Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) - Special Education
The Master of Arts in Teaching - Special Education will lead to certification in Learning and Behavior Disorders (LBD) or Moderate and Severe Disabilities (MSD). This program will be limited to 30 candidates in each annual cadre. Candidates will be ranked for admission based on the cumulative evaluation of criteria listed in the admission requirements. A detailed program information and application packet may be obtained by contacting the department in 401 Ginger Hall, (606) 783-2859.
Admission Requirements
- Official transcript from an accredited institution verifying a baccalaureate degree with a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
- Submission of a graduate application form and an MAT in Special Education application.
- Conditional admission requires either:
- an undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale or an earned graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (minimum of nine credit hours) with an ACT score of 21, or
- an admission index (GRE verbal + GRE quantitative) x GPA of at least 2050.
- For unconditional admission and eligibility for temporary provisional certification, students must submit:
- Criminal background check by the Kentucky State Police.
- Three letters of recommendation from employment supervisors (at least one required), former instructors, or professional educators that can speak to candidate's work ethic, professionalism, interpersonal skills, and other similar personal attributes.
- One-page single spaced personal statement addressing related experience and motivation for becoming a special education teacher.
- Documentation of successful completion of the three required foundation courses (EDSP 601, EDUC 618, EDEL 627) or equivalent courses.
- The results of the Graduate Record Examination leading to an admission index (GRE verbal + GRE quantitative) x GPA of at least 2050 and demonstration of basic writing proficiency by scoring at least 2.5 on the analytic writing subtest.
- Review of all submitted material and selection for admission to the annual cadre by the program faculty once a year in March.
Requirements for the Degree
- Must be unconditionally admitted.
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required on all graduate coursework and no credit is allowed for a mark below "C."
- Submission and review of a program completion portfolio demonstrating proficient performance on the Kentucky New Teacher Standards.
- Must file an application for degree completion no later than the beginning of the semester during which they plan to complete their requirements.
- Students must successfully pass all PRAXIS Specialty test(s) prior to the KTIP experience and degree completion. Scores for the approved tests can be obtained at www.kyepsb.net.
Other Program Procedures and Requirements
- If a student has not become unconditionally admitted after completing 12 graduate hours, he/she will not be allowed to register for additional hours.
- Once accepted into the MAT program, candidates seeking employment in a public/private school may secure, along with the school district and the MSU Master of Arts in Teaching Program, a Temporary Provisional Certificate. Candidates may accomplish this by completion of a TC-TP form available at the school system where employment is desired. The candidate completes pages l and 3 and then must obtain signatures of the school district superintendent and the MSU MAT Coordinator. Finally, the form is submitted to the Education Professional Standards Board for processing.
- Students who are not employed as full-time teachers must be available for supervised field experience in public schools for a minimum of two semesters.
- No credit by correspondence may be applied toward completion of M.A.T.
- Students falling below a 3.0 will be placed on a one-semester period of probation. Students failing to achieve a graduate GPA of at least 3.0 at the end of the probation semester will be dropped from their respective program(s).
- Students employed via Temporary Provisional Certification whose employment is terminated by the employing district for unethical practices will be suspended from the program until the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) rules on the district's allegation. When a decision is rendered, the student will either be expelled or reinstated, based on EPSB's ruling.
Foundation Courses |
Sem. Hrs. |
||
*EDSP 601 - Survey of Exceptional Children |
3 |
||
3 |
|||
*EDEL 627 - Reading in the Elementary School |
3 |
||
3 |
|||
*Required for unconditional admission to the annual cadre.
Core Special Education
EDSP 610 - Foundations of Effective Practice in Special Education |
9 |
EDSP 611 - Seminar: Educating Students with Disabilities I |
3 |
EDSP 612 - Seminar: Educating Students with Disabilities II |
3 |
EDSP 613 - Advanced Topics in Effective Practice in Special Ed. |
9 |
EDUC 650 - Supervised Practice in Teacher Education I |
6 |
6 |
|
EDF 600 - Research Methods in Education |
3 |
Candidates will select either LBD or MSD
LBD
EDSP 614 - Designing, Delivering, and Managing Instruction of Students with Learning & Behavior Disorders I |
3 |
EDSP 615 - Designing, Delivering, and Managing instruction of Students with Learning & Behavior Disorders II |
3 |
MSD
EDSP 616 - Designing, Delivering, and Managing Instruction of Students with Moderate & Severe Disabilities I |
3 |
EDSP 617 - Designing, Delivering, and Managing Instruction of Students with Moderate & Severe Disabilities II |
3 |
Certification
Upon successful completion of EDSP 610 and EDSP 614 or EDSP 616 candidates will be eligible for employment by Kentucky schools with a Temporary Provisional Certificate. Under this circumstance most, if not all, program candidates will be employed as full-time teachers during the year in which they are enrolled in EDUC 650/651 and EDSP 611/612.