Special Education Master's Program

Master of Education

Special Education

The Education Department at Saint Anselm College offers two pathways (accelerated and part-time) to earn a Master's Degree in Education (M.Ed.) with licensure in Special Education (grades K-12). In-service licensed educators may earn a Master's Degree in Special Education taking courses part-time, at an individual pace.

Recent Saint Anselm College and non-Saint Anselm College graduates with an education degree and initial teacher license may earn a Master's Degree in Special Education through the Accelerated Graduate Program. Candidates may apply to the Fellowship Program.  Teaching fellows start graduate-level courses in May following receipt of a bachelor’s degree. In mid-to late-August they begin as a fellow in a partnering district; in addition to their coursework, fellows gain practical, clinical experience. In exchange for one academic year of service, the district agrees to pay the equivalent of full graduate program tuition for a teaching fellow. Housing may be an option on campus.

Teachers licensed in New Hampshire as well as Saint Anselm College alumni and current students may apply to the college's master's in special education program and/or take up to two courses for professional development before matriculating into the program, if they so choose. 

The course of instruction in both pathways prepares educators to meet the needs of students with disabilities in multiple settings and the needs of all learners in the classroom. Graduates will be eligible for New Hampshire licensure in General Special Education (K-12). Each graduate student will have the opportunity to individualize their program elements in conjunction with the Director of the Graduate Program in Special Education.

The New Hampshire Department of Education participates in a reciprocal agreement, the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). The agreement facilitates the movement of licensed educators among the states that have signed the contract.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate program is designed to prepare educators to meet the needs of students with disabilities in multiple settings. After completing the Special Education Master’s Degree Program students will:

1. Demonstrate an appropriate depth and breadth of understanding about the field of special education.

2. Demonstrate critical thinking and ability to evaluate, understand, and communicate ideas and research.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of and ability to synthesize and apply research to problems of practice through skillful inquiry.

4. Demonstrate a high level of competence in understanding and responding to disability status, cultural expression, linguistic diversity, ethnicity, race, and sexual orientation.

The following specific learning outcomes are based on the High-leverage practices in special education (HLP) (2017). Students will demonstrate skills in the following practices:

1. Collaboration

Collaborate with professionals and families to increase student success. Organize and facilitate effective meetings with professionals and families. Collaborate with families to support student learning and secure needed services.

2. Assessment

Use multiple sources of information to develop a comprehensive understanding of a student’s strengths and needs.  Interpret and communicate assessment information with stakeholders to collaboratively design and implement educational programs. Use student assessment data, analyze instructional practices, and make necessary adjustments that improve student outcomes.

3. Social/Emotional/Behavioral

Establish a consistent, organized, and respectful learning environment. Provide positive and constructive feedback to guide students’ learning and behavior. Teach social behaviors. Conduct functional behavioral assessments to develop individual student behavior support plans.

4. Instruction

Identify and prioritize long- and short-term learning goals. Systematically design instruction toward a specific learning goal. Adapt curriculum tasks and materials for specific learning goals. Teach cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support learning and independence. Provide scaffolding, explicit instruction, flexible grouping, and strategies to promote active student engagement. Provide intensive instruction, use assistive and instructional technologies, and teach students to generalize skills.

McLeskey, J., Barringer, M-D., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Jackson, D., Kennedy, M., Lewis, T., Maheady, L., Rodriguez, J., Scheeler, M. C., Winn, J., & Ziegler, D. (2017, January). High-leverage practices in special education. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Students &

Program Requirements for Admission

• ED 510 - IEP: Ethical & Legal Influence on Educational Practices of Students with Diverse Abilities (3 credits)
• ED 520 - Differentiated Curriculum and Targeted Instruction (3 credits)
• ED 530 - Positive Behavior Supports (3 credits)
• ED 540 - Consultation and Collaboration with Families, Schools, and Communities (3 credits)
• ED 560 - Assessment for Instructional Design and Decision Making (3 credits)
• ED 600 - Research Foundations and Design (3 credits)
• ED 610 - Research Capstone (3 credits)
• ED 630 – Year-long Internship (8 credits)

Course Sequence

Graduate students enrolled in the accelerated program will take 4 courses the first summer of the program (ED510, 520, 530, and 600). In the fall they will take two courses (ED540 & ED560) while beginning their year-long internship. It is recommended that part-time graduate students, take ED510 and ED520 as foundational courses before other courses. Thereafter, students may take 1-2 courses per semester. The internship will be individually arranged with students. Graduate courses are offered in the following semesters and are currently offered only once during an academic year:

Summer Session I

• ED510 Ethical & Legal Influence on Educational Practices of Students with Diverse Abilities | Online asynchronous | Dr. Heather Jennings
• ED520 Differentiated Curriculum and Targeted Instruction | Online asynchronous
  | Kathleen Murphy

Summer Session II

• ED530 Positive Behavior Supports | Online asynchronous | Dr. Laura Wasielewski
• ED600 Research Foundations and Design | Online asynchronous | Dr. Aubrey Scheopner Torres

Fall

• ED540 Consultation and Collaboration with Families, Schools, and Communities
  | Kathleen Murphy
• ED560 Assessment for Instructional Design and Decision Making | Dr. Heather Jennings
• ED630 Internship 2- semester year-long experience | Dr. Laura Wasielewski

Spring

• ED610 Research Capstone | Dr. Aubrey Scheopner Torres
• ED630 Internship 2- semester year-long experience | Dr. Laura Wasielewski

Read all of the course descriptions

Required application materials include:

• Completion of the online application form including $65 application fee
• Official Saint Anselm College transcript
• Score reports for Praxis Core Academic Skills (or equivalent tests e.g. MTELs)

Apply Today

Program Requirements

• Students enrolled in the Accelerated BA/MEd program must maintain a GPA of at least a 3.0. Students falling below the 3.0 GPA will be put on academic probation, ultimately determined by the Dean’s office. If the student raises their GPA to 3.0 or higher, they will be removed from probation and returned to good standing in the program. If after one semester on probation the student is unable to reach the 3.0 GPA threshold, they will be terminated from the program.
• Students may withdraw at any time from the Accelerated BA/MEd program by informing the Director of the Graduate Special Education Program in writing. A student who either withdraws or is not offered admission for continuation in the Graduate Special Education Program will be able to complete the traditional bachelor's degree in elementary or secondary education in four years.
• If a student decides to take a leave of absence s/he will have three years from the point of the start of the program to resume studies. After this time the student must reapply for acceptance into the program.
• Admission to the Graduate Special Education Program is contingent on meeting all eligibility requirements at the time of entry into the graduate program. Graduate courses taken prior to admission to the Master’s program will be designated as applicable to the graduate program of study after the student receives their bachelor’s degree and enrolls in the master’s degree program. 

Admission Timeline

Cost of the Program

The Saint Anselm College 4+1 Accelerated Master’s in Special Education (M.Ed.) Program is financially competitive with other regional programs. Tuition is based on a $675 per credit, with the cost for each 3 credits $2,025. There is an additional one-time comprehensive fee of $700. This resulting in a total tuition cost of $24,975 for the graduate master’s degree. 

The comprehensive fee helps the college provide students with a variety of services that enhance their academic and student life experiences. The fee provides access to services such as the Geisel Library, fitness center, campus wide-Wi-Fi, free tickets to Saint Anselm College athletic events, career services, printing up to 1,000 pages each academic year, discounted tickets to events held at the Dana Center, Health & Wellness services, which provide a wide range of confidential medical, health, and counseling services, and technologies on and off-campus. In addition, a portion of this fee contributes to the Education Department in support of programmatic activities. 

Financial aid at the graduate level is predominantly loan-based and subject to the terms and conditions set forth by the provider(s). 

Application

Once students complete the form, they will receive an email with information to log in and access the actual application.

Apply Now

Email

For questions concerning the program, please email Professor Laura Wasielewski at Graduate Special Education Program gradspecialed@anselm.edu.