    2) an undergraduate grade point average of 2.80 or better in an academic content area;
    3) a Graduate Record Examination score of at least 900 (Verbal and Quantitative sections with a minimum Verbal score of 450 or better) and a 4.5 on the Analytical Writing section OR a Miller Analogies Test (MAT) minimum score of 45;
    4) a 400-500 word goal statement indicating why the student wishes to enroll in the special education program; and
    5) successful completion of the Praxis I, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing exam (ACT) according to the scores established by the Virginia Department of Education .

    Provisional admittance may be offered to students with marginal GRE or MAT scores or grades. In this case, the committee takes into consideration other factors. Individuals who do not meet the Praxis I or SAT requirements or with low test scores or a low undergraduate GPA will not be admitted to the graduate program. Provisional admittance requires:
    1) a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts and sciences from an accredited institution*;
    2) an undergraduate grade point average of 2.80 or better in an academic content area;
    3) a Graduate Record Examination score of at least 800 (Verbal and Quantitative sections with minimum Verbal score of 400 or better), and 4.0 on the Analytical Writing section OR a Miller Analogies Test (MAT) minimum score of 40;
    4) a 400-500 word goal statement indicating why the student wishes to enroll in the special education program; and
    5) successful completion of the Praxis I, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing exam (ACT) according to the scores established by the Virginia Department of Education .

*Qualifying baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts and sciences must include: English: 12 semester hours, Mathematics: 12 semester hours, Science: 10 semester hours with at least 3 classes in at least 2 different sciences, including one laboratory, History: 6 semester hours (must include American and World History), Social Science: 6 semester hours (must include Economics and Geography), Arts and Humanities: 6 semester hours
and Computers/Technology: 3 semester hours.

Fast Track Teacher Preparation Admission Policy


Fast Track graduate admission will be available to undergraduate students in the Old Dominion University Interdisciplinary Studies Teacher Preparation Concentration as well as undergraduate students who have completed teacher preparation emphasis degrees in content areas, i.e. Art, Dance, English, Foreign Languages, Geography, History, Marketing Education, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Political Science, Sciences, Technology Education and Theatre. To be considered for the Fast Track graduate admission policy, students must earn the B.S. or B.A. degree from Old Dominion University and be applying to a M.S. degree in PK-3/Early Childhood Education, PK6-Elementary Education, Secondary Education or Special Education.

In addition, to be considered for a Fast Track graduate admission:
· An applicant must have a minimum 3.20 undergraduate cumulative GPA at Old Dominion University, and
· An applicant must have passing scores in EACH of the three sections of the Praxis 1 exam as established by the Virginia Department of Education; composite scores will not be considered.

Fast Track graduate admission means that the applicant who meets the above mentioned criteria will not be required to take the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) or the MAT (Miller Analogies Test) for admission.