Skip to main content

Special Education PreK-12 Master of Education and Certification, Certificate , Master's

Overview

Program for those with a bachelor’s degree who have some experience working in special education settings as instructional aides, support staff, substitute teachers, or emergency-certified teachers.

  • Required supervised field hours and full-semester student teaching may be earned within an eligible job setting.
  • DPEC (DeSales Partners in Education Consortium) partial Scholarships are available from many full-time employees of partner institutions.

DeSales has the only currently-approved Special Education PreK-12 Teacher Intern Program in Pennsylvania.

Per PDE regulations, the first certifications for this new program will be issued after January 1, 2022.

Admissions Requirements

Admissions to the M.Ed. programs are evaluated on a rolling basis. 

Application Checklist Items

  • Standardized Exam Required: No
  • Official Transcripts Required: Yes
  • Personal Statement Required: No
  • Letters of Recommendation: None
  • Resume Required: Graduate Program in Higher Education only
  • Copy of teaching certificate: No

International Students

  • English Competency Exam Required: TOEFL
  • Transcript Evaluation Required: Yes
  • Certificate of Finances Required: Yes

Curriculum

All courses are 3 credits, unless otherwise noted.

Pre-Requisites

  • ED 500 - Foundations of Education 
  • ED 502 - Advanced Psychology of Learning 

Major Courses

  • ED 515 - Foundations of English Language Learner Education
  • SE 500 - Foundations of Special Education
  • SE 504 - Curricula and Strategies for Moderate to Severe Disabilities
  • SE 508 - Collaboration and Consultation
  • SE 512 - Technology in Special Education
  • SE 516 - Curricula and Strategies for Mild Disabilities
  • SE 520 - Transition Services
  • SE 518 - Positive Behavior Management for Academic Success
  • SE 522 - Remedial Techniques in Reading and Writing
  • SE 523 - Assessment and IEP Development

Field, Practicum, and/or Student Teaching

  • SE 524 - Special Education Clinical Field 1 (High Incidence—90 hours)
  • SE 525 - Special Education Clinical Field 2 (Low Incidence—80 hours)
  • SE 550/551 - Special Education Student Teaching (64 days) - 12 credits

Master's Core (for Master's Degree)

  • ED 600 - Critical Issues in Research Seminar

Course Requirements

 

Facilities

Value-Added Features

Technology-Rich Curriculum: DeSales University Teacher Education has received a special designation from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for industry-leading technology integration in our teacher education programs.

Transferable Certification to Other States: Pennsylvania mandates rigorous, clear, teacher certification standards that make Pennsylvania certification easily transferable to other states. For additional detail on individual state certification requirements, refer to the state of choice.

Education Resource Lab

Students of DeSales education programs benefit from having access to the Department of Education's Resource Lab. The Lab is a convenient space where students gather to discuss topics, research, study, and work together on group projects. All the resources needed — computers, art supplies, research library texts, and more — are available to assist education students with their academic pursuits

Tuition & Fees

Program Costs
  • Tuition/credit hour: $570*
  • Instructional Technology Fee: $10/credit included in tuition
  • Student Teaching Fee: $260
  • Graduation Fee: $120
  • Returned Check Service: $30 

*Tuition/credit hours listed are for 2023/2024 academic year. Tuition and fees are reviewed each academic year and are subject to change with notice.

View a comprehensive list of financial aid forms and graduate program information sheets

Tuition Deferment

DeSales University offers graduate students the opportunity to defer payment of their tuition when they will be receiving reimbursement from their employer or when they are eligible to receive financial aid. A copy of your employer's tuition reimbursement policy must be forwarded to the Treasurer's Office and/or all necessary financial aid paperwork must be filed with the Financial Aid Office before tuition deferment is granted. 

Tuition deferment is a privilege given to graduate students at DeSales and can be revoked if this privilege is abused. Please note that you, as the student, are responsible for payment of your tuition balance in the event that your financial aid/loans or employer reimbursement is not received by the Treasurer's Office.

Tuition Reimbursement

When a student is eligible for tuition reimbursement from his/her employer, written evidence of eligibility is required. The student is responsible for requesting this reimbursement from his/her employer. In cases where reimbursement is contingent upon successful completion of the course(s) and the student either withdraws or does not achieve a grade sufficient to warrant maximum reimbursement, the student is ultimately responsible for payment for the course(s).

Refund on Withdrawal

A refund of tuition payments will be made to a student who withdraws from a course. In all cases, credits will be calculated from the date the student completed the official withdrawal form, and the rebate will be based on the schedule shown listed below. 

Refunds apply to tuition only. If a student is allowed to enroll by use of the deferred payment procedure, any funds due the University are immediately due and payable upon withdrawal.

Withdrawal during the add/drop period is 100% of tuition refunded. The schedule below is for withdrawal after the first class after the close of the add/drop period. 

Three-Credit Courses

  • Withdrawal after 1st class: 80% of tuition refunded
  • Withdrawal after 2nd class: 65% of tuition refunded
  • Withdrawal after 3rd class: 50% of tuition refunded
  • Withdrawal after 4th class: 25% of tuition refunded
  • Withdrawal after 5th class: No refund

Weekend and Accelerated Courses

  • No refund is made after the course has begun.

One-Credit Courses

  • No refund is made after the course has begun.
teacher internship program

Accelerated Teacher Intern Programs

If you already have a bachelor's degree, the DeSales Teacher Intern Certification Program can help you fast-track your teaching career.

Teacher Intern Certification Programs
Laptop

Online Learning at DeSales

Attending classes from an off-campus location can be an excellent option for many busy students. Distance education at DeSales encompasses everything from video conference courses to hybrid (a combination of in-class and online) to online courses. 


Brightspace by D2LTM is our online learning system.

Learn About Online Learning at DeSales

Contact Us

Master of Education (M.Ed.)