MA in Education: Special Education and Mild to Moderate Support Needs Education Specialist Credential
Azusa Pacific University’s Master of Arts in Education: Special Education and Mild to Moderate Support Needs Education Specialist Credential program prepares candidates to earn a Master of Arts in Education: Special Education degree along with an embedded Mild to Moderate Support Needs Education Specialist Preliminary Credential. This program includes comprehensive foundation courses emphasizing teaching and educational methods, as well as specialization courses providing content required for the education specialist credential. Practical classroom and fieldwork experiences provide application to theory, preparing candidates to teach in diverse settings. Advanced coursework in the emphasis area of special education provides candidates with knowledge needed to serve students with disabilities in TK-12 public schools. The mode of delivery includes face-to-face instruction, campus-based classes, distance learning, online courses, and clinical experiences.
Azusa Pacific University’s Mild to Moderate Support Needs Education Specialist Credential program is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and includes specific methods courses that are accompanied by practical classroom applications and clinical experiences in public school assignments.
Upon completion of the requirements listed below and all of the requirements detailed in the Steps to a Credential, the candidate will have earned both a Mild to Moderate Support Needs Education Specialist Preliminary Credential and a Master of Arts in Education: Special Education degree.
Computer and Software Requirements
Each student must have a Mac or PC laptop or notebook running the latest operating system with a word processing program and a stable internet connection.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | ||
| TESP 501 | Art of Teaching I: Foundations of Teaching 1 | 3 |
| TESP 502 | Science of Teaching I: How Students Learn 1 | 3 |
| TESP 503 | The Soul of Teaching: Tapestry of American Education | 3 |
| TESP 504 | Schools and Educational Systems | 3 |
| Specialization Courses | ||
| SPED 517 | Art of Teaching II: Pedagogy and Instructional Design for Education Specialists | 3 |
| SPED 518 | Science of Teaching II: Effective Assessment Strategies for Learners with Special Needs | 3 |
| SPED 525 | Methods of Teaching Reading and Writing | 3 |
| SPED 526 | Specialized Academic Instruction: Reading, Writing, and Math | 3 |
| SPED 528 | Assessment and IEP Development: Mild to Extensive Support Needs | 3 |
| SPED 529 | Positive Behavior Supports for Students with Exceptional Needs | 3 |
| SPED 550 | Clinical Practice I: Mild to Moderate Support Needs | 2 |
| SPED 553 | Clinical Practice II: Mild to Moderate Support Needs | 2 |
| Emphasis Courses | ||
| EDUC 560 | Action Research in Education | 1 |
| EDUC 556 | Historical and Philosophical Perspectives of Disability Studies | 3 |
| EDUC 557 | Current Trends in Curriculum and Disability Studies | 3 |
| EDUC 558 | Research and Collaboration for Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 569 | Capstone Seminar | 2 |
| Elective Courses 2 | ||
| EDUC 547 | Special Topics in Educational Technology 3 | 3 |
| Total Units 4 | 46-49 | |
- 1
These courses must be completed prior to beginning clinical practice.
- 2
Elective courses can be used toward the master’s degree only for the individual needing additional units to complete the degree. Elective courses cannot be used to replace foundation, specialization, or emphasis course requirements.
- 3
May be taken for credit up to three times as an additional elective as long as topics are not repeated.
- 4
The program is designed to be completed with 46 units; the use of elective units to complete the degree may increase the unit total.
NOTE: A maximum of 8 units may be taken per 8-week session. Teacher candidates in master’s degree programs who have opted to waive some coursework must take additional units to fulfill the unit requirement. Completion of all credential requirements—including all examinations, coursework, and other requirements—must be met before the master’s degree will be posted. A Graduation Application must be completed and fees paid by the deadlines set by the registrar.
NOTE: Candidates who hold an intern credential must enroll in a candidate support and supervision course (SPED 500) during each 8-week session (fall or spring) in which they are not enrolled in a clinical practice course.
It is the candidate’s responsibility to submit a credential application through the Office of Credentials upon completion of a credential program to receive his/her California educator credential.
Admission
University graduate admission and program-specific requirements must be met before an application is complete (see Admission to the University). Program-specific application requirements are available online.
International students should contact Graduate and Professional Admissions for application procedures.