The Special Education Master’s Degree offers various areas of emphasis for specialization. Two distinct pathways are available: the traditional route, tailored for individuals possessing a teaching license, and the non-traditional path, which accommodates candidates without a teaching license in select programs. The Non-Traditional pathway is specifically designed to enable candidates with a non-education background to acquire West Virginia teacher licensure in visual impairments, preschool special education, or multi-categorical. However, it’s important to note that the non-education program does not encompass a general education teaching endorsement.
Areas of Emphasis
Multi-Categorical Special Education
Admission Requirements
Special Education M.A.
All applicants (including those seeking admission as professional development (certification only), should follow the admissions process described in this catalog or at the Graduate Admissions website at www.marshall.edu/graduate/admissions/how-to-apply-for-admission.
Applicants must:
- Have an undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.80 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Meet one of the following two requirements:
- A total of 286 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or
- A raw score of at least 30 or a scaled score of 378 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
Non-Education Certification Program
Students must meet all Special Education Program admission requirements. In addition to the general Special Education Admission requirements, applicants must pass the Praxis I (Pre-Professional Skills Test) in Reading, Mathematics, and Writing within their first twelve hours of coursework. The Praxis I requirement is waived for applicants with an enhanced ACT score of 26 or higher, a re-centered SAT score of 1125 or higher or if the applicant holds a master’s degree.
Current West Virginia Department of Education initial certification requirements also require a minimum overall GPA of 2.5, as well as a 2.5 GPA in the content specialization area. Candidates in the Non-Education Certification program must also meet the WVDE Praxis II testing requirements including the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test at the 5-9 or 7-12 levels.