University General Course Catalog 2024-2025 
    
    Jan 28, 2025  
University General Course Catalog 2024-2025

Special Education, M.Ed.


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The M.Ed. in Special Education has six emphases that students may take depending upon the disability licensure area in which the student is interested. The six areas of emphasis available are:

  • Generalist Emphasis
  • Intellectual Disabilities: Moderate to Intense
  • Advanced Studies in Learning and Behavior Disorders
  • Autism and Related Disorders
  • Early Childhood Special Education
  • Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education

Program Learning Outcomes


Students will be able to:

  • demonstrate foundational knowledge of characteristics of individuals with disabilities, their learning environments, and curriculum content to develop appropriate instruction.
  • apply, plan, and deliver appropriate assessment strategies and instruction for individuals with disabilities.
  • interpret research related to special education and synthesize that research with an application to applied practice.

Contact Information


Shanon Taylor, Graduate Director, Special Education
(775) 682-7862
shanon@unr.edu

Graduate Handbook *

Admission Requirements


For students who are not licensed Nevada teachers, licensure courses may be taken as part of a master’s degree. Contact the department for more information.

In addition to admission requirements specified by the department, applicants must be qualified in the professional judgment of the College of Education faculty.

I. Program Requirements


Specific curriculum requirements are adapted to the professional needs of the student. Students should not enroll in any graduate-level course without first securing the approval of the department that such a course is acceptable toward a selected major.

A. Thesis Option (39-42 units)


Required Courses (9 units)


Emphases (24-27 units)


Early Childhood Special Education

Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education

The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified the following courses toward the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (Option 1) examination. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination. Contact Dr. MaryAnn Demchak at mad@unr.edu for more information about this emphasis area.

Thesis (6 units)


B. Non-Thesis Option (33-39 units)


Required Course (3 units)


Emphases (30-36 units)


Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education

The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified the following courses toward the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (Option 1) examination. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination. Contact Dr. MaryAnn Demchak at mad@unr.edu for more information about this emphasis area.

II. Program Total Units (33 - 42 units)


  • In order to earn the Master of Education degree in Special Education, students must complete 33-42 units.
  • All degree candidates are required to complete a research course.
  • A maximum of six graduate units of S/U grades may be applied toward a master’s degree requiring at least 32 semester units.

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