M.Ed. in Special Education

The early childhood concentration prepares individuals to work with families and young children, from birth through age 5, with and at risk for developmental disabilities. Using a hybrid of online and face-to-face formats, the program is learner-centered, innovative and collaborative. The program prepares students to serve infants and young children representing a wide range of abilities, including those at risk for developmental delays and those at risk for or with severe disabilities.

Program highlights:

• Initial teacher licensure with endorsement in early childhood special education by the Virginia Department of Education
• Completion of early intervention certification training
• Program completion timelines from six semesters of full-time study to eight semesters of part-time study
• Creation of an electronic portfolio that showcases knowledge, skills, and dispositions in early childhood special education
• Access to professionals in the field through our advisory board members

Degree requirements for the early childhood concentration »

*Exact course requirements may vary depending on date of matriculation. Current and prospective students should consult their faculty adviser with any questions.

Starting fall 2022, Project PIRR will sponsor 20 early childhood special education students and 10 social work students to engage in an intensive interdisciplinary training program across three disciplines: education, social work and pediatrics. This project is possible with grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education and is a partnership with the School of Social Work, and the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Partnership for People with Disabilities, the Virginia Department of Education, and community partners.

Special Admission Notes:

1. Complete VCU Online Graduate Application
2. Submit all required additional documentation (see Application Checklist)
3. Contact Project PIRR coordinator, Maris Wyatt at mterry4@vcu.edu for more information
4. Application to the M.Ed. and Project PIRR can be done concurrently. Acceptance into the M.Ed. is required for consideration for the Project PIRR funding and grant experience. Students who are considered for admission will be asked to complete a personal interview for final consideration for the program and project.

Please review Project PIRR handout (coming soon) and connect with SOEinfo@vcu.edu for any additional questions.

Accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Council for Exceptional Children, our general education concentration is designed to provide graduates with the professional knowledge and skills needed to work in a variety of settings, such as general education classrooms (where children with special needs are being taught collaboratively), resource rooms and residential programs.

Special training is provided in teaching reading and language, behavior management and the use of interactive strategies that teach positive social skills. Candidates are prepared to work with students in completing a variety of transitions, such as from special education to the general education classroom or from high school to employment and independent living.

Coursework for this concentration is available online or, for those interested in working in urban settings, as part of the Richmond Teacher Residency program. Please visit the RTR website for more information, including how to apply.

If you're interested in a fully online certificate that prepares students to become fully licensed special education teachers who work with children with high-incidence disabilities, you may be interested in our Certificate in Special Education, K-12 Teaching program. This program is designed so that participants can complete requirements within 18 months or five semesters.

Degree requirements for the general education concentration »

Please keep in mind, however, that the exact course requirements may vary depending on when you matriculated into the program, so please consult your adviser or the program coordinator with any additional questions.

The adapted curriculum concentration of our M.Ed. in special education prepares teachers to work with students with the most significant support needs in grades K-12 in public school settings. Courses address physical and medical management issues, functional assessment strategies, longitudinal curriculum planning, systematic instruction, augmentative and alternative communication systems, assistive technology, transition from school to adulthood, positive behavioral supports and the special needs of students with autism or physical, sensory and health-related disabilities.

Throughout the program, emphasis is placed on person-centered planning, school and community inclusion, transdisciplinary teamwork and the role of the family.

VCU is a member, along with JMU, GMU, Radford, ODU and NSU, of the Virginia Adapted Curriculum Consortium. We all offer the same core curriculum of coursework, so you would enroll in the University that is closest to you. If you are an instructional assistant or a provisionally licensed teacher, you are eligible for tuition support for your core coursework through the Consortium.

VCU's program in Adapted Curriculum is a 42 credit hour M.Ed. program (30 credit hours are through the Consortium) which leads to both the M.Ed. and licensure in Special Education Adapted Curriculum K-12.

The M.Ed. in Adapted Curriculum requires that you take a pre-requisite course (SEDP 630 Trends in Special Education) that meets the requirements for a provisional special education teaching license. You can take this course before you apply to the M.Ed. program or while you are taking other coursework. We also require 2 externships (similar to student teaching). The first one can be done on the job if you are a teacher or an instructional assistant, but the second requires that you are working as a teacher. If neither is possible, we arrange for a traditional student teaching experience in which you are placed in schools and experience teaching at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Consortium Application >

Six one-credit-hour externship experiences are spread throughout the course of study and are designed to meet the students’ needs for professional development.

All candidates are required to submit a final portfolio as the capstone requirement of the program. Successful completion of the 46-credit-hour program results in eligibility for Virginia endorsement in special education, adapted curriculum in addition to the Master of Education degree.

Degree requirements for the adapted curriculum concentration »

Please keep in mind, however, that the exact course requirements may vary depending on when you matriculated into the program, so please consult your adviser or the program coordinator with any additional questions.