Special Education Master's Degree – Wayne State College Nebraska

Special Education MSE program overview

Wayne State's online graduate studies in special education with field experience options 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 program options leading to a master’s degree:

The Special Education Advanced Study is for students who currently hold a teaching certification in special education and are seeking deeper study in special education at the same level as their current teaching certification.
The Special Education Generalist Certification is for students who hold a current teaching certification. If their certification is not in Special Education and they are seeking to add a Special Education endorsement, they can add a subject endorsement at the K-6 or 7-12 level. If their certification is already in Special Education (K-6 or 7-12), they can add the other subject endorsement level.
The Special Education Generalist Initial Certification is for students who do not currently hold a teaching certificate but are seeking their initial certification in Special Education.

Licensure: 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 about state authorization, licensure, and reciprocity.

Student learning outcomes for the MSE Special Education program
In addition to the student learning outcomes common to all MSE programs, this endorsement carries the following additional learning outcomes:

Apply advanced content knowledge to maintain effective educational practices.
Create learning environments that promote equitable educational opportunities to meet the needs of diverse student populations.
Implement professional practice standards following ethical educational principles.
Use evidence-based inclusive practices to develop meaningful learning experiences for students with special educational needs in accordance with relevant legislation.

Download program handbook (PDF) View program courses

Special Education MSE program of study

Students must complete the special education core courses, content courses, and focus area courses (if seeking additional Special Education certification or initial certification). Students who currently hold a teaching certification in Special Education and are seeking advanced study in Special Education at the same level as their current teaching certification do not need to add a focus area and are classified as Special Education Advanced Study.

Up to 18 credit hours may be transferred in from another regionally accredited graduate institution and applied toward a degree. Credit that has been applied toward an earned degree will not be accepted except for courses that are a part of the core requirements for the MSE in Special Education.

Special education core courses (12 credits)

Credits: 3
Description: Beginning graduate students will develop a practical knowledge and application of basic types of research, as well as basic research tools and skills that will be helpful to them throughout their program. Graduate students will create a research plan and write a review of literature (paper). Students will create appropriate survey and interview questions, develop a beginning understanding of educational statistics, and the process for developing a research proposal including Institutional Review Board requirements and application processes.
Credits: 3
Description: A study of theories of learning and motivation, conditions and processes of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning; personal qualities of a teacher; the teaching process, classroom management; teaching the exceptional learner; and the role of evaluation in learning and teaching.
Credits: 3
Description: This course offers intensive study of specific issues and trends that have direct impact upon education. Individuals will choose a topic to examine in breadth and depth. It presents a comprehensive approach to the exploration of the selected topics. The course offers opportunities for the students to examine relevant topics affecting education in breadth and depth.
Credits: 3
Description: A course designed to examine the principles underlying the development of a PK-12 public school and post-secondary program curriculum. Emphasis on methods of determining priorities, objectives, scope and sequence and organizational patterns. The roles of state and local involvement will also be examined.

Content courses (24 credits)

Credits: 3
Description: Various instructional methods and evidence-based teaching strategies, for content courses, that have been used successfully in supporting students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. In addition, inclusive teaching methods will focus on curriculum lesson planning, development of IEPs, selection of instructional methods and materials, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Credits: 3
Description: Explore applications of methods and techniques of strategies for exceptional learners within K-12 settings providing equitable learning opportunities within least restrictive environments. In addition, multi-tiered support systems (MTSS), Universal Design of Learning (UDL), and assistive technology (AT) will be examined.
Credits: 3
Description: Exploring multiple methods of assessment and data-sources in making educational decisions for Individual Education Plan (IEP) development in a variety of instructional settings. Examining the process for qualification of special education services including determining how to limit bias in choice of assessment instruments, process of administering assessments, and sharing results of assessments with colleagues, families, and learners in a culturally responsive manner.
Credits: 3
Description: Differentiate lesson planning, instruction, and assessments to create learning opportunities for diverse learners focusing on engagement and critical thinking. Incorporate the use of evidence-based strategies to develop self-regulation and motivation leading to increased learner achievement.
Credits: 3
Description: Introduction to administrative procedures of special services. Emphasis on Nebraska and national laws governing special education. Processes of planning and implementing student programs as well as maintaining student records, identifying, selecting and using local and state resources for operating the special education program are studied.
Credits: 3
Description: The historical development of the education of students with exceptional education needs, recognizing he characteristics of both high and low incidence disability categories. An emphasis is placed on the acceptance and/or exclusion of students with exceptionalities within family, community, vocational, and school environments.
Credits: 3
Description: Develop prosocial classroom culture, climate and community using evidence-based behavior management strategies. Collaboratively problem solving within multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), functional behavior assessment (FBA), and behavior intervention plan (BIP) processes. Using positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) to develop culturally responsive learning environments which address the influence of family values, social and environmental factors.
Credits: 3
Description: Effective techniques of working with parents, educators, paraprofessionals, related service providers, agencies and other professional personnel. A strong emphasis will be placed on the various models of co-teaching, forming co-teaching partnerships, and planning within a co-taught environment.

This focus area is for those who already have teacher certification in an area other than Special Education and want to add a Special Education subject endorsement at the K-6 and/or 7-12 level, or for those who have teaching certification in Special Education (K-6 or 7-12) and want to add the other subject endorsement level.
Choose one of the following field experiences:
1. Practicum Field Experience (6 credits). This experience allows students to seek endorsement at the same level as their current teaching certification.
  
  SPD 540 Program Design in Special Education (3 credit hours) – A foundation course examining techniques, curriculum, and programming that exemplify the role of special education in inclusive settings. Exploring instruction and the relationship to data-informed decision-making in special education programming. This course is intended for current teachers not holding a special education certification.
  
  SPD 561 Practicum in Special Education (3 credit hours) – Practical application of knowledge, skills, and dispositions acquired through prior coursework. Enable learners to demonstrate the state and national performance and practice-based standards through 100 supervised hours of field experience.
2. Clinical Field Experience (6-12 credits). This experience allows students to seek endorsement at a different level than their current teaching certification.
  
  If currently certified PK-3 or Middle Level, then students must complete SPD 658 for K-6 subject endorsement and/or SPD 660 for 7-12 subject endorsement.
  
  EDU 545 Preparing for Level 3: Clinical Practice (0 credit hours) – This course is designed for graduate students in Level 2 of WSC’s educator preparation program who are progressing into Level 3 and those completing clinical practice to change endorsement levels. Two virtual sessions will be held at the beginning of each academic session for graduate teacher candidates planning to student teach in the following semester. Graduate teacher candidates will attend one of the two virtual sessions to receive valuable information including, but not limited to, how to apply for clinical practice, an overview of clinical practice requirements, rules regarding placement choices and department approval requirements. Graded S/NC.
  
  SPD 658 Clinical Practice for Special Education K-6 (6 credit hours) – This is a semester course of full day learning experiences in an elementary school under the supervision of a cooperating K-6 special educator and a supervisor from the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. This is the culminating experience of the elementary special education initial licensure preparation program at the graduate level. Graded S/NC. Prerequisite: Acceptance to clinical practice. View
  
  SPD 660 Clinical Practice for Special Education 7-12 (6 credit hours) – This is a semester course of full day learning experiences in a secondary school under the supervision of a cooperating 7-12 special educator and a supervisor from the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. This is the culminating experience of the secondary special education initial licensure preparation program at the graduate level. Graded S/NC. Prerequisite: Acceptance to clinical practice.
This focus area is for those who do not currently have teaching certification but are seeking initial certification in Special Education.
In this focus area, you will take the following courses:
- EDU 525 Preparing for Level 2: Teacher Candidacy (0 credit hours) – This course is designed for graduate students in Level 1 of WSC’s educator preparation program who are progressing into Level 2. This course session will be held in conjunction with New Graduate Student Orientation at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Graduate students will attend this session to receive valuable information including, but not limited to, admission, program progression, degree and certification requirements, the use of portfolio software, professional dispositions for success, etc. Graded S/NC.
- EDU 545 Preparing for Level 3: Clinical Practice (0 credit hours) – This course is designed for graduate students in Level 2 of WSC’s educator preparation program who are progressing into Level 3 and those completing clinical practice to change endorsement levels. Two virtual sessions will be held at the beginning of each academic session for graduate teacher candidates planning to student teach in the following semester. Graduate teacher candidates will attend one of the two virtual sessions to receive valuable information including, but not limited to, how to apply for clinical practice, an overview of clinical practice requirements, rules regarding placement choices and department approval requirements. Graded S/NC.
- SPD 561 Practicum in Special Education (3 credit hours) – Practical application of knowledge, skills, and dispositions acquired through prior coursework. Enable learners to demonstrate the state and national performance and practice-based standards through 100 supervised hours of field experience.
- SPD 658 Clinical Practice for Special Education K-6 (6 credit hours) – This is a semester course of full day learning experiences in an elementary school under the supervision of a cooperating K-6 special educator and a supervisor from the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. This is the culminating experience of the elementary special education initial licensure preparation program at the graduate level. Graded S/NC. Prerequisite: Acceptance to clinical practice.
- SPD 660 Clinical Practice for Special Education 7-12 (6 credit hours) – This is a semester course of full day learning experiences in a secondary school under the supervision of a cooperating 7-12 special educator and a supervisor from the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. This is the culminating experience of the secondary special education initial licensure preparation program at the graduate level. Graded S/NC. Prerequisite: Acceptance to clinical practice.
View the Benchmarks for Successful Advancement in Educator Preparation - MSE Special Education Certification.