Master of Education in Special Education with Special Education Certification

In order to be admitted to the Special Education Certification Program, applicants must have met the following criteria:

1. B.A. or B.S. degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
2. 3.0 undergraduate GPA.
3. Formal application with essay.
4. Official college transcripts.
5. Current resume.

The applicant must also have:

1. Literacy instruction/methods course.
2. Math instruction/methods course.
3. Developmental or educational psychology course that addresses the PreK-8 grade band.
4. Current (no more than one-year-old) clearances for Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Record), Act 114 (FBI Fingerprint) and Act 151 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse History) clearances.
5. Existing Pennsylvania teacher certification in one of the following areas for PreK-8 certification:
   • Elementary K-6
   • Early Childhood PreK-4
   • Elementary Middle 4-8
   • Reading Specialist
   • K12
6. Existing Pennsylvania teacher certification in one of the following areas for PreK-12 certification:
   • Secondary 7-12
   • Reading Specialist
   • K12

Applicants seeking admission into the Special Education Certification Program may be admitted on a regular or conditional basis. Regularly admitted students are applicants who the Admission Committee determines have the preparation to successfully complete the program. Applicants who do not meet the above admission criteria may be considered for conditional admission after a personal interview with the program director.

A conditionally admitted student may enroll in a maximum of four courses (12 credits). Upon completion of the four courses and fulfillment of any specified conditions, the student’s record and admissions criteria will be reviewed to determine the student’s potential for successfully completing the program. If the evaluation of all relevant admission criteria is positive, the student’s admission status will be changed to reflect a regular admission.

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