Special Education (M.A.T.)

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The M.A.T. in Special Education is an initial certification program designed for candidates who have completed a baccalaureate degree. In addition to all the course requirements, students must pass the Teaching Field Content Exams for academic content area (GACE) prior to placement with a school system to student teach.

§ This course required for admission to Teacher Education.
* This symbol is part of the title of the course as this course is applicable to the Liberal Education curriculum as well.

Prerequisite/Placement Courses

EH 101 - Written Communication * (For language arts concentration only.)
MS 101 - College Algebra * (For math concentration only.)

Professional Development

Reading and Writing

ED 607 - Literacy Knowledge and Foundations ♦
ED 609 - Reading and Writing Methods for Adolescents ♦
ED 619 - Assessment for Literacy Instruction ♦
♦ These hours may be applied toward the Reading or Language Arts Concentration.

Special Education

Concentration Requirement (15-16 hours)

The major in special education has one area of content concentration (outside of the special education and reading requirements) with subject matter from one of the following disciplines: language arts, mathematics, reading, science or social studies.

Language Arts

ED 609 - Reading and Writing Methods for Adolescents
ED 631 - Literacy for Teachers
Literature (World, American or English Literature) Credits / Units: 3
Language Arts Elective Credits / Units: 3
Language Arts Elective Credits / Units: 3

Mathematics

MS 510 - Mathematics for Teachers
Geometry Credits / Units: 3
Algebra Credits / Units: 3
Statistics Credits / Units: 3
Math Elective Credits / Units: 3

Reading

Science

One of the science electives must be a four semester-hour lab science. This concentration requires 16 hours.

PS 505 - Science for Teachers
Earth/Space Science Credits / Units: 3-4
Physical Science Credits / Units: 3-4
Life Science Elective Credits / Units: 3-4
Science Elective Credits / Units: 3-4

Social Studies

ED 632 - Social Studies for Teachers
HY 201 - History of the United States I *
HY 202 - History of the United States II *
HY 210 - World Civilization I *
Economics Credits / Units: 3

Clinical Experience

A total of 12-15 hours of clinical experience is required: 3 hours of field experience + either 9 hours of student teaching or 12 hours of internship.

Must have one hour of field experience in each of the following grade levels (P-2) & (3-5), (6-8) and (9-12). Each field experience must be at a different catalog number level (601/602/603). Students enroll for one semester hour of field experience each semester for a combined total of three semester hours.

Choose from student teaching sequence (9 hours) for one semester or the internship experience (12 hours) over several semesters.

Total

Total Graduate Semester Hours Required for Degree: 55 - 61

The difference in hours is dependent on which concentration and clinical experience the student chooses.