Online master’s degrees at Wayne State College are among the lowest priced in the nation. Online tuition is a flat rate, regardless of residency.
Special Education Master's Degree Online
Wayne State's fully online master’s degree in special education is designed to help professionals and districts meet the needs of students with exceptionalities and their families. Our special education master's program is designed to help you meet current workforce needs while allowing you to develop culturally sustaining pedagogies and advocate for the needs of diverse learners. There are three pathways that lead to a special education master's degree, as well as a non-degree option for endorsement:
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Special Education Initial Certification: For students who do not currently hold a teaching certificate but wish to pursue initial certification as a special education generalist. View Benchmarks for Successful Advancement in Educator Preparation - MSE Special Education Certification.
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Special Education Generalist Certification: For students who hold a current teaching certification in an area other than special education and want to add a special education subject endorsement at either the K-6 or 7-12 level; or for students who hold a current teaching certification in special education (K-6 or 7-12) and want to add the other subject endorsement level.
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Special Education Advanced Study: For students who currently hold a teaching certification in special education and are seeking advanced study in special education at the same level as their initial certification.
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Special Education Subject Endorsement (non-degree): For students who hold a current teaching certification in an area other than special education and want to add a special education subject endorsement at either the K-6 or 7-12 level; or for students who hold a current teaching certification in special education (K-6 or 7-12) and want to add the other subject endorsement level. This endorsement option does not lead to an MSE, but it can include undergraduate substitutions as approved by an advisor.
Questions? Contact Us
Phone: 402-375-7164
Email: [email protected]
Fast Facts
Degrees offered: MSE
School: Education and Behavioral Sciences
Department: Educational Foundations and Leadership
Accreditation: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), Nebraska Department of Education
Licensing and Certification: Wayne State academic programs are designed to prepare students for licensure or certification in Nebraska. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Nebraska, please check that state's licensing board to determine their licensing requirements. Authorization may be required from them prior to beginning a clinical or field experience in that state. Learn more.
Admissions Criteria
1. Completed Admissions Application
2. Official Transcripts
3. Statement of Interest to the Dean
4. Recommendation Form
Note for Admitted Students: All students admitted into the special education master's degree program are required to purchase an Anthology Portfolio Subscription from the Wayne State College bookstore. (This subscription purchase is good for five years.)
Purchase Anthology Portfolio
Need help? Visit the Anthology Portfolio help sheets.
An Affordable Online Master's in Special Education
Recognized for Excellence
Wayne State's online education programs are continually recognized for incredible value, successful graduates, and innovative learning.

No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 11 in the U.S.
Cheapest Online Colleges, 2022
Intelligent.com

Cheapest Online Colleges, 2022
No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 11 in the U.S.
Intelligent.com
Intelligent.com ranked Wayne State College as No. 11 in the U.S. in the category of cheapest online colleges and universities for 2022. For their 2022 online degree report, Intelligent.com reviewed over 250 institutions to determine which schools were the most affordable based on the cost-per-credit tuition rates. Tuition rates vary based on degree level, and not all schools offer all types of degrees. The list includes community colleges, which only offer associate degrees, as well as four-year institutions that grant bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. Schools on the list also have regional accreditation, which assures a high standard of quality.
In addition to cost, they evaluated these colleges on the basis of reputation, faculty, flexibility, and course strength. They then calculated the Intelligent Score for each school on a scale from 0 to 100.
Learn more about our online degree programs.

No. 3 in the U.S.
Most Affordable Online Master's Programs, 2022
EDsmart

Most Affordable Online Master's Programs, 2022
No. 3 in the U.S.
EDsmart
EDsmart's ranking of most affordable online master's programs is the most comprehensive and well-rounded to date.The ranking includes only fully accredited schools that offer a master's program online. Rankings are based solely on average in-state graduate student tuition as published in the National Center for Education Statistics database.

No. 5 in the U.S.
Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees
Great Value Colleges

Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees
No. 5 in the U.S.
Great Value Colleges
A master’s degree can mean as much as $400,000 in extra earnings over the course of a career compared to holders of bachelor’s degrees. Being able to earn that degree on a budget and at your own schedule while continuing to meet personal and professional responsibilities is a marvel of the modern era. These rankings were based on tuition, student-to-faculty ratio, and national recognition. View our online master's degrees.

No. 22 in the U.S.
Best Online Master's in Special Education
OnlineSchoolsReport.com

Best Online Master's in Special Education
No. 22 in the U.S.
OnlineSchoolsReport.com
OnlineSchoolsReport.com (OCR) ranked Wayne State's online master's in special education at No. 22 in the U.S. To calculate which degree programs are the best, OSR uses six data points. Three of these are school-wide, and three are program-specific.
The school-wide criteria are student satisfaction, admission rates, and the total number of programs the school offers online. In terms of program-specific data points, OSR looks at median debt of program graduates, how many degrees are offered within the program’s department, and the percentage of the school’s enrolled students who graduate from that department.

No. 23 in the U.S.; Top 10%
Most Focused Special Education Degree Program, 2019
College Factual

Most Focused Special Education Degree Program, 2019
No. 23 in the U.S.; Top 10%
College Factual
In a recent ranking of the best special education degrees by College Factual, Wayne State College earned #23 of all colleges in the U.S., placing us in the top 10% nationwide for 2019. Three metrics measure how College Factual determines which colleges are the "Most Focused."
- Percentage of students studying a particular major - the higher the better. This is a signal from students at the college that they recognize the strength of the program, and also stands to reason that more resources are dedicated to departments with more students.
- Market share - We take it as a positive signal if a college is attracting a lot of students to a particular major. This usually means that a college has more income from tuition to further invest in the program.
- Post graduate resources - If a college has significant graduate and doctoral level programs, that indicates they are even more focused on a particular major. This can mean more resources available to all students.
College Factual, located in Troy, New York, is a leading source of college data analytics and insights, with a strong focus on student outcomes. Its mission is to help all types of students discover their best-fit college and major so they can enjoy their college experience and graduate with less debt. College Factual provides coverage for over 2,500 colleges and universities, 350 college majors, for students in over 160 countries.

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