The graduate program in Special Education leading to the Master of Arts Degree provides highly specialized academic and professional training for persons working in special education and related areas. Enrollees in these programs gain specific knowledge and techniques related to the education and welfare of a segment of the population that experiences disabilities due to clinical/medical conditions. This program requires a minimum of thirty-nine (39) credit hours for completion. Its design is to enhance knowledge, skills and performance in accordance with current “best practices” in the treatment of the total individual with disabilities.
The Special Education program offers three course sequences:
- Teacher Licensure a. General K-12 b. Severe Disabilities - Adapted curriculum for students with severe disabilities to increase access to the general curriculum
- Rehabilitation Counseling
- Severe Disabilities/Non-Teaching - primarily for those who do not need teacher licensure but seek an advanced degree in special education
Completion of the teacher licensure results in credentialing to teach individuals with mild to severe disabilities in grades K-12. The rehabilitation counseling sequence prepares persons to work as rehabilitation counselors. The Severe Disabilities/Non-Teaching sequence is open to professionals from any discipline who wish to increase their competence in serving individuals with disabilities in community agencies or organizations. The program equips individuals with skills necessary to serve in leadership roles in identification, assessment, curriculum development/modifications, instructional strategies, rehabilitation, case management, and policy making on local, state and national levels for disabled persons. After completing this program, graduates will assume specific positions such as instructional leaders, programmers, diagnosticians, data collectors/evaluators, hospital teachers, special /collaborative classroom teachers, case managers/ service coordinators, and rehabilitation counselors.
ADMISSIONS
Admission criteria to the Master of Arts Degree Program in Pre-Elementary Education are in accordance with the Graduate Council of Norfolk State University and the Admissions Committee of the School of Education. The criteria for admission are as follows:
Regular Status
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. A foreign student should possess equivalent credentials as documented on an evaluated transcript.
- A minimum overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher on a four (4) point scale.
A complete application file will include the following:
- Application to Norfolk State University
- Non-refundable application fee.
- Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended. (Unofficial transcripts may be submitted for application review. Official transcripts are required if admitted prior to enrollment).
- A personal statement regarding professional goals.
- Three (3) recent letters of recommendation (e.g. supervisor, former professor, and advisor) dated within the last year.
FOR LICENSURE PROGRAMS ONLY:
- Bachelor’s degree (Liberal Arts) from a nationally accredited institution of higher learning. Students with a non-Liberal Arts degree may be required to take additional coursework.
- Passing scores on the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA: Total score of 470 or higher).
FOR THE SEVERE DISABILITIES ADAPTED CURRICULUM K-12 LICENSURE ONLY:
Pre-requisite required courses include SPE 512 Foundations of Special Education: Legal and Ethical Aspects of Educating Exceptional Learners and EDU 605 Human Growth and Development. Courses or equivalent may be taken at the undergraduate level or taken concurrently upon admission. If taken concurrently, these courses do not count towards degree requirements.
All application materials should be received by May 1 for priority consideration in the fall, and by November 1 for priority consideration in the spring. Candidates for admission may be requested to come to the school for a personal interview. Also, an applicant may request an interview.
Non-Degree Status
A person with a baccalaureate degree, seeking to take particular courses but not working toward a graduate degree may be granted such permission. These courses may be taken for credit or on a non-credit basis.
A person seeking admission to the degree program but who does not meet all requirements for regular admission may be admitted in a non-degree status. Non-degree students may be allowed to take up to nine (9) credit hours of course work and must earn a grade point average of 3.0 or better after which the student may petition the Committee to have his/her status changed to regular admission.
Transfer Credits
Generally, a maximum of six (6) credit hours of credit of graduate work earned at another accredited institution may be accepted as transfer credit, provided the conditions of the Graduate Council are met. However, decisions regarding the transfer credit will be made by the Graduate Program Coordinator with the approval of the department head, the Graduate School.
General Curriculum K-12 (licensure)
Prepares candidates for licensure to provide educational services to individuals with special needs who are served in general education environments from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Summary of Graduation Requirements
| Subject Area | Credits |
|---|---|
| Major Requirements | 27 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Other Requirements | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 39 |
Sample Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Mini-Term | ||
| EDU 605 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| SPE 512 | Foundations of Special Education: Legal and Ethical Aspects of Educating Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| Second Mini-Term | ||
| EDU 501 | Foundations of Education (Second Mini-Term) | 3 |
| UED 692 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Third Mini-Term | ||
| SPE 516 | Managing Human Behaviors (Third Mini-Term) ** | 3 |
| SPE 613 | Assessment and Evaluation in Ecc ** | 3 |
| Fourth Mini-Term | ||
| SPE 523 | Attirubutes and Medical Conditions Assoicated With Disabilities | 3 |
| EED 500G | Language and Developmental Reading in (Third Mini-Term) ** | 3 |
| Fifth Mini-Term | ||
| SPE 542 | Reading and Literacy Instruction for Exceptional Learners ** | 3 |
| SPE 545 | Collaboration, Inclusion, Transition and Other Curriculum Adjustments ** | 3 |
| Sixth Mini-Term | ||
| SPE 534 | Nat/Strtgs Tching Lrnrs-ED | 3 |
| SPE 532 | Curriculum & Instructional Procedures for Teaching Students With Mild Disabilities ** | 3 |
| Seventh and Eight Mini-Terms | ||
| SPE 699 | Internship in Teaching Students With Mild Disabilities | 3 |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- **
Course consists of a 20-hour observation participation field experience in a school.
Students must pass the Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE) Assessment and VCLA to apply for student teaching.
Severe Disabilities Adapted Curriculum K-12 (Licensure)
Prepares candidates for licensure to provide educational services to individuals with severe disabilities and autism from kindergarten through 12th grade. Courses in this concentration are offered through distance learning by the Virginia Consortium for Teacher Preparation in Severe Disabilities and Autism which may provide tuition assistance to qualified applicants.
Summary of Graduation Requirements
| Subject Area | Credits |
|---|---|
| Major Requirements | 33 |
| Other Requirements | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 39 |
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NSU Courses | ||
| UED 637 | Curriculum Development and Technology | 3 |
| UED 691 | Research/Writing | 3 |
| Consortium Courses | ||
| SPE 516A | Managing Human Behavior-Adapted (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 542A | Reading and Literacy Instruction for Exceptional Learners (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 523A | Attirubutes and Medical Conditions Assoicated With Disabilities-Adapted (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 613A | Assessment and Evaluation-Adapted (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 641A | Physical and Occupational Therapy Procedures-Adapted (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 538A | Nature of and Strategies for Teaching Individuals With Severe Disabilities (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 540A | Collaboration Procedures-Adapted (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 545A | Transition Procedures-Adapted (Adapted) | 3 |
| SPE 643A | Communication Development for Individuals With Severe Disabilites (Adapted) | 3 |
| Internship | ||
| SPE 699A | Internship: Special Education (Adapted) | 6 |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
Rehabilitation Counseling
Summary of Graduation Requirements
| Subject Area | Credits |
|---|---|
| Core Courses | 30 |
| Internship | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 |
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| SPE 512 | Foundations of Special Education: Legal and Ethical Aspects of Educating Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| SPE 613 | Assessment and Evaluation in Ecc Requires a 20-hour observation-participation field experience. | 3 |
| SPE 516 | Managing Human Behaviors | 3 |
| SPE 523 | Attirubutes and Medical Conditions Assoicated With Disabilities | 3 |
| SPE 641 | Physical and Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| SPE 662 | Guidance and Counseling | 3 |
| SPE 663 | Case Work and Rehabilitation Counseling | 3 |
| SPE 665 | Rehabilitation Counseling: Occupational Information and Placement | 3 |
| UED 622 | Counseling Theory and Psychotherapy | 3 |
| UED 691 | Research/Writing | 3 |
| Internship | ||
| SPE 699E | Internship in Rehabilitaiton Counseling | 6 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |