The Master of Education in special education - low incidence, alternative certification at Wichita State University is a 37-credit hour program that provides individuals who have a bachelor’s degree outside the field of education with a route to becoming a low incidence special education teacher of record. A low incidence disability is a severe, lifelong condition affecting fewer than one percent of students, requiring specialized instruction, assistive technology and intensive interventions to support educational, social and functional needs. Educators are prepared to teach students with moderate to severe disabilities K-12th grade. The program is designed to develop reflective practitioners who possess both theoretical understanding and practical skills related to 1) the field of special education for students with adaptive learning needs, 2) effective communication and collaboration, and 3) research-validated practices. This program is offered fully online with cohorts starting in both the summer and fall semesters. Students earn field experience credit while working as the special education teacher of record. Ongoing university mentor support throughout the program is provided as well.
Admission
To be considered for admission to the special education low incidence alternative certification program, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- For full admission, students must have a GPA of 2.750 or better.
- Applicants with a GPA below 2.750 are required to meet one of the following:
- GRE scores of at least 150 in verbal reasoning, 148 in quantitative reasoning, and 3.5 in analytical writing.
- Miller Analogies Test (MAT) score of 400 or above.
- Full admission to the WSU Graduate School.
Applications are evaluated when received for the special education low incidence alternative certification program.
Upon admission, students will be required to sign documentation that acknowledges their understanding of the following program requirements:
- Successful completion of the first semester of coursework and submission of the fully completed and signed KSDE Form 24 to the program advisor is required to begin the required core courses.
- Students must gain employment as a special education teacher of record at the start of their second semester and remain employed throughout the duration of their program. If employment is lost, students will not be allowed to remain in the program.
- All preparatory and required core courses must be completed within two years.
Program Requirements
Background Check
Upon admission and prior to their first semester, all applicants admitted to this program must clear a criminal background check. There are two reasons for this requirement. First, it is part of the university’s due diligence before placing students in field settings. Second, the check may alert applicants or students to issues that may subsequently affect their ability to work in their chosen field. In instances when a person’s criminal history raises reasonable concerns that should be cleared to engage in the field experiences and/or subsequently obtain licensure/endorsement, WSU may take a range of actions, including rescission of admission or dismissal from the program, depending on the nature of the concern.
For more information visit advanced programs background check requirement.
Course Requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory Coursework | ||
| Taken as a cohort during the first semester of the program while still employed as a paraprofessional. If summer start, employment as a paraprofessional not required. | ||
| SPED 506 | Introduction to the Education Profession for Special Educators | 2 |
| SPED 556 | Introduction to Instructional Planning and Classroom Management | 2 |
| SPED 784 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| Required Core Courses | ||
| Students must start full-time employment as a special education teacher. | ||
| SPED 757A | Integrated Seminar and Mentoring I | 1 |
| SPED 742 | Introduction to Teaching Strategies for Students with Low Incidence Disabilities 1 | 3 |
| SPED 818 | Positive Behavior Supports for Students with Exceptionalities 1 | 3 |
| SPED 757B | Integrated Seminar and Mentoring II | 1 |
| SPED 822 | Principles of Nondiscriminatory Assessment for Students with Exceptionalities 1 | 2 |
| SPED 796 | Family and Professional Collaboration 1 | 2 |
| SPED 749F | Practicum: Low Incidence Learners | 2 |
| SPED 812 | Transition Across the Life Span 1 | 2 |
| SPED 757C | Integrated Seminar and Mentoring III | 1 |
| SPED 820 | Adv Teaching Strategies for Students with Low Incidence Disabilities 1, 2 | 3 |
| SPED 820A | Internship/Practicum: Low-Incidence Learning Needs 1, 3 | 2 |
| CED 501 | Teacher Licensure Capstone | 0 |
| SPED 815 | Intensive Academic and Behavioral Interventions | 2 |
| Research Component | ||
| SPED 851 | Special Education Research 4, 5 | 3 |
| or CLES 723 | Single Subject Design | |
| SPED 862 | Capstone Research Project: Project Completion 1, 6 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 37 | |
- 1
Requires a B- or better.
- 2
Must be taken with SPED 820A.
- 3
Must be taken with SPED 820.
- 4
CLES 723 course option is only for students who are also completing the ABA Graduate Certificate program.
- 5
Requires completion of all preparatory and required core courses.
- 6
Requires completion of all preparatory and required core courses, as well as completion of SPED 851 or CLES 723.
Applied Learning
Students in the MEd in special education - low incidence, alternative certification are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate from the program. The requirements can be met in part by completing a capstone research project in which the emphasis is on applying professional practices to research and is directly linked to applied learning. In addition, students must complete at least 135 hours of field experience/internship in special education classrooms by successfully completing the following courses: SPED 749F and SPED 820A.