M.S. - Special Education Major (Non-licensure)

Indiana Wesleyan University's Master of Science with a major in Special Education (Non-licensure) (MSSE-NL) is a master's degree, non-licensure program. This program is open to candidates seeking advanced knowledge and skills in the field of special education for P-12 learners with mild to moderate exceptional learning needs.

Candidates will complete a 33-credit hour program which includes a 15-credit-hour Core and an 18-credit-hour major in Special Education, which aligns to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards. The 15 credit hours of Core courses in Education are designed to provide participants with methods and materials to deepen their teaching ability and help their own students learn, including culturally responsive teaching, ethics and faith, and research and technology tools. Course instruction is designed to model best practices and procedures in the classroom.

This program is open to candidates from all states and countries, and is not tied to state licensure. Candidates could include teachers or professionals in the following settings: International schools, ACSI schools both stateside and overseas, Charter Schools, Private schools, and residential programs and settings. This program may also appeal to traditional public school teachers who are seeking a master’s degree or continuing education, but are not interested in special education licensure.

Upon completion of this program, candidates should be able to:

Demonstrate strength in the following School of Educational Leadership's dispositional domains: Communication, Critical Thinking, Human Interaction, Leadership, and Professionalism.
Use knowledge of general and specialized curricular content to individualize learning for students with exceptional needs.
Select and administer appropriate assessments and analyze data from multiple sources to make data-driven decisions for students with exceptional needs.
Select evidence-based instructional strategies and resources and implement them effectively to meet exceptional learning needs.
Demonstrate the ability to create safe, inclusive learning environments by implementing evidence-based behavioral interventions for students with exceptional needs.
Collaborate with families, colleagues, related service providers, and other stakeholders to provide appropriate learning experiences for students with exceptional needs.
Use foundational knowledge of the field and the professional Ethical Principles and Practice Standards to develop ethical, legally compliant communications and learning plans for students with exceptional needs.
Identify diverse cultural and linguistic needs and utilize available technologies to develop culturally responsive learning plans.
Demonstrate ethical, Christ-like attitudes, values, and biblical worldview in their professional behaviors with colleagues and students with exceptional needs.

Admission Requirements

To meet the admission requirements for this program, candidates must:

A baccalaureate or graduate degree from a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) verified on original transcripts sent by the institution directly to Indiana Wesleyan University.
An undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher from the baccalaureate degree granting institution at which at least of minimum of 30 hours was completed.
Be currently employed in or have access to a P-12 public or non-public school or international school.
Submit a signed FERPA Release Form.

Clinical Experience Requirements

All candidates must complete field and clinical experiences embedded within the special education courses.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from the M.S. program, candidates must have completed the following:

Successful completion of the M.S. curriculum.

Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above in all graduate work and a minimum grade of "B-" in each course.
Successful completion of admission, mid-program review, and program completion gateways.
Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.

M.S. - Special Education (non-licensure) - Program of Study

Core Courses

Field experiences will be required in some courses.

EDSE-510	Foundations in Language and Literacy Instruction	3
EDSE-520NL	Individualized Assessment and Data-Based Reading Interventions	3
EDSE-530NL	Research-Based Behavior Interventions	3
EDSE-540NL	Strategies and Interventions for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder	3
EDSE-550NL	Collaboration With Families and Professionals	3
EDSE-560	Professional Learning and Ethical Practices	3
EDUC-510	How We Learn	3
EDUC-520	The Faithful Teacher	3
EDUC-530	The Craft of Teaching	3
EDUC-600	Classroom Action Research Tools	3
EDUC-630	Research in My School	3
Total Credit Hours:		33