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 Requirements PDF
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 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 |
|
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 |
Optional
| Number | Course | Credits | Term* |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ED PS 6005 |
Writing Instruction and Assessment: K-6 Upper Division Communication and Writing |
3 |
Contact department offering course |
|
Other approved upper-division courses on Cultural or Linguistic Diversity |
3 |
Contact department offering course |
|
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 |
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 requirements PDF
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 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 |
|
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 |
Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 7020 |
Single Subject Research Design |
3 |
Spring |
|
ED 6010 |
Assessment and Instructional Interventions in Reading Difficulties |
3 |
F |
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.
