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Master of Science in Education-Special Education, Research Emphasis

Cheryl S. Baker, Graduate Program Director

Admission, Continuance and Exit Requirements

Admission

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.

Students must (1) hold a baccalaureate degree from any accredited institution; (2) hold the Virginia Collegiate Professional License or an equivalent license from another state for special education; (3) have an undergraduate grade point average of 2.80 or better; (4) take and receive satisfactory scores on either the Graduate Record Examination (score of 900 combined on verbal and quantitative with a minimum of 450 verbal for regular admission and 4.5 on the analytical writing section) or Miller Analogies Test (score of 400 for regular admission); and (5) a 400-500 word goal statement indicating why the student wishes to enroll in the special education program. Under certain circumstances, applicants who do not fully meet the requirements for regular admission to the program may be admitted on a provisional basis subject to conditions specified by the graduate program director.

Continuance

Students must: (1) maintain a grade point average of 3.00 overall and (2) successfully complete all competencies relative to their program of study. View the program checklist.

Exit

Students must:

(1)have a grade point average of 3.00 overall and a grade of B- or better in all course work

(2)satisfactorily complete all program requirements including the comprehensive exam

(3)complete a Graduate Student Assessment

(4)complete the Post Task Rating Form online at http://education.odu.edu/esse/

(5)submit a professional research project according to program guidelines prior to the awarding of the master's degree in special education

Program Requirements

For all students who have met the prerequisite requirement of licensure course work in special education, the master's degree requires 30 hours of graduate study.

Research Core Courses (15 hours)

ECI 635 Research Methods in Education

ELS 732 Statistics Applied to Research in Education

ESSE 701/801 Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Teaching and Learning

ESSE 702/802 Cognitive Processes and Learning Strategies

ESSE 636 Problems in Education

Electives: (choose at least five/ 15 hours)

*ESSE 618 Characteristics and Advanced Procedures: Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

*ESSE 621 Effective Interventions for Children and Youth with Challenging Behavior

*ESSE 623 Characteristics and Advanced Procedures: Mental Retardation

*ESSE 626 Characteristics and Advanced Procedures: Learning Disabilities

*ESSE 628 Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities

*ESSE 629 Characteristics and Advanced Procedures: Autism Spectrum Disorder

*ESSE 630 Teaching Preschoolers with Disabilities

*ESSE 714/814 Alternative Strategies for Secondary Level Students

*ESSE 715/815 Alternative Strategies for Elementary Students: Prevention and Early Intervention

*Requires practicum of 45 hours.

For more information, contact the Special Education Program Office at (757) 683-3226 or consult the program website at: http://education.odu.edu/esse/.