Program Descriptions
Bachelor of Science in Special Education
Undergraduate Specialties
• Mild/Moderate Disabilities
• Severe Disabilities
• Early Childhood Special Education
• Visual Impairments
• Hearing ImpairmentsSalt Lake Community College Transfer Students
Master of Education with Licensure
• mild/moderate disabilities
• severe disabilities
• early childhood special education
• early childhood visual impairment
• early childhood hearing impairment
• hearing impaired
• visually impairedMaster of Science with Licensure
• mild/moderate disabilities
• severe disabilities
• early childhood special education
• early childhood visual impairment
• early childhood hearing impairment
• hearing impaired
• visually impairedMaster of Education without Licensure
Program descriptions for students admitted prior to Summer 2008
• Program descriptions for students admited prior to Summer 2008 are available through Patty Davis, patty.davis@utah.edu or 801-581-4764.
• During the transition to the new teacher education programs beginning Fall 2008 individualized substitution of courses will be considered.
• Admitted students need to develop a transitional degree and licensure program with their faculty advisor.
Licensure
The Utah State Office of Education grants teaching licenses. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are recommended for licensure. The total credit hours to fulfill licensure requirements vary for each area. Each program requires completion of the teacher education core in special education and a sequence of specialization courses in the particular field of study. The teacher education core has been designed to provide the student with skills in essential areas of assessment, instructional design and management, behavior management, collaboration, curriculum, and legal issues in special education.
Specialization courses expand upon the skills and methods that have been introduced through the teacher education core. The courses introduce specific educational strategies that are effective for particular student populations. Each program has been structured to develop the required skills through hands-on, practical learning opportunities; therefore, the different programs provide multiple field-based experiences. Such experiences within each program area give graduate students the opportunity to observe, question, test, and modify different instructional techniques under the guidance of a trained cooperating teacher and department faculty.
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, students are recommended for licensure to the Utah State Department of Education. They may then opt to complete additional requirements for a master's degree.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education
Preparation for Utah Basic Teaching License in Special Education in any of the following areas: Mild/Moderate Disabilities, Severe Disabilities, Early Childhood Special Education, Visual Impairments, Hearing Impairments. Students complete approximately 123 semester hours of credit in order to graduate with a B.S. in Special Education through the Department of Special Education. Additional information is available on the Bachelor of Science in Special Education.
Master Degree in Special Education
Students with a bachelor's degree who are interested in obtaining a Utah license to teach exceptional populations have two options: (1) they may enter the graduate program and complete the state requirements for licensure only or (2) they may complete licensure in conjunction with the M. Ed. or M.S. degree program. Endorsement programs are offered in the following areas: mild to moderate disabilities, severe disabilities, and early childhood special education.
The Master Degree is awarded for a level of academic achievement substantially beyond that required for the baccalaureate degree. Two different Master's degrees are offered in the Department of Special Education: the Master of Science (M.S.) and the Master of Education (M.Ed.). The Master of Science and Master of Education
degrees may also be earned without state licensure. The M.S. Degree is generally considered to be an academic degree and the M.Ed. is a professional degree. The M.A. and the M.S. are degrees awarded for completion of scholarly research and subject-teaching oriented Master's programs. The Master of Education is the degree awarded for completion of professionally oriented programs.
The program leading to the Master degree must be agreed upon by the student's supervisory committee and should represent a coherent pattern of instruction and practica rather than a random accumulation of a given number of course credits. Requirements for the M. Ed. Degree include advanced course work in professional development and educational evaluation. Requirements for the M.S. Degree include graduate courses in research and statistics, an interdisciplinary approach, and a written thesis. There are several areas of program emphasis within the M.S. and M. Ed. degrees. These specializations result in state licensure and include
• mild/moderate disabilities
• severe disabilities
• early childhood special education
• early childhood visual impairment
• early childhood hearing impairment
• hearing impaired
• visually impaired
Ph. D Degree in Special Education
A research-oriented program with an interdisciplinary focus that prepares students for leadership positions in special education. Applicants should have a master's degree in special education or a closely related field from an accredited college or university. They also should have had field experience prior to applying for admission to the program. For additional information on the combined M.S./Ph. D. program and on the Doctor of Philosophy degree program, click here.
Admission
Students applying for graduate level programs must apply for admission to the Graduate School as well as to the Department of Special Education. Applicants for the Ph. D. program may contact the department's advising office throughout the year. Information from the following areas is used in selecting applicants: scholastic aptitude and achievement (GPA, and GRE or MAT scores), publications and/or writing samples, and letters of reference. Additional information is available on our admissions page.
