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Severe Disabilities Master's Degree Program

Grades K-12 and adults up to age 22


Graduates are future leaders who work with students who have serious disabilities. As teachers, they create individualized plans for each student. They will gain the skills to manage classrooms and behaviors and use data to make decisions. Candidates get real-life experience so they can practice what they learned in class.


M.Ed. with a License Course Requirements

72 total credit hours 

Teacher License Requirements

Students may be recommended for licensure to the Utah State Board of Education following completion of the Teacher License Requirements, Praxis II examination, and successful completion of the background check.


Teacher Education Core (29 credit hours)

Students who hold a valid Utah teaching license in Special Education may not need to complete the following courses. Check with your faculty advisor.

Required
Number Course Credits Term*

SP ED 6021 

Principles of Assessment and Data-Based Decision Making 

3

Fall, Spring, Summer

SP ED 6022 

Principles of Instruction & Behavior Support

3

Fall, Spring, Summer

SP ED 6030

Functional Communication and Language Development 

3

Spring, Summer

SP ED 6040 

Legal & Policy Foundations of Special Education 

3

Spring, Summer

ED PS 6005

Writing Instruction and Assessment: K-6

Upper Division Communication and Writing

3

Contact department offering course

ED PS 6315 

Reading Methods I: K-6

Upper Division Communication and Writing

May be taken prior to or concurrently with EDU 6314 or EDU 6316

3

Contact department offering course

EDU 6316 

Reading Practicum K-3: Next Steps 

May be taken after or concurrently with ED PS 6315

1

Contact department offering course

ED PS 6321

Reading Methods II: K-6

Upper Division Communication and Writing

Prerequisite ED PS 6315

May be taken prior to or concurrently with EDU 6321 

3

Contact department offering course

EDU 6321 

Reading Practicum 4-6: Higher Steps 

May be taken after or concurrently with ED PS 6321

1

Contact department offering course

 

Other approved upper-division courses on Cultural or Linguistic Diversity

3

Contact department offering course

Choose One

SP ED 5011

Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms

3

Spring

SP ED 5012

Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Secondary Classrooms 

3

Ask Advisor

Specialization in Severe Disabilities (29 credit hours)

Number

Course

Credits

Term*

Taken Concurrently During the Fall Semester

SP ED 6221

Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities I 

3

Fall

SP ED 6230

Behavior Support Planning for Students with Severe Disabilities  3 Fall

SP ED 6240 

Field Experience:  Students with Severe Disabilities  5 Fall

SP ED 6250

Managing Learning Environments for Students with Severe Disabilities 1 Fall

Taken Concurrently During the Spring Semester

SP ED 6210 

Service Delivery Models for Students with Severe Disabilities  2 Spring

SP ED 6222 

Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities II  3 Spring

SP ED 6260 

Transdisciplinary Approaches for Students with Severe Disabilities  3 Spring

SP ED 6300

Student Teaching: Students with Severe Disabilities 9 Spring

Master of Education Graduate Study Requirements

AdvancedGraduate Core (5 credit hours)

Number Course Credits Term*

SP ED 6054 

Professional Writing in Education 2 Fall, Spring, Summer

SP ED 6610

Introduction to Research Design

3

Spring, Summer

*Students admitted to the program who do not have a background in the field of special education may have to take up to a maximum of six additional credit hours as determined by their graduate advisor.

M.S. with a License Course Requirements

83-84 total credit hours 

Teacher Education Core (29 credit hours)

Students who hold a valid Utah teaching license in Special Education may not need to complete the following courses. Check with your faculty advisor.

Required

Number Course Credits Term*

SP ED 6021 

Principles of Assessment and Data-Based Decision Making 

3

Fall, Spring, Summer

SP ED 6022 

Principles of Instruction & Behavior Support

3

Fall, Spring, Summer

SP ED 6030

Functional Communication

3

Spring, Summer

SP ED 6040 

Legal & Policy Issues

3

Spring, Summer

ED PS 6005

Writing Instruction and Assessment: K-6

Upper Division Communication and Writing

3

Contact department offering course

ED PS 6315

Reading Methods K-3

(Upper Division Communication/Writing Requirement)

3

Contact department offering course

EDU 6316

Reading Practicum K-3 Necxt Steps

1

Contact department offering course

ED PS 6321

Reading Methods II: K-6

(Upper Division Communication/Writing Requirement) 

Pre-requisite ED PS 6315 & EDU 6316

3

Contact department offering course

EDU 6321

Reading Practicum 4-6 Higher Steps 

Pre-requisite ED PS 6315 & EDU 6316

1

Contact department offering course

 

Other approved upper-division courses on Cultural or Linguistic Diversity

3

Contact department offering course

Choose One

SP ED 5011

Teaching Early Childhood and Elementary Studetns in Inclusive Classrooms

3

Fall, Spring, Summer

SP ED 5012

Teaching Secondary Studetns in Inclusive Classrooms

3

Fall, Spring, Summer

 

Specialization in Severe Disabilities (29 credit hours)

Number

Course

Credits

Term*

Taken Concurrently During the Fall Semester

SP ED 6221

Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities I 

3

Fall

SP ED 6230

Behavior Support Planning for Students with Severe Disabilities  3 Fall

SP ED 6240 

Field Experience:  Students with Severe Disabilities  5 Fall

SP ED 6250

Managing Learning Environments for Students with Severe Disabilities 1 Fall

Taken Concurrently During the Spring Semester

SP ED 6210 

Service Delivery Models for Students with Severe Disabilities  2 Spring

SP ED 6222 

Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities II  3 Spring

SP ED 6260 

Transdisciplinary Approaches for Students with Severe Disabilities  3 Spring

SP ED 6300

Student Teaching: Students with Severe Disabilities 9 Spring

Master of Science Graduate Study Requirements

Advanced Graduate Core (11 credit hours)

Number Course Credits Term*

SP ED 6054

Professional Writing in Education

2

Fall, Spring, Summer

SP ED 6610

Introduction to Research Methods

3

Summer

SP ED 7020

Single Subject Research Design

3

Spring

ED PS 6010 

Introduction to Statistics and Research Design

3

Fall, Summer

SP ED 6970

Master's Thesis Hours

6

Contact Depatment

Teacher License Requirements: Students may be recommended for licensure to the Utah State Office of Education following completion of the Teacher License Requirements, Praxis II examination and successful completion of background check.

 

Questions? Ask our Program Contacts

Kaitlin Lindsey

Academic Advisor

k.lindsey@utah.edu
801-581-4764

Matt Jameson

Professor
Program Coordinator

matt.jameson@utah.edu
801-585-3742

Last Updated: 9/17/24