Purdue University Online MS in Education: Special Education

Purdue University offers an online MS in Education (MSEd): Special Education through the College of Education at the West Lafayette, Indiana campus. There are five licensure pathways and a non-licensure pathway. Students seeking initial teaching licensure can follow a Mild or Mild and Intense path to licensure. Teachers who are currently licensed can earn additional licensure in Mild, Mild and Intense, or Intense pathways.

The MSEd in Special Education program seeks to prepare educators who are highly skilled in working with exceptional children, can develop and utilize special education curricula, and can create safe environments where children with disabilities can learn and thrive. This degree is designed for current or aspiring educators passionate about educating children with special needs and helping them excel behaviorally and academically.

Special Education students study current technology and research-based teaching of children with mild, moderate, and intense learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, and developmental disabilities, as well as high-functioning autism. Intense preparation pathways cover children with severe autism, moderate to severe physical or mental disabilities, and multiple disabilities. Courses are aligned with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards and edTPA measures. edTPA is a performance-based assessment that is subject-specific and used to ensure teacher preparation with all the necessary knowledge and skills to teach effectively.

The online MS in Education: Special Education Non-Licensure program comprises 31 credits and can be completed in five semesters (20 months). Initial Mild Intervention Licensure comprises 36 credits and adds one semester to the program. Initial Mild and Intense Intervention Licensure comprises 48 credits and adds three semesters to the program. Additional Mild Intervention Licensure comprises 32 credits and can be completed in five semesters. Additional Intense Intervention Licensure comprises 38 credits and adds one semester to the program. Additional Mild and Intense Intervention Licensure comprises 44 credits and adds two semesters to the program. Start dates land in the fall, spring, and summer.

Coursework for the MSEd in Special Education is primarily delivered asynchronously in an online format with recorded lectures, videos, readings, assignments, and assessments built into the courses. Some synchronous components may be included. Students pursuing initial or additional licensure must complete the required practicum and student teaching requirements as applicable. Purdue University uses Canvas as its online Learning Management System (LMS).

Core MSEd Special Education courses include Effective Instruction for Students with Significant Reading Disabilities; Literacy Curricula for Learners with Exceptionalities; Introduction to Educational Research; Applied Behavior Analysis in School Settings; Data-Based Decision-Making for Learners with Exceptionalities; Math Curriculum for Learners with Exceptionalities; Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues Across the Lifespan; Development of Learners with Mild Intervention Needs; Transition Education and Services; and Foundations of Online Learning. Students in the licensure pathways all take Foundations of Clinical Practice and Licensure. Other courses for each pathway are described below.

Non-Licensure: Medical and Physical Management of Learners with Disabilities or Chronic Illness or Development of Learners with Intense Intervention Needs.

Initial Mild Intervention License: Clinical Practice Experience I (Practicum) – Mild and Clinical Practice Experience II – Student Teaching.

Initial Mild and Intense Intervention License: Clinical Practice Experience I (Practicum) – Mild; Clinical Practice Experience II – Student Teaching; Curricula for Learners with Intense Intervention Needs; Clinical Practice Experience I (Practicum) – Intense; Medical and Physical Management of Learners with Disability or Chronic Illness; and Development of Learners with Intense Intervention Needs.

Additional Mild Intervention License: Clinical Practice Experience I (Practicum) – Mild.

Additional Intense Intervention License: Curricula for Learners with Intense Intervention Needs and Clinical Practice Experience I (Practicum) – Intense.

Additional Mild and Intense Intervention License: Medical and Physical Management of Learners with Disability or Chronic Illness; Development of Learners with Intense Intervention Needs; Curricula for Learners with Intense Intervention Needs; Clinical Practice Experience I (Practicum) – Mild; and Clinical Practice Experience I (Practicum) – Intense.

Purdue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The online MSEd: Special Education program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).