Thank you for your interest in obtaining a Graduate Degree in Special Education from the UofM. Special Education teachers remain a critical need across the United States. At the UofM, we can provide you with the skills, training, and experiences to prepare you for a career in Special Education.
Our SPED Program currently offers three degree options:
- Masters of Teacher (MAT) Degree for those seeking initial licensure and a Masters in Special Education,
- Masters of Science (MS) Degree for those who already have a teaching license and wish to obtain their Masters in Special education or other practitioners that chose to obtain a MS to advance their career,
- Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) Degree for those wishing to obtain a doctoral degree.
Each of these three degrees require foundational coursework, followed by disability-specific courses to create a ‘focus’ within each degree. The SPED Program at the UofM currently offers the following focus areas for each degree:
- Modified Program = Special Education Interventionist (K-8) or Special Education Interventionist (6-12)--High Incidence Disabilities: Learning Disabilities (LD); Resource and Co-Teachers and Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD); Behavioral Interventions for students diagnosed or placed in Behavior programs in schools.
- Comprehensive Program = Special Education Comprehensive (K-12)--Low Incidence Disabilities: Intellectual Disabilities (ID), Developmental Disabilities (DD), Multiple Disabilities (MD) and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Center-Based Programs/Life Skills/Functional Skills classes in schools
- Special Education Preschool = *SPED Early Childhood (PreK-3yrs)**Courses available Fall 2021
The UofM Special Education Program also offers Endorsement/Certificates in:
- Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
- Special Education Comprehensive (SPED/Comp)
- Special Education Early Childhood (SPED/EC)
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) *see ABA webpage
Application Deadlines:
To begin courses in the Fall Semester, application must be received by March 1
To begin courses in the Spring Semester, application must be received by October 1
Masters Degree Admission Deadlines
- Fall - March 1
- Spring - October 1
Doctoral Degree Admission Deadline
- Fall - March 1
- Spring – October 1
Endorsement/Certificate (add on) in MTSS, SPED/Comp, SPED/EC
- Fall - March 1
- Spring - October 1
**SPED MAT students will adhere to the Teacher Education Preparation (TEP) Program requirements and receive advisement through the TEP office.
**SPED MS and Ed.D. students may be asked to provide a writing sample and be interviewed prior to admittance.
It is strongly recommended that application packets be submitted in early February or early September which includes having taken the Graduate Record Examination several weeks prior to the deadline dates in order to receive full consideration by special education faculty. A delay in submitting application materials could result in not being considered for admission until the following semester.
If you have questions or need assistance in applying, please contact Shelby Tate (state1@memphis.edu) in the ICL Graduate Office.
Again, thank you for your interest! We know you have options in choosing a degree program, and would love the opportunity to work with you to meet all your career goals.