Master of Science in Special Education

Successful completion of the following requirements leads to a Master of Science in Special Education with entitlement to a Professional Educator License with Learning Behavior Specialist I (P-21) endorsement:

Admission Requirements

Candidates for admission must hold a valid Professional Educator License appropriate for the approval/endorsement. Upon submission of a completed online application, the School of Education licensure officer will verify the candidate’s Illinois Professional Educator License.

Required Courses

Candidates who do not hold a current valid teaching license complete the following 39 credit hours, including 33 hours in classroom/theory coursework and 6 credit hours in internship/clinical practice:

Additional Requirements

General Education Competencies for Unlicensed Candidates

Persons seeking the State of Illinois Learning Behavior Specialist I Special Education licensure as their initial teaching license must meet required general education competencies as outlined by the School of Education.

Illinois Licensure Testing System Requirements

Persons seeking a State of Illinois Professional Educator License with Learning Behavior Specialist I (P-21) Endorsement must pass the Illinois Licensure Testing System’s required content area tests for Learning Behavior Specialist I.

The candidate must take and pass the LBSI (#155) test prior to placement for clinical practice (student teaching) or clinical internship as specified by the School of Education.
The candidate must pass the Special Education General Curriculum Test (#163) prior to applying for clinical practice or clinical internship as specified by the School of Education.
As of September 1,2015 any candidate seeking initial licensure must pass the edTPA.

Additional Information

Endorsement requirements for candidates who already hold a current valid teaching license are adjusted as follows:

SPED 646 - Special Education Internship is not required
In place of SPED 702 - Clinical Practice Seminar in Special Education and SPED 703 - Clinical Practice in Special Education , students are required to complete SPED 705 - Clinical Internship in Special Education .

Candidates who hold an elementary teaching endorsed license or those who have taken a reading methodology course are not required to complete EDU 533 - Reading and Writing Instruction and Improvement .

Early Childhood Special Education Approval (ECSE) Approval is included in the Master of Special Education (MSSPED) in the Alternative Licensure Program (SPEA) and in the traditional graduate program (SPED), and the undergraduate BA in Special Education (SEDU). Coursework in the following areas depending on program is outlined below.

AREA - Early childhood special education assessment

COURSES

SEDU 370 - Planning and Assessment in Special Education

SPED 663 - Planning and Assessment in Special Education

SPEA 691 - Assessment and Individualized Planning in Special Education

AREA - Methods of instruction in early childhood special education

COURSES

SEDU 376 - Academic Methods for Elementary and Middle Level Students with Disabilities

SPED 662 - Academic Methods of Special Education

SPEA 690 - Evidence-Based Instruction for Students with Disabilities

AREA - Development of language in the young child

COURSES