College of Education and Human Development

M.Ed. in Special Education is a versatile graduate degree offered in the Department of Educator and Leadership Preparation, College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, a proud Hispanic- serving and military-serving institution! The goal of the program is for graduates to develop the skills to engage in serving and advocating for children with special needs and their families at school, district, local, and national levels.

Why Apply?

The special education professional will be afforded various opportunities to work with students, their families, other professionals, and the community to enable students with special needs become productive members of the society. Therefore, the M. Ed. Is Special Education program focuses on developing knowledge and skills of future both certified and non-certified professionals who work with a diverse exceptional student population. In addition, the program offers students an opportunity to pursue teacher certification along with a graduate degree.

1. Provide students with a comprehensive education in relation of serving students with special needs from infancy to adulthood;
2. Offers students a broad understanding within the theoretical and practical constructs which support practices for children and youth with special needs that are socially, culturally, and individually appropriate;
3. Offers opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience with potential future employers as they complete internships, practical, student teaching, and a variety of field experiences;
4. Emphasizes the practical application of knowledge gained while encouraging current research analysis.

How to Apply:
Complete the online application for admission for Texas A&M University-San Antonio through GradCAS.

Program Details

The Master of Education in Special Education requires a minimum of thirty hours of graduate coursework. The degree affords the student a choice of three specialization areas: " certificate only” plan is also available for professional educators who have a Master’s Degree in special education or a closely related field and wish to seek TEA certification as an Educational Diagnostician. The capstone experience for the Master of Education in Special Education is the completion of one of two options: 

1.  a Graduate Research Project in their EDSE 5301 Research in Spec Education course, OR
2.  Thesis (which is an additional 6-hour requirement). 

Additional coursework may be required depending on the option selected. All students, regardless of the capstone experience option chosen, will develop an e-portfolio that documents content proficiency. Candidates seeking certification as an Educational Diagnostician must request an application from the Educator Preparation Program during their first semester of graduate studies.

Prerequisites

Students who apply to the Masters of Education in Special Education program should have a broad base in one or more of the following areas:

1. Special Education
2. Education
3. Child Growth and Development 
4. Curriculum and Instruction

Course Load

Normal course loads consist of 6-9 hours per semester with a minimum grade of “B” required for all courses. Only grades of “A” or “B” will be accepted toward this degree.  Candidates for the Master of Education degree in Special Education must earn a minimum of 30 semester credit hours and maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. Students must submit a comprehensive portfolio that follows the given template during the semester of the completion of coursework, as part of the requirements for graduation with the Master of Education degree in Special Education.

Career Outcomes

The demand for graduates in special education is high due to the increased population of diverse learners in the United States. Institutions employing graduates include PK-12 educational settings, non-profit and/ or educational agencies, and higher education institutions. The program is also committed to preparing teachers to work in a wide variety of special education, general education, and inclusive settings.

Graduate Advisor by Specialization/Track:

 
Assessment Focus 

Dr. Mariya Davis 
mdavis@tamusa.edu 
210 784-2517 
 
Dr. Eric Lopez 
elopez@tamusa.edu 
210-784-2539 

Click here to review the Educational Diagnostician Program Handbook.

Click here to go to the Educator CAFE website.
 

Autism/Behavior Disorder 

Dr. Sarah Flotte 
skatz@tamusa.edu 
210-784-2604

Dr. Gavin Watts
gwatts@tamusa.edu 
210 784-2287 
 

Instructional Specialist 

Dr. Theresa Garfield 
tdorel@tamusa.edu 
210 784-2552