Master of Arts in Special Education
The Master of Arts in Special Education is designed to develop leaders and change agents by advancing the knowledge and skills of professionals in the field of special education. The curriculum includes required coursework in assessment, behavior, collaboration, learning and development, special education law and policy, theory and practice, and transition across the lifespan. Students will tailor their course work by selecting one of the following concentrations: deaf education, mild interventions, intense interventions, emotional and behavioral disorders, special education administration, early childhood special education, and autism.
Completion of the MA in Special Education may lead to employment as a master teacher supporting learners with disabilities in a variety of educational settings, including resource classrooms, self-contained classrooms, and residential schools; consultant or support specialist in inclusionary settings; or leader in local, state, or private agencies.
It should be noted that completion of the MA in Special Education does not lead to initial teaching licensure. Students who hold an initial teaching license may elect to complete coursework towards an add-on license in an area of special education. Eligible students must complete a license evaluation with Ball State’s Office of Teacher Education Services and Clinical Practice, complete all the coursework specified on the license evaluation, and pass the requisite state licensing exams.
Degree Requirements: The MA in Special Education requires completion of 30 credits of graduate coursework in special education. Coursework includes a required core curriculum, supplemented with a research course and electives from an area of concentration.
30 credits
Required Core/Foundation Courses, 21 credits
| SPCE 577 | Introduction to Students with Intense Intervention Needs | 3 |
| SPCE 603 | Collaboration in Special Education | 3 |
| SPCE 632 | Introduction to Emotional and Behavioral Disorders | 3 |
| SPCE 636 | Research in Special Education | 3 |
| SPCE 637 | Special Education Law | 3 |
| SPCE 686 | Introduction: Mild Interventions | 3 |
| SPCE 687 | Educational Assessment: Mild Interventions | 3 |
Choose one of the concentrations below to complete:
Students should pick one area of specialization, totaling 9 credits, from one of the following:
Administration
Autism
Deaf Education
Early Childhood Special Education
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Mild Interventions
Intense Interventions
Administration, 9 credits
| EDAD 600 | Introduction to Educational Leadership | 3 |
| SPCE 639 | Special Education Administration and Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| EDAD 684 | Educational Finance and Ethics | 3 |
Autism, 9 credits
| SPCE 604 | Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers | 3 |
| SPCE 680 | Introduction to Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3 |
| SPCE 682 | Interventions and Treatments for Persons with Autism | 3 |
Deaf Education, 9 credits
| SPCE 640 | Introduction to Deaf Education | 3 |
| SPCE 641 | Language Acquisition and Development for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals | 3 |
| SPCE 645 | Reading Methods for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students | 3 |
Early Childhood Special Education, 9 credits
| SPCE 612 | Theory and Practice in Early Childhood Special Education | 3 |
| SPCE 614 | Developmental Methods for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs | 3 |
| SPCE 616 | Developmental Methods for Preschool Children with Special Needs | 3 |
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 9 credits
| SPCE 634 | Educating Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders | 3 |
| SPCE 635 | Advanced Studies in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders | 3 |
| EDPS 606 | Human Learning and Achievement Motivation | 3 |
Mild Interventions, 9 credits
| EDRD 610 | The Teaching of Reading in the Elementary School | 3 |
| SPCE 634 | Educating Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders | 3 |
| SPCE 688 | Methods of Mild Intervention | 3 |
Intense Interventions, 9 credits
| SPCE 578 | Educational Methods for Students with Intense Intervention Needs | 3 |
| SPCE 579 | Educational Methods for Students with Orthopedic-Sensory-Multiple Disabilities | 3 |
| SPCE 634 | Educating Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 30