Master of Science in Special Education

The special education programs are designed to prepare highly competent special educators to teach students with mild/moderate disabilities or behavioral disorders/learning disabilities in public and private school settings. The program accommodates applicants with a variety of backgrounds and interests, and with or without previous special education training. The applicant must currently hold a valid Iowa teacher's license either at the elementary or secondary level, and must meet graduate admission requirements for both the endorsement and MSE programs.

Endorsement Options
Students may also pursue an endorsement-only program to receive additional licensure.

• Instructional Strategist I (K-8 or 5-12)
• Instructional Strategist II (K-12)
• Work Experience Coordinator (offered biennially)

Special Education Consultant (offered biennially)

Admission Requirements: (previous degrees, exams, etc)

• Complete and submit a Drake Graduate Admission Application.
• Submit the $25.00 application fee (prior applicants who have previously paid the fee are not required to do so again)

• Submit official transcripts for ALL undergraduate and graduate coursework from EVERY institution attended (even if a degree was not received and/or the information appears on another transcript). Please request all transcripts be sent directly from the institutions to the Office of Graduate Admission at the address below. Drake transcripts do not need to be requested.

• Submit current professional resume or curriculum vitae

• Submit a brief, typed explanation of what program you intend to pursue and why.
• Achieve the following Grade Point Average (GPA) criteria*
• • Undergraduate GPA = 2.50 (cumulative)
    AND
  • Graduate GPA = 3.00 (cumulative), if applicable
    *Students who do not meet the above mentioned GPA requirements may contact the Office of Graduate Admission for additional information.
• Submission of two (2) professional letters of recommendation (READ CAREFULLY)
• • For all SOE applicants, other than those applying to the Education Leadershipprograms**, letters should be submitted on the recommendation form that is availablefor printing at http://www.educ.drake.edu/application/SOE_ltr_of_rec_form.htm (PLEASE PRINT AND SIGN THIS FORM AND MAIL IT TO THE OFFICE OF GRADUATE ADMISSION AT DRAKEUNIVERSITY).Individuals familiar with the applicant's professional/academicachievement and/or scholarly work should submit letters.They should speak to thepotential success of the applicant in a graduate program.
• Testing Requirement options:There are three testing options available to applicants.Only one of the three tests listed below needs to be completed successfully to satisfy the testing requirement. Test scores must be from within the last 5 years. The testing requirement is not required for endorsement-only programs of less than 12 credit hours.
• • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) - Minimum Required Scores:
    Verbal = 400 and Quantitative = 460
    OR
    Minimum Analytical Writing score of 4.0
  • Miller Analogies Test (MAT) - Minimum Required Score of 36 if the test was taken prior to October 1, 2004 or a score of 389 if the test was taken after October 1, 2004.
  • Drake Writing Competency Test (DWRT) - Achievement of acceptable results from the Drake Writing Competency Test administered and developed by the School of Education.

• Admission Policy for Graduate Work (Effective fall 2008)
• • Students may take up to two courses or 6 hours of graduate credit before admission to a graduate program. After two courses or 6 hours, students must be admitted, or further registration will not be possible.
  • Any waiver must be requested by an advisor of a specific program and approved by the Associate Dean.
• You MUST apply for admission to this program after having taken no more than 6 credit hours.

• Please complete your candidacy petition with your advisor after completing 12 credits. Failure to complete a candidacy petition may delay the award of your degree or endorsement.

• Work Experience Coordinator
• • Students must have completed a special education endorsement – grades 5-12 to be eligible for the WEC endorsement. Courses will be offered on a biannual basis.

• Special Education Consultant

Students must have earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education or a Master’s Degree in another area of education plus 30 graduate hours in special education coursework. Courses will be offered on a biannual basis.

Graduation Requirements:

• Number of Credit Hours required:

Instructional Strategist I (K-8 or 5-12)
MSE, K-8: 32 credit hours
Endorsement only K-8: 25 credit hours
MSE, 5-12: 34 credit hours
Endorsement only, 5-12: 27 credit hours

Instructional Strategist II (K-12)
MSE, K-12: 37 credit hours
Endorsement only, K-12: 30 credit hours

Work Experience Coordinator
6 credit hours in addition to a grade 5-12 special education endorsement

Special Education Consultant
9 credit hours in addition to a Master's degree in special education, or Master's degree in education plus 30 credit hours of special education coursework

• Required Courses:

MSE, Instructional Strategist I (K-8 or 5-12)
Core:

K-8: SPED 227: Practicum in Special Education, Mild and Moderate Disabilities (K-8)
5-12: SPED 276 Coordination of Cooperative Occupational Programs
SPED 228 Practicum in Special Education, Mild and Moderate Disabilities (5-12)

MSE, Instructional Strategist II (K-12)

Work Experience Coordinator

Coursework will be offered on a biannual basis.

Special Education Consultant

Coursework will be offered on a biannual basis.

• Other Requirements (experiential, exams, thesis, etc.)

This is a non-thesis degree program.

• Any limitations and special policies (eg., gpa requirement, or requirements that students take certain courses at Drake):
• GPA: Maintain a 3.0 or higher
• Courses must be completed with a “C” or better; the cumulative grade point, however, must be a 3.0 or better.
• Only 10 hours (or no more than 1/3 of the total degree program credits in programs greater than 30 credit hours) of graduate work may be transferred in from an accredited university.
• Transfer and endorsement courses must be advisor approved.
• Courses transferred in are transferred as TR (no grade) and do not effect the Drake GPA.
• Transferred coursework must be at a B level or better.
• Transfer credits earned before admission are counted on the following scale:
• • Courses taken 0-5 years before admission are transferred in as full credit.
  • Courses taken 6-10 years before admission are transferred in as ½ credit.
  • Courses over 10 years old are not accepted.
  • Courses that are accepted must relate to the program of study.