Overview
Program Coordinator: Michelle Concepcion
Program Delivery Format: Online
Total Credits: 36-45
Program Options:
- Specialty Licensure (For Currently Certified Teachers) Elementary (1-8) or Secondary (6-12) (36 credits)
- Initial Certification – Special Education Elementary (1- 8) or Secondary (6-12) (45 credits)
Admission Cycle: Fall, Spring, and Summer
Admissions Contact: Crystal Perry, Assistant Director, Graduate Enrollment Management (cperry@mcdaniel.edu | 410-386-4833)
GPS Student Support Liaisons: gpsadvising@mcdaniel.edu | 410-857-2500
The Master of Science in Special Education offers candidates the opportunity to join the ranks of professionals who are committed to ensuring that all children and adolescents, including those with identified disabilities, receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. The program emphasizes a strength-based perspective and is founded on the standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Candidates develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of accomplished special educators.
McDaniel College offers a minimum 36-credit hour Master of Science degree in Special Education in Elementary (grades 1-8) or Secondary (grades 6-12) for candidates who hold a current teacher license or who are licensure eligible and would like to add a special education specialty.
The program is also open to candidates who are seeking initial teacher certification in special education in Elementary (grades 1-8) or Secondary (grades 6-12). Candidates seeking initial certification will be required to complete 45 credits and may be required to take additional coursework to meet prerequisites required for Maryland’s licensure. The program coordinator will review the candidates transcript and determine the courses which the candidate must take to meet the initial certification track requirements.
McDaniel College is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Master of Science in Special Education program has been awarded initial accreditation status by AAQEP through June 30, 2029. Accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants to the program must:
- Complete an application for graduate study
- Submit official bachelors degree transcripts with a minimum of 3.0 GPA* from an accredited institution, master’s transcripts if applicable.
- Students who are currently teacher certified who are seeking specialist licensure must provide copies of current teaching license or Praxis II scores in the content area
To begin the program, candidates must meet with the program coordinator to develop an initial 9-credit preliminary plan of study.
*Please note: Students who have a 2.75-2.99 GPA may be admitted provisionally and will be required to maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first 9-12 credit hours. Students with less than a 2.75 GPA may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis for provisional admission but may be required to provide additional documentation and/or participate in an interview. Admission may also come with additional conditions.
International Students:
This program is delivered primarily online and as a result does not meet the federal regulations for international students to study in the US. If you are a US citizen living outside of the US, you should contact gps@mcdaniel.edu to discuss your eligibility for admission to this program.
Special Education: Total Credits: 36
Students who are currently licensed teachers or who are teacher licensure eligible (must have completed a teacher licensure preparation program and passed content Praxis II tests) can complete this master’s degree in 36 credits and will be prepared to take the Praxis II content test to seek special education certification in the state of Maryland.
Foundation Courses (12 credit hours)
Special Education Courses (18 credit hours)
Fieldwork and Capstone Courses (6 credit hours)
All content coursework must be completed before students may enter internship. In addition, students take and submit all Maryland Department of Education (MSDE) required assessments (i.e.- Praxis II) prior to entering Practicum or Internship.
Initial Certification Track: 45 credits
Pre-requisites/Co-requisites:
Candidates seeking initial certification will have a transcript review prior to enrollment. Students with identified deficiencies in prerequisites may take the missing courses as co-requisites while enrolled in the program but must complete all deficiencies before entering the course SED-552 Practicum in Special Education. Below are courses offered at McDaniel to satisfy the prerequisites.
- A course in child or adolescent development
- Elementary (1-8): four reading courses which meet the Maryland State requirements. At McDaniel these coures are:
- RDG 521 Literacy Processes and Acquisition
- RDG 522 Literacy Instruction
- RDG 523 Assessment for Reading Instruction
- RDG 524 Materials for Reading Instruction
- Secondary (6-12): two reading courses which meet the Maryland State requirements. At McDaniel these courses are:
- RDG 532 Literacy in Content Area I
- RDG 534 Literacy in Content Area II
Foundation Courses (12 credits):
Special Education Core Courses (18 credits):
Certification Core Courses (6 credits)
Fieldwork and Capstone Courses (9 credits)
All content coursework must be completed before candidates may enter fieldwork and capstone experiences. In addition, students must take and submit all Maryland Department of Education (MSDE) assessments required for initial licensure in special education (i.e.- Praxis II and TRE).
Please note that MSDE determines required assessments for certification.
Exit Requirements
Students must complete all courses required for the degree, including the practicum and internship, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Additional exit requirements include passing scores on a final standards-based portfolio (unit plan, edTPA requirements, and action research project) and taking all Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) tests required for special education licnsure and have scores reported to McDaniel College. McDaniel College will not post the degree to the transcript until all scores are received.
Students should be aware that while McDaniel requires students to take all required tests which lead to Maryland certification in the student’s respective content area, obtaining an MSDE special education licensure requires passing scores in addition to completing a Maryland approved teacher preparation program. Students who are seeking teacher certification in states outside of Maryland should check with the state’s board and with McDaniel College’s Professional Licensure Representative (gps@mcdaniel.edu) for more information regarding education, testing, and other requirements for licensure and whether a student who obtains a Maryland teacher certification is eligible to obtain licensure as a teacher from this state’s board.
For more information related to Maryland State Department of Education Teacher licensure requirements: https://marylandpublicschools.org
State Authorization
McDaniel is an approved institutional member of the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). Membership in SARA is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses/programs offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. For more information about SARA, including the states currently participating in the agreement, visit http://www.nc.sara.org.
SARA membership allows McDaniel to accept and deliver our programs/courses online to students in 49 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students who reside in California, currently the only state not a member of SARA, should contact the admissions office prior to application to verify if you are eligible to participate in the online program of interest.
For more information about state authorization requirements and complaint resolution, visit https://www.mcdaniel.edu/academics/graduate-professional-studies/state-authorization-requirements-complaints-resolution
Professional Licensure
Requirements for professional licensure in fields such as accounting, education, counseling, psychology, and social work vary from state to state. McDaniel’s academic programs are designed to meet Maryland’s licensure requirements and may not meet requirements from other states. Before beginning any academic program that leads to licensure, McDaniel highly recommends that you contact the appropriate state licensing board where you wish to seek licensure to determine whether the program you are considering will meet that state’s licensing requirements. You may also contact McDaniel College’s Professional Licensure Representative at gps@mcdaniel.edu to inquire.
For more important information regarding professional licensure and the completion of McDaniel degrees, please review our Professional Licensure webpage.
Students who complete this program and are seeking Maryland licensure will be required to meet all Maryland-specific requirements in addition to completing this Maryland approved program. The requirements may include but are not limited to any of the following:
- Additional coursework in reading
- Passing scores on content specific exams (i.e. - Praxis)
- Pedagogy Assessment (edTPA)
- Teaching experience
- Payment of application or processing fees
More information about Maryland State Department of Education requirements can be found at https://marylandpublicschools.org
