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Master of Arts in Teaching: Special Education Student cooking with children

Application and Admission

 Special Education Faculty

Program of Study

Special Education Program Website
Sequence of Study Scholarships and Assistantships
Field Experience Requirements Student and Professional Organizations

Clinical Practice Requirements

Certification in South Carolina

 
 
 
   

 

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree is available to college graduates who do not have a background or major in education. Successful completion of this graduate-level degree leads to recommendation for teacher certification at the master level in South Carolina in learning disabilities, emotional disabilities and/or mild/moderate mental disabilities, all K-12 certifications in South Carolina. The MAT degree is awarded to candidates who successfully complete an approved program of study consisting of a minimum of 43 semester hours with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. Students may complete the program as full-time or part-time students. Applicants without a broad liberal arts college degree may be required to take additional general coursework. 

Application and Admission

Submit all application materials to the Graduate School Office.

1. Submit a completed application form with a nonrefundable application fee of $45 (or online for $35). 

2. Submit official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work. An earned bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required. Applicants are required to have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Undergraduate coursework should represent a broad liberal arts background.

3. Submit two letters of recommendation. Letters should be from persons most familiar with previous academic and/or work experience and should indicate evidence of potential for graduate studies.

4. Submit a biographical sketch or professional resume.

5. If English is not the primary language of the candidate, submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language(TOEFL).

6. Submit official scores from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Candidates are expected to have a minimum composite GRE verbal/quantitative score of 1000 and a score of 4.0 or higher on the analytical writing sample.

7. Submit a self-assessment of professional goals and dispositions.

8. Submit a statement of ability to perform essential teaching duties under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

9. Submit a cover letter to the admissions committee stating why the candidate seeks to be part of the program and is pursuing a teaching career.

The coursework for the MAT in Special Education begins in the FALL Semester only. The Deadline to apply for Fall entrance is April 15.  Late applications will be considered until all slots are filled or until July 15th, whichever comes first.

*NOTE: The admissions committee may require additional course work if the transcript reflects significant deficiencies in the liberal arts. When students have met requirements for admission to the MAT program, they are concurrently admitted to the teacher education program.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

Upon admission as a regular degree student, each candidate will be assigned a faculty advisor. The candidate should make an appointment with the advisor to complete an official program of study. The program of study is not official until it is signed by the student, advisor, and program director and on file with the Graduate School Office. The candidate may not enroll in more than six hours of coursework without an official program of study. After coursework has commenced, needed changes in the program of study may be made in consultation with the candidates' advisor, and must be approved by the program director and department chair. All MAT candidates are required to meet assessment criteria at four decision points in the MAT Assessment Plan to successfully complete the program. Students will be tracked using our Assessment System flowchart.

It is critical for students to meet with the assigned advisor for scheduling and program planning to ensure timely completion of programatic goals.

Fundamental Curriculum (18 semester hours)

*EDFS 654 is required as an addition to the program of study if a comparable course has not been taken at an accredited institution within the past 3 years, resulting in a 46­hour program.

Specialized Curriculum (12 semester hours)

Concentration Areas (minimum 9 semester hours)

Teaching Students with Emotional Disabilities:

  • EDFS 730 Characteristics of Individuals with Emotional Disabilities
  • EDFS 731 Educational Procedures for Indi­viduals with Emotional Disabilities
  • EDFS 738 Field Experiences with Students with Emotional Disabilities

Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities:

  • EDFS 740 Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities
  • EDFS 741 Educational Procedures for Stu­dents with Learning Disabilities
  • EDFS 748 Field Experiences with Students with Learning Disabilities

Teaching Students with Mental Disabilities:

  • EDFS 750 Characteristics of Individuals with Mental Disabilities
  • EDFS 751 Educational Procedures for Individuals with Mental Disabilities
  • EDFS 758 Field Experiences with Individuals with Mental Disabilities

Clinical Practice (10 semester hours)

NOTE: Students may undertake additional coursework and field experiences to specialize in more than one area of special education.

Typical Sequence of Study for Full-Time Students  

SUMMER  SEMESTER 
EDFS 654 Human Growth & Development* 
(* If not taken as an undergraduate within the past 3 years) 

 FALL SEMESTER (YEAR ONE)
EDFS 635 Educational Research
EDFS 710 Introduction to Exceptional Children and Youth
EDFS 714 Introduction to Curriculum and Instruction in Special Education
 
SPRING  SEMESTER (YEAR ONE)
EDFS 720 Assessment in Special Education
EDFS 724 Reading and Language Arts Instruction for Students with Disabilities
EDFS 730 or 740 or 750 Characteristics of ED, LD, or MR

SUMMER SEMESTER (YEAR ONE)
EDFS 687 or 717 Technology for Teachers  (depending on tech skill levels)
EDFS 774 Language Disorders and Interventions

FALL  SEMESTER (YEAR TWO) 
EDFS 725 Classroom Management
EDFS 731 or 741 or 751 Educational Procedures
EDFS 738 or 748 or 758 MAT Field Experience (two settings)

SPRING SEMESTER (YEAR TWO)
EDFS 797 Clinical Practice (internship)
EDFS 500 Nonviolent Crisis Intervention

Field Experience Requirements

In addition to 6 to 10 hours of observation of students with disabilities required in EDFS 710, students seeking the MAT degree are required to complete a 75-hour field experience in their area of expertise (i.e., ED, LD, or Mild/Moderate MD). Students are placed in local schools for this experience. Requirements of the field experience include planning and implementing instruction, completing a case study, and attending a weekly seminar with the supervising professor.

Clinical Practice Requirements

MAT students are required to successfully complete a 14-week full-time clinical practice experience in their area of specialization. The form "Application for Clinical Practice" should be completed one full semester prior to the semester of clinical practice (due the last day of drop/add). This form is available in the School of Education reception area. During the clinical practice experience, students are closely supervised by a trained cooperating teacher and a college professor. Students also attend weekly seminars with their college professor. Students are placed in school districts in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties. Students in South Carolina teacher training programs must complete the requirements of the ADEPT evaluation systems. 

Certification in South Carolina

In addition to completing the requirements of the MAT degree program and clinical practice, students desiring certification in South Carolina must pass specific areas of the PRAXIS National Teacher Examination and submit a packet of materials (application for clinical practice, finger prints) to the Director of the Office of Certification and Clinical Practice. Students in special education must pass the PRAXIS exams in special education core content knowledge (#0353) and each area of certification--learning disabilities(#0382), emotional disabilities (#0371) and/or mental disabilities (#0321). 

The core test should be taken after 710, 725, and 720. The specialty area tests should be taken after the characteristics courses, classroom management, assessment, field experience, and most of the curriculum and instruction courses are complete. Review sessions for the specialty area tests are conducted by special education faculty each semester. Registration books for the PRAXIS are available in the School of Education office. Test scores must be sent directly to the School of Education (code R5113) and the South Carolina Department of Education (code R8108). 

For additional information about the M.A.T. in Special Education Program, please contact Dr. Michael Skinner.