MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION:
ADAPTIVE CONCENTRATION
Table of Contents (clicking on topic links to text)
Scholarships and Tuition Payment Options
Master's Degree Curriculum and Program Completion
Completion of Licensure Standards
Adding a Second Level of Licensure
State Licensure Required Exams: Praxis II
Contact for Additional Information
Overview
Thank you for your interest in our Adaptive Special Education program. The program is designed to support the needs of the students, teachers, schools, and special education administrators in Kansas. All candidates shall apply for the Master of Science degree progam in Adaptive Special Education. The Master's degree will be awarded to candidates who successfully complete the approved 24 hours of Adaptive Special Education licensure course work and 12 additional hours of electives selected from approved graduate courses. Candidates may apply to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for licensure upon completion of 24 hours of approved Adaptive Special Education licensure course work and demonstration of competency in meeting Kansas teaching standards for Adaptive Special Education. The Adaptive Special Education curriculum meets the licensure standards for two levels: Early Childhood through Late Childhood (Grades K to 6) and Early Adolescence through Late Adolescence (Grades 6 to 12).
Application Process
Acceptance into the Adaptive Special Education graduate program in the Department of Psychology, Art Therapy, Rehabilitation, and Mental Health Counseling is a two-level process. At the first level, the candidate applies to be admitted to do graduate study. At the second level, the candidate applies for admission to degree candidacy after demonstrating program approved knowledge, skills, and dispositions.
| Level 1: Admission to the Program |
| The candidate must: |
| 1. Hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and be eligible for Kansas licensure. |
| 2. Have a minimum grade point average of 2.75 based on a 4.0 scale. This average may be on the total undergraduate record or on the last 60 hours. |
| 3. Submit the following seven items to the Office of Graduate Studies, Box 4003, Emporia State University, 1200 Commercial St., Emporia, KS 66801-5087: |
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E. A personal letter that describes preparation, ability, interests, goals, and reasons for applying to the program. |
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4. Candidates with completed folders are then reviewed by the Adaptive Special Education Admissions Committee. |
| Level 2: Admission to Degree Candidacy |
| Degree candidacy is granted when a candidate admitted to graduate study has: |
| 1. Successfully completed a minimum of six semester hours of coursework in the graduate program of study. |
| 2. Filed a degree plan with the department no later than completion of the 12 hours of course work. The degree plan must be approved by the candidate's advisor and the department chair. |
Candidates are expected to maintain a "B" average and must have a grade of A or B on all courses on the plan of study with a SD, EL, and PY prefix.
| Requirements for Provisional Licensure in Adaptive Special Education | |
| Provisional licensure is earned when the following courses are completed: | |
| SD700 | Characteristics of Individuals with Mild/Moderate Disabilities |
SD702 |
Strategies for Individuals with Mild/Moderate Disabilities |
SD708 |
Supervised Practice, Elementary Adaptive I |
OR |
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SD709 |
Supervised Practice, Secondary Adaptive I |
Under current Kansas regulation, the candidate may teach up to two years on a provisional licensure while working toward completion of the Adaptive course work within the master's program. The provisional licensure may be renewed once for a additonal two years if the candidate has completed over 50% of the required course work for the approved Adaptive Special Education license
Please note that the department does not offer practicum during the summer; practica are only offered in the fall and spring semesters when local schools are in session. Cooperatives or interlocals will apply for a waiver for new special education teachers starting the school year without the provisional licensure (please see the next section).
Scholarships and Tuition Payment Options
Scholarships from $500 to $1000 are available for students admitted into the Master of Science in Special Education: Adaptive concentraton program. The application can be downloaded as a Word document by clicking here. Please complete the form electronically and email it as an attachment to the Department Office. Indicate in the body of the email that you are sending a scholarship application for the Adaptive Special Education program. The deadline for scholarship applications is October 15.
Emporia State University provides several tuition payment options. To access these options along with other pertinent information including paying tuition, explanation of fees, and campus contacts, please click here.
Requirements for a Waiver
1. Be admitted into the Master of Science in Adaptive Special Education degree program.
2. Have a completed and approved degree plan.
3. Be enrolled in at least one course.
4. Once Steps 1, 2, and 3 are complete, Shannon Hall will submit the paperwork for the waiver to the teacher's cooperative or interlocal and to the Kansas State Department of Education.
Master's Degree Curriculum and Program Completion
The Master's Degree requires the successful completion of a specified 36 approved hours and the passing of a written comprehensive examination. Recommendation for licensure in Adaptive Special Education requires the completion of 24 approved graduate hours and the completion of a written comprehension examination.
All courses in the Adaptive Special Education curriculum depend on the Internet, Blackboard, and class email. The candidate will need continual and dependable access to a computer with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. The candidate will need sufficient computer skills to complete class activities and assignments.
To complement the Internet courses in the program, the faculty require many assignments that are designed to be completed in school-based settings through two practicum courses--either SD708 or SD709 and SD808 or SD809. Before starting a practicum, candidates must complete and submit to their advisor the Practicum Approval Form. Candidates for this program need to realize that having access to students in school-based settings is a requirement for the program. For example, candidates may be required to participate in consultation and collaboration activities, observe students in the classroom, record behaviors, participate in confidential individual education program meetings, conduct a functional analysis, or student assessments. The two practicum experiences require the candidate to have the time and authority to engage in all of the activities required to deliver instruction to students with special needs.
| Prerequisite Course | |
| SD 550 Survey of Exceptionality (or an approved survey course in special education) | |
| Adaptive Special Education Licensure Courses | |
| Course Number & Title | Credit Hours |
| SD 700 Characteristics of Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities | 3 |
| SD 702 Strategies for Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities | 3 |
| SD 800 Consultation/Collaboration | 3 |
| SD 801 Seminar in Current Issues in Special Education | 3 |
| SD 802 Seminar In Behavior Management | 3 |
| PY 812 Individual Assessment | 3 |
3 |
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OR |
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3 |
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3 |
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OR |
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3 |
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Total hours for Licensure |
24 |
| Additional Courses for the Master's Degree | |
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| ER 752 Analysis of Research | 3 |
| EL 812 Reading Instruction for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| Electives approved by the advisor | 6 |
| Total hours for the Master's Degree | 36 |
Two semesters prior to graduation, the candidate will submit to the Office of Graduate Studies the Intent to Graduate form. The form may be accessed here. The Office of Graduate Studies will conduct a final review of the candidates' file to determine if the candidate has fully completed all requirements for the Master's degree. Candidates are expected to maintain a "B" average and must have a grade of A or B on all courses on the plan of study with a SD, EL, and PY prefix.
At the completion of course work and prior to sending a recommendation to the Certification Officer, the faculty will establish that the candidate has achieved the objectives and standards of the program. All objectives on the practicum must be achieved at the Proficient level or higher (see the next section Completion of Licensure Standards for additional information).
Completion of Licensure Standards
Each candidate will be required to successfully complete all course requirements that have been designed to meet Kansas State licensing standards. Upon completion of each course, the faculty will verify that the candidate has achieved competency on each standard. If a candidate has not achieved at a proficient level, the candidate will be given options to successfully complete identified unmet standards. Options could include but are not limited to independent work or taking the course for a second time. Note: A candidate could earn a passing grade for the course and still have unsuccessfully completed competencies at a level to meet proficien c y in program standards. Levels of proficiency on course standards are defined by the faculty.
A candidate must successfully complete two practicums (SD 708 Elementary Practicum I or SD 709 Secondary Practicum I and SD 808 Elementary Practicum II or SD 809 Secondary Practicum II) with a minimum grade of a "B" to be recommended for a Kansas license in Adaptive Special Education. Before starting a practicum, candidates must complete and submit to their advisor the Practicum Approval Form. The candidate is required to meet all Practicum II requirements at the "proficient" or above level as defined in practicum documents. Practicum standards are assessed using two methods: (1) the candidate will develop a professional portfolio demonstrating competency in knowledge and skills related to specified Adaptive Special Education standards and (2) the candidate will be evaluated by content and pedagogy supervisors using a checklist.
The faculty advocates for specific, objective standards and rubrics when appropriate. However, practicum experiences often require a component of professional judgment by the faculty. At the conclusion of a practicum, the faculty will make a judgment on each candidate's performance, taking into consideration information provided by field supervisors, candidate self-ratings, portfolio products, and related indicators. One of three possible decisions will be made on each candidate:
1. Faculty determined that the candidate did not demonstrate the knowledge and/or skills to meet the Emporia State Adaptive Special Education program standards at the proficient or above level . The candidate will not receive recommendation for provisional or fu ll Kansas licensure.
2. The candidate did not demonstrate the knowledge and/or skills necessary to receive a rating of proficient or above on all practicum competencies as signed to the Practicum II of the Emporia State Adaptive Special Education program. The faculty will meet to determine the level of proficiency met on each practicum competency. and may elect to recommend the candidate for a provisional licensure. The candidate is required to reach the level of proficiency or above on all standards before a final recommendation will be made for full Kansas licensure.
3. The candidate demonstrated the knowledge and/or skills necessary to receive a rating of proficient or above on all practicum competencies assigned to the Practicum II of the Emporia State Adaptive Special Education program.
Upon successful completion of all program course work, practicums, and the written comprehensive examination, the candidate may be recommended for full licensure.
Adding a Second Level of Licensure
Candidates will complete the requirements for either the Early Childhood through Late Childhood (Grades K to 6) level or the Early Adolescence through Late Adolescence (Grades 6 to 12) level. Candidates who wish to add a second level of licensure will complete a program consistent with standards adopted by the Kansas State Department of Education.
State Licensure Required Exams: Praxis II
Upon completion of the approved Adaptive Special Education program, the candidate must complete Kansas State Department of Education licensing exams. The following two Praxis II Subject Assessment exams are currently required: 0353, Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge and 0542, Education of Exceptional Students: Mild to Moderate Disabilities. You can locate more information and sign up for both tests at www.ets.org.
Time Limitation Policy
All course work for graduate degrees at Emporia State University must be completed within seven (7) years from the date of the first enrollment. In the case of compelling circumstances, the Department offering the degree may consider a petition from the candidate for a one-year extension of old course work. The Graduate Council may consider a petition, with Departmental approval, to validate course work in the ninth or tenth years, dating from the first enrollment. Validation may be accomplished by certification of current competence with the subject matter either through examination or using the content on the job or additional approved work. No transfer work can be validated. No work over ten years old can be used to satisfy the requirements for graduate degrees at Emporia State University.
Additional Policies
1. The Master's degree candidate must be enrolled during the semester of graduation.
2. Up to nine (9) hours of approved graduate course work with B or better grades can be transferred from another institution into the program with the permission of the advisor.
3. Knowledge of and compliance with additional requirements for any graduate degree are the responsibility of the candidate. Consequently, careful reading and study of the Graduate Policy Handbook and other official publications are expected as a self-imposed prerequisite on the part of the candidate engaged in graduate study.
Important Forms
Contact for Additional Information
For additional information regarding the Master's Degree in Adaptive Special Education, please contact Dr. Diane Miller, Adaptive Special Education program, Department of Psychology, Art Therapy, Rehabilitation, and Mental Health Counseling, Box 4031, Emporia State University 66801-5087. Telephone: (785) 842-6181 (Lawrence office); (620) 341-5820 (Emporia office). Fax: (620) 341-5801. e-mail: dmiller@emporia.edu.
Last Updated September 24, 2008