SPECIAL EDUCATION AND DISABILITY POLICY

Programs

M.Ed. in Special Education

Master in Education - Severe Disabilities

The Severe Disabilities Program is designed to prepare teachers to work with students ages 5 to 21 in public school settings. Throughout the program, emphasis is placed on person-centered planning, school and community inclusion, transdisciplinary teamwork and the role of the family. 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. Students enrolled in the program complete a field-based externship in their school (if they currently serve students with severe disabilities) or in one of the many public schools in the Richmond area. The externship is designed to meet the student’s needs for professional development and is generally completed toward the end of the master’s program. Successful completion of the 42 credit hour program results in Virginia endorsement in severe disabilities, in addition to the master of education degree.

Required Courses and Field Work

Foundations 9 credits

Human development and learning (3)
(one of the following)

EDUS 602 Adolescent Growth and Development
EDUS 603 Seminar in Child Growth and Development
EDUS 607/PSYC 607 Advanced Educational Psychology
EDUS 609 Learning Theories in Education

Cultural, historical and philosophical (3)
(one of the following)

EDUS 601 Philosophy of Education
EDUS 608 History of Western Education
EDUS 610 Social Foundations of Education
EDUS 612 Education and the World’s Future
EDUS 614 Contemporary Educational Thought
EDUS 673 Seminar on Educational Issues, Ethics and Policy Research (3)

EDUS 660 Research Methods in Education (3)

Specialization (33 hours total)

TEDU 651 Characteristics of Students with Severe Disabilities (3 hrs.)
TEDU 558 Educating Students with Multiple Disabilities (3 hrs.)
TEDU 632 Secondary Programming for Students with Disabilities (3 hrs.)
MNRT 500 Language & Communication Intervention for Young Children and Individuals with Severe Disabilities (3 hrs.)
IDDS 600 Teamwork in Serving Persons with Developmental Disabilities (3 hrs.)
TEDU 631 Behavior Management of Students with Disabilities (3 hrs.)
MNRT 610 Teaching Strategies for Students with Severe Disabilities (3 hrs.)
MNRT 602 Assessment and Curriculum Development for Students with Severe Disabilities (3 hrs.)
TEDU 566 Diagnosis and Remediation in Reading (3 hrs.)
TEDU 700 Externship in Severe Disabilities (6 hours total)

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Successful completion of Comprehensive Examination
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