Minimum 36 credit hours (additional hours may be needed to meet content and/or research/applied project needs)

You are eligible to apply to the M.Ed. in Special Education program if you meet the following requirements: - Earned, or will have earned, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution before the date of enrollment at the University of Georgia - Completed training in a teacher education field and have a current teaching certificate - Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA (Grade Point Average) of 2.7 for all courses taken - This program takes a holistic approach to admissions and does not require standardized testing scores to be submitted; no GRE or M.A.T. scores are required.

Application Process: Complete the Graduate School Application and include: - Unofficial transcripts to the Application - Three letters of recommendation Resumé/vita - A statement of purpose outlining your teaching philosophy, experience and career goals, as well as answering responses to the written prompt found on the program webpage - https://coe.uga.edu/academics/degrees/med-special-education-adapted-curriculum-autism/ English - Proficiency Exam Scores for international students: (https://grad.uga.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applications/english-language-proficiency-requirement/) - International applicants will also need to score a minimum of 20 points each on the Speaking and Writing sections of the TOEFL with an overall minimum score of 80. Test scores must be within 2 years from the date of application. Program Deadlines to Apply: April 1 (Fall) Assistantship-seeking applicants: January 1

Required Courses Core

EDSE 7010

Clinical Assessment in Special Education

3

EDSE 7230

Basic Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis

3

Characteristics Courses

Choose 2 course(s) from the following:

EDSE 7100

Foundations and Assessment in Early Childhood Special Education

3

EDSE 7220

Instruction of Students with High-Incidence Disabilities

3

EDSE 7610

Seminar Autism Spectrum Disorders

3

Methods Courses

EDSE 7210

Behavioral Methods of Instruction

3

Choose 2 course(s) from the following:

EDSE 4050/6050

Managing Severe Aggressive Behavior in the Classroom and Community

3

EDSE 5160/7160

Communication and Language Development in Young Children

3

EDSE 7200

Methods and Curriculum in Early Childhood Special Education

3

EDSE 7260

Instructional Design for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

3

EPSY 7330

Individual Academic Interventions

3

Research Courses

EDSE 8370

Single-Subject Research Methodology in Special Education

3

One additional research course with advisor approval, such as:

ERSH 4200/6200

Methods of Research in Education

3

ERSH 4300/6300  (Prereq: ERSH 6200)

Applied Statistical Methods in Education

3

ETAP(QUAL)(ERSH) 7500  (Prereq: Requires Permission of Dept)

Action Research

3

QUAL 8400  (Prereq: ERSH 6200)

Qualitative Research Traditions

3

Applied Practice and Research Project

Choose 3 credit hour(s) from the following:

EDSE 7650

Applied Project in Special Education

1-12

Students are encouraged to take elective courses in areas that complement the required components of their program of study as approved by faculty advisor.

Students are required to pass a comprehensive exam for program completion.

Select additional courses, as needed, in consultation with an advisor to meet the minimum number of required credit hours for this program.

Training in this emphasis area prepares you to work with students working in an adapted curriculum, meaning they do not follow the typical general curriculum implemented in most classrooms. Certification spans preschool through 12th grade. Curriculum aligns with BCBA (Board Certified Behavioral Analyst) requirements. This adapted curriculum may include teaching functional academics, lifelong personal and social skills, vocational skills, recreational and leisure skills, and community involvement. It emphasizes training in behavior management, instructional strategies, technology-based support, and transition skills. The students who are most frequently served under adapted curriculum are those with moderate, severe, or profound intellectual disability and moderate to severe autism.

Transfer of credit may be allowed when recommended by the student’s major professor and graduate coordinator, and when approved by the dean of the Graduate School. Please see the UGA Graduate School policy linked here: https://grad.uga.edu/admissions/requirements/acceptance-of-credit-by-transfer/#:~:text=calculating%20cumulative%20averages.-,All%20requests%20for%20transfer%20credit%2C%20with%20accompanying%20official%20transcripts%2C%20must,Georgia%20are%20eligible%20for%20transfer.

Qualified students will be nominated for applicable and available Graduate School awards, departmental graduate assistantships, training grants, and research grant assistantships. Some financial assistance is available for students in this program through the Analysis, Interpretation, Instruction, Management (AIIM) federal personnel preparation grant. Coral Jo Bishop Fellowship - https://coe.uga.edu/students/financial-aid/coral-jo-bishop/ Jan L. Branham Scholarship - https://coe.uga.edu/students/financial-aid/jan-branham/

Aligning with the program of study, students may complete a supervised teaching internship and are encouraged to pursue additional internship experiences that support their professional development and career aspirations.

Our Student Affairs office will find placements for you during your program of study if required. Opportunities to train in UGA’s Applied Behavior Analysis Clinic may be available. Dyslexia Endorsement - https://coe.uga.edu/academics/non-degree/dyslexia-endorsement/ Preschool Special Education Endorsement - https://coe.uga.edu/academics/non-degree/preschool-special-education-endorsement/

Graduate Student Association - https://els.uga.edu/uga-student-government/gradstudents/ Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) BrainIAC Communicaid+Nation Minorities in Education (MIE) Links for more organizations can be found at: https://resources.coe.uga.edu/students/student-organizations/

Ed.S. in Education / Special Education - https://coe.uga.edu/academics/degrees/eds-education-special-education/ Ph.D. in Special Education - https://coe.uga.edu/academics/degrees/phd-special-education/