Program Overview

Secondary Education with Special Education, Master of Arts in Teaching

The Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education with K-12 Special Education program is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor's degree in another field and are now seeking a career in teaching special education. This 2-year teacher certification program will prepare individuals for a career in teaching in grades K-12.

Program Description

The program combines teacher education coursework, three field placements in local schools, and a semester-long (15-week) student teaching internship. Students have the option to complete the Emotional Impairment (EI) or the Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) concentration.

Program Delivery

Courses are taken as a cohort with coursework beginning in the summer semester. First semester courses will be held in a hybrid format, with all in-person components held on OU's main campus no more than two weekday evenings per week. After the first semester, all coursework will be online. In addition to coursework, students are required to complete 100 hours of field experiences prior to student teaching.

Admission Terms and Application Deadlines

• January 1 (early), March 1 (regular), April 1 (late) for the summer semester. Late applications will be reviewed if there is room in the program.
• International applicants have different deadlines.

Application Requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all Graduate Application Requirements and additional department requirements by the published application deadlines.

• Graduate Application Requirements
• Additional department application requirements:
  • Goal statement
  • Resume (Curriculum Vitae)
  • Two online recommendations from individuals in a supervisory relationship to the applicant
  • Felony Misdemeanor Disclosure Form
  • Official transcripts demonstrating a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better
  • Master of Arts in Teaching Graduate School Application Acknowledgement form
  • Individual interviews may be conducted in addition to these requirements

Admission Review and Assessment

Admission to graduate school at Oakland University is selective. Each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses, and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Degree Requirements

The MATSE degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of a minimum of 53 credits in an approved program of study.

Course Requirements (53 credits)

• Professional Education Courses (25 credits)
  • Required courses:
    • TD 5000 - Introduction to the School and Society (2 credits)
    • TD 5100 - Learning Theory: Cognitive and Affective Development of Adolescents (3 credits)
    • DLL 6030 - Workshop in Educational Software and Related Technologies (2 to 4 credits)
    • TD 5949 - Internship Seminar (2 credits)
    • TD 5955 - Internship in Secondary Education (2 credits) *10 credits required
    • EST 6000 - Introduction to Educational Studies (3 credits)
    • EST 6500 - Collaborative Action Research (3 credits)
• Special Education Core (16 credits)
  • Required courses:
    • SE 6502 - Legal Issues in Special Education (4 credits)
    • SE 6524 - Assessment in Special Education (4 credits)
    • SE 6517 - Language and Exceptional Children and Youth (4 credits)
    • SE 6518 - Organization and Management of Instructional Behaviors and Environments (4 credits)
• Concentration Options (choose one):
  • Emotional Impairment (12 credits)
    • SE 6510 - Students with Behavioral and/or Emotional Impairment (4 credits)
    • SE 6520 - Educational Procedures for Students with Emotional Impairment (4 credits)
    • SE 6620 - Advanced Interventions and Resources for Students with Emotional Impairment (4 credits)
  • Specific Learning Disabilities (12 credits)
    • RDG 5210 - Inquiry-Based Literacy Instruction (4 credits)
    • SE 6532 - Introduction to Specific Learning Disability (4 credits)
    • SE 6533 - Advanced Educational Procedures for Students with a Specific Learning Disability (4 credits)

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student's successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester.

Good Academic Standing

All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program.

Related Program Information

• Plan of Study: All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements.
• All candidates for a Michigan standard teaching certificate must pass their designated MTTC test before being recommended for certification.
  • SLD Concentration: MTTC Learning Disabilities Test #114
  • EI Concentration: MTTC Emotional Impairment Test #116