Special Education. Special Teachers.
Earn Your Master's To Make a Difference
Special education teachers are an important part of making sure that every child receives the education they deserve.
Whether you're already a teacher ready to specialize in special education or are going straight from undergraduate school into a master's program, your decision to become a special education teacher means making a real difference in the lives of your students.
The special education degree program at University of Phoenix teaches students:
- Student management
- An understanding of disabilities and special requirements
- English as a second language
- Mediation skills
Learn the skills you need to help your students, at University of Phoenix.
Earn Your Master's Degree without Interrupting Your Current CareerBecoming a special education teacher requires a specific set of skills to help your students learn. To learn these skills, you'll need a master's program that can give you real-world, hands-on experience.
University of Phoenix's Master of Arts in Education program with a specialization in Special Education is designed to teach students the skills they will need to succeed in the classroom through a flexible online environment.
Online classes allow students to earn their master's degree while they work. Many teachers earn graduate degrees in order to open the door to more opportunities.
Master of Arts in Education/Special Education
Higher Education. Highly Accessible.
The Master of Arts in Education (MAED) with a specialization in Special Education program prepares candidates for teacher licensure in the field of special education. Candidates for this program have already earned a bachelor's degree and wish to gain the pedagogical skills and knowledge that will assist them in becoming effective special education educators.
The program's curriculum includes:
- Orientation to the exceptional child
- Foundations and methodologies of mild disabilities
- Diagnosis and assessment of disabilities
- Structured English immersion
- Reading and language arts instruction
- Inclusion strategies
- Collaboration and resource management for the special educator
Throughout the program, students are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of verified field experiences. The focus of each observation will relate to specific course content. Documentation will be maintained in the student's electronic portfolio. Students' field experiences are designed to prepare them for student teaching.
Student teaching is an integral component of the Special Education Program. Student teachers work with a cooperating teacher and with a University of Phoenix faculty advisor during a field-based experience in a cross-categorical special education setting.
The student teaching experience is designed to emphasize the achievement of state standards leading to certification and to present individuals with growth opportunities that best prepare them to assume the duties of a certified teacher.
The degree program has a research component as well. This component requires an Action Research Project. The project integrates the theoretical aspects of special education and the practical experience of the adult learner through the identification and exploration of a significant problem related to the student's area of professional responsibilities and interests.
Real-World Learning
The most important qualification for any degree program is that it teaches the skills that you will need in your profession. Find out what you'll learn at University of Phoenix below.
- Orientation to Teacher Education
- Professional Communications
- Orientation to the Exceptional Child
- Models, Theories and Instructional Strategies
- Special Education Methods
- Structured English Immersion
- Special Education Assessment and Interpretation
- Characteristics of Learning Disabilities
- Characteristics of MR & Developmental Disabilities
- Characteristics of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders
- Characteristics of Physical and Health Disabilities
- Curriculum Constructs and Assessments: Reading and Language Arts
- Inclusion Strategies for the Special Educator
- Advanced Structured English Immersion Methods
- Special Education Student Teaching: Cross-Categorical, Part A
- Special Education Student Teaching: Cross-Categorical, Part B
*For program disclosure information please click here.
More Information
*While widely available, not all programs are offered in all states or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.