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Special Education


Master of Arts in Education 

Concentration in Special Education
(36 units)

The Master of Arts in Education for  Special Education takes special education teachers to the advanced level in understanding and using powerful teaching and learning principles daily to significantly improve learning for the special needs students they serve.   
 
This program, offered in Arcadia , Bakersfield , and Mission Valley ,  substantially builds on the foundation of the Preliminary Level I education specialist credential for both mild-moderate and moderate-severe students and is uniquely integrated with Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Induction program requirements .  


  This advanced degree program is ideal for :

  • BTSA Induction teachers both Year 1 and Year 2 who welcome the vital professional support and coaching from caring and highly competent PLNU faculty.
  • Special Education teachers who have recently completed their Intern or Level I credential.
  • Experienced special education teachers seeking educational/career/salary advancement 
Program Distinctions :

The School of Education offers this M.A. degree program as specially designed partnerships with school districts and consortia offering BTSA Induction programs, and SELPAs.   See K-12 Partnerships.  

Recent M.A. in Special Education graduates highly recommend this integrated approach to graduate study!   They seamlessly completed their Level II credential requirements, their M.A. degree, and their BTSA induction requirements simultaneously!
 
The M.A. in Special Education is an evidence-based program. Candidates develop differentiated learning plans for their graduate level coursework, building on the evidence of prior knowledge, skills, and dispositions that they bring into the program. This customized instructional design is focused on evidence of significant candidate transformation along the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) Learning to Teach Continuum and aligned with the Council on Exception Children Professional Standards.

Candidates may transfer specific graduate level coursework to this degree.
 
COURSES :
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Point Loma Preliminary Credential graduates may apply up to 9 units from the following courses taken as post B.A. units:

Mild Moderate
  • GED621 Assessment and Services for Stuents with Disabilities(3 units
  • GED631 Curricular and Instructional Adaptations for Students with Disabilities (3 units)
  • GED632 Collaboration and Consultation of IEP Implementation, Evaluation and Program Improvement (3 units )
Moderate Severe
  • EDU508 Assessment and Research Practices (3 units) 
  • GED621 Assessment Procedures and Services for Students with Disabilities (3 Units)
  • GED626  Organization and Management for Success in the Moderate/Severe Classroom (3 units )
Candidates from other institutions of higher education may transfer up to 6 units of relevant post B.A. graduate level coursework aligned with the M.A. course of study.

Candidates with no post B.A. units to transfer, take 36 units of graduate work selecting from rich in-depth study options.

Sample Course of Study (36 Units):

1-Post B.A. Preliminary Credential/graduate level coursework:  0-9units,

 
2-Professional Clear Leve II Credential Augmentation:  

    Both Mild-Moderate and Moderate Severe:
        
        GED628:  Using Technology to Support Student Learning (3 Units)
        GED639:  Health Education (3 Units)

    Mild Moderate
        
        GED626:  Curriculum Development, Innovation, & Evaluation (3 units)
        GED622:  Advanced Assessment (3 units)
        GED634:  Transition Services for Students with Disabilities (3 Units)

    Moderate Severe:

        GED622:  Advanced Assessment (3 Units)
        GED634:  Transition Services for Students wtih Moderate-Severe  
                          Disabilities (3 Units)
        GED638:  Systems Management for Success in the Moderate-Severe
                         Classroom (3 Units)

3-BTSA Induction or Reflective Coaching:   

        GED684  BTSA CFASST 3-6 units (
Approved CFASST Year 1 and Year 2 
                   work from BTSA or a specially designed formative
                   assessment/coaching course for candidates who are not in 
                   the BTSA program.)
 
4-GED672:  Philosophy of Education:  3 units (This is often seen as the MOST transformational course in the program that helps candidates integrate their knowledge, skills, and dispositions into a cohesive conceptual framework that guides their teaching.)

5-Electives:  3-6 unit

         Mild-Moderate :  
            GED638  Systems Management for Success in the Moderate
            Severe Classroom or GED691 Special Studies or Action Research

         Moderate-Severe :
            GED616  Curriculum Development, Innovation, and Evaluation or GED642
            Teaching Strategies for English Learners, or GED691 Special Studies or 
            Action Research.
 
For information about courses, please view the
Catalog Course Descriptions  

SCHEDUELS :
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TO APPLY :
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For additional admissions information, follow instruction on Admissions page
.

KEY CONTACTS BY LOCATION :
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Arcadia:  Robert Morwood, robertmorwood@pointloma.edu 626.821.8262
Bakersfield:  Cynthia Hurley, cynthiahurley@pointloma.edu 661.321.3480
Inland Empire
Mission Valley:  Amanda Bolton, Graduate Enrollment Counselor:
                               amandabolton@pointloma.edu (619) 563-2810