Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Special Education (M.S.Ed.)


Program: Master of Science in Special Education (M.S.Ed.)
School of Education   

Neff Hall 250 ~ 260-481-6861


Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this degree, students will:

  • Engage in professional learning and practice within ethical standards.
  • Address students’ individual developmental needs through effective specialized instruction and appropriate environments.
  • Demonstrate the ability to make decisions based on assessment data for social, emotional, and cognitive development of individual students.
  • Collaborate with families and professionals. 

The Degree:

The Master of Science in Education with a major in Special Education will lead to a Mild Intervention Teaching Certification. To earn this degree you must satisfactorily complete the required minimum of 30 graduate credit hours, and you must satisfy the requirements of Purdue University Fort Wayne (Regulations ) and the School of Education. There is also a 60-hour field experience requirement.  Arrangements may be made for the 60 hours to be incorporated into the duties of the classroom or school for students currently employed by a school system.

  • It is recommended that students take EDU 50501 as the first course in their program.  The last course will be EDU 59901 Master’s Thesis in Special Education (Part II) or EDU 50003 Topical Workshop in Special Education (Thesis and Special Projects) (Part II).
  • At least 21 of the 30 total credits toward the M.S.Ed. must be completed at Purdue Fort Wayne.

Accreditation:

  • The Special Education program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and nationally recognized as a high-quality program through the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).  Because of these statuses, students who meet specified requirements are eligible for a Mild Intervention teaching license in the state of Indiana.  Indiana holds reciprocal licensing agreements with other states.

Teacher candidates wishing to add a Mild Intervention teaching license to their current license must complete all courses above and pass the Praxis Exam. Please contact the program director or your academic advisor for specific details.

  • Exceptional Needs Mild Intervention (Code 5543) Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications.  

    Website for testing Praxis: Indiana - Educational Testing Service   https://www.ets.org/praxis/in  


Admission Requirement:  Please note: Admission to the Purdue Fort Wayne Special Education graduate program requires an official transcript reflecting 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 Grade Point Average Scale.

Retention: You must maintain a GPA of 3.0 (4.0=A) or better for all work (including undergraduate courses) taken after completing your bachelor’s degree. If your GPA falls below 3.0, you must raise the GPA to at least 3.0 within the next six (6) credits of graduate course work. Failure to do so will result in your dismissal from the program.

Time Limit: You must fulfill all degree requirements within six years and one semester from the date on which you receive a grade for the first credits (including transfer credits) that apply to your degree.  

Graduation Requirements: You must have satisfied any conditions on your admission to the graduate education program before you will be considered as a candidate for graduation. In addition, you must have: (1) earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in courses applicable to the degree, and (2) fulfilled all additional degree requirements and complied with all academic regulations.

Program Requirements


Total (30 Credits)


Student Responsibility


Student Responsibility

You are responsible for satisfying the graduation requirements specified for your selected program.  Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies and procedures governing your academic career.  If you cannot complete all program requirements by your stated graduation date but fail to remove those from your plan of study, the Registrar’s Office in consultation with your academic advisor will remove unmet pursuits from your plan of study.    All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the Graduate Director.