A master’s degree in special education offers a deeper understanding of children and their families, communities, classroom practices, diagnostic assessments and unique problem-solving approach. As a special education teacher or counselor, these can help you improve the educational experience of a child dealing with mental or physical challenges. Apart from enhancing your expertise, a master’s degree also boosts your employment opportunities. So, whether you are a fresh graduate or an experienced individual, you should consider applying for a master’s degree in special education.

Before you apply for a master’s degree in special courses, there are some prerequisites you need to be aware of. These requirements can vary across universities and colleges.

Eligibility for master’s degree in special education
You will need to have a four-year bachelor’s degree in special education from an accredited university or college. If you have majored in a different discipline there’s no need to worry as you can still apply. However, you will need to get in touch with the admissions office of the institution you’re applying to as they might have some specific criterion regarding students belonging to other disciplines.

Most schools offering a master’s degree in special education will require the prospective students to have a cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher. However, apart from a good academic record, the admissions committee takes numerous other factors into consideration. This could include your co-curricular activities, projects, internships, previous work experience, academic and professional recommendations. Likewise, your statement of purpose plays a critical role. Therefore, ensure to clearly mention why you want to be a part of the program and how it can benefit your career in as an educator.

If you are applying for a master’s degree in special education but come from a different academic background, then you will have to complete some essential courses before the program commences. Usually, the required courses will revolve around subjects such as:

• Human development
• Child psychology
• Education fundamentals
• Teaching methods for children with special needs

To help to get started, here’s a list of the most popular schools that offer master’s degree in special education:

• Columbia University
• Ohio State University
• Pennsylvania State University
• University of Texas
• University of Illinois

Apart from traditional on-campus master’s programs, you can also apply for online master’s degree in special education in these well-known universities:

• Michigan State University
• Purdue University
• Florida State University
• California State University
• University of Arkansas