Online Master of Science in Education in Special Education

The Online MSE in Special Education is a 36-credit program with an emphasis in either Cross-Categorical Licensure or Professional Development. This fully online program can be started any term and at a pace that works best for you. Full-time students can finish in as little as a year and a half.

The Cross-Categorical Licensure emphasis is for individuals seeking either an initial teaching license or to add-on a Cross-Categorical special education teaching license to their existing teaching license(s). Students who already have a teaching license in another area may be able to include some elective options.

The Professional Development emphasis is available to individuals from a wide variety of careers who work with individuals with special needs including currently licensed teachers and individuals in related fields. The Professional Development emphasis is made up of 9 required credits and 27 elective credits, which can include one or more graduate certificates. 

More information on each emphasis structure and courses can be viewed in the Graduate Catalog.

Cross-Categorical Licensure Emphasis - Graduate Catalog
Professional Development Emphasis - Graduate Catalog

If you do not meet the graduate admission criteria, please email us to determine if you could be admitted on a conditional basis.

International students must meet additional criteria and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Contact us for information and assistance.

Courses for the Cross Categorical emphasis may include:

• EDFOUND 710 Education in a Pluralistic Society (Summer)
• SPECED 700 Legal Foundations of Special Education (Fall, Spring, or Summer) 
• SPECED 760 Foundations and Characteristics of CD/EBD/LD (Fall)
• SPECED 761 Instructional Strategies for The Inclusive Classroom (Spring)
• SPECED 662 Educational-Diagnosis and Assessment in LD, E/BD, CD (Summer)
• SPECED 640 Advanced Behavior Intervention Strategies (Spring)
• SPECED 783 Phase 3 Portfolio (Fall, Spring, or Summer)
• SPECED 686 Academic Intervention I (Summer)
• SPECED 687 Academic Intervention II (Summer)
• SPECED 766 Professional Collaborations: Families and Community Agencies (Summer)
• SPECED 680 Phase 4 Portfolio (Fall, Spring, or Summer)
• SPECFLD 793 In-service Practicum or SPECFLD 789 Practicum (Fall, Spring, or Summer)

Students can complete a 36 credit MSE in Special Education with an Emphasis in Cross Categorical Special Education in as little as a year in a half. 

Admission Requirements:

Students must pass a criminal background check prior to admission to professional education.

Required courses for the Professional Development emphasis include:

• SPECED 702 Reflective Practice and Action Research, 3 credits (Fall or Summer)
• SPECED 704 Applied Field Action Research in Special Education, 3 credits (Fall, Spring, or Summer)
• SPECED 785 Current Topics in Special Education: Pre-Institute, 1 credit (Summer)
• SPECED 786 Current Topics in Special Education: Institute, 1 credit (Summer)
• SPECED 787 Current Topics in Special Education: Post Institute, 1 credit (Summer)

Elective courses for Professional Development emphasis include:

• SPECED 701 Advanced Methodology and Practices in Special Education (Fall, Spring, for ABA certificate)
• SPECED 703 Promoting Reform through Collaborative Leadership (Spring, for Transition certificate)
• SPECED 706 Transition Assessment for Students with Special Needs (Summer, for Transition certificate)
• SPECED 707 Foundations of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Spring, Summer, for Autism certificate)
• SPECED 708 Methods for Teaching Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Fall, Summer, for Autism certificate)
• SPECED 709 Advanced Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (Fall, Spring, for ABA certificate)
• SPECED 711 Ethics in Research and Applied Behavior Analysis (Summer, for ABA certificate)
• SPECED 712 Philosophy of Applied Behavior Analysis (Spring, Summer, for ABA certificate)
• SPECED 715 Supervision of Programs and Personnel in ABA (Summer, for ABA certificate)
• SPECED 741 Behavior Assessment (Fall, Spring, for ABA certificate)
• SPECED 742 Behavior Change Procedures (Fall, Spring, for ABA certificate)
• SPECED 781 School-to-Adult Life Transitional Planning (Summer, for Transition certificate)

Admission Requirements:

Students must meet the admission requirements outlined in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Graduate Catalog. 

Students also have the option to select any combination of 27 elective credits from the courses available in the graduate special education course catalog.