Purpose of the Degree

The purpose of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree in Special Education (K-12) is to offer an alternative route to teaching for individuals who hold an undergraduate or a graduate degree in non-education programs who have an interest in teaching. Individuals completing the degree are eligible to earn an initial teaching licensure through the MAT-Special Education (K-12) degree. The program prepares teachers to provide diverse student populations with the knowledge, skills, and values considered essential for effective participation in society. It also provides relevant and comprehensive education for those who desire to support the educational, emotional, and physical needs of students with disabilities, from grades K-12, in the public schools. The MAT in special education is guided by program development that addresses the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Initial Preparation Standards, Arkansas Teaching Standards, and the Teacher Excellence Support System (TESS). Field experiences incorporated throughout the program connect content, pedagogy, performance-based activities, and differentiation of instruction for individuals with exceptionalities from diverse backgrounds.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission into the Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education-Instructional Specialist Grades K -12 must meet the admission requirements of Graduate Admissions and the specific program requirements as follows:

Graduate Admissions Criteria:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university (transcripts for undergraduate and graduate coursework must be submitted from all institutions attended.)
• Pass required subject-specific content examinations (Praxis Content Reading/Math/Writing examinations) during the first 6 hours of the program.
• Complete the A-State Graduate Admissions application and qualify for graduate admission.
• The acceptance of previous graduate work including transfer work is at the discretion of the MAT Program Director and must meet the requirements as outlined in the current Graduate Bulletin.

Unconditional Admission: In addition to Graduate Admission criteria, academic proficiency must be established through satisfaction of the following admission criteria:

1. Achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.70 (on a 4.00 scale) or a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on at least 12 hours of previous graduate work with no more than one course grade of “C” and no course grade below a “C”.
2. Have a written agreement from a practicing teacher in special education who will function as your mentor during the program.

Conditional Admission: Conditional admission may be granted to candidates for up to six (6) hours if the undergraduate GPA requirement is not met. Students who fail to remove the conditional status by the end of the first 6 hours of coursework in the MAT SPED graduate program will be dropped from the degree program. Students must make a grade of A or B while in conditional status.

Requirements for Admission to the Teacher Education Program: All students must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program by the end of 6 hours of coursework by completing all requirements as outlined by the Professional Education Program’s (PEP) office.

Requirements for Admission to Internship (Semester prior to Internship): All students must complete and pass all exams that are required by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) exams before being admitted to the Internship.

• Praxis II: Fundamental Subjects (5511) minimum passing score of 148
• Praxis II: Special Education Core Knowledge and Applications (5354) minimum passing score of 151
• Pearson: Foundations of Reading minimum passing score of 229

Requirements for Continue Program Participation

• Candidates must make an A or B on the initial course ELSE 5003 Special Education Academy 101 in order to continue in the program.
• Make no grade lower than a C on all coursework. Candidates may not have over 2 Cs in their program.
• A high-speed internet connection (Ethernet, cable, DSL, public wireless hotspot, satellite, etc.) will be necessary. Dial-up will not work. Computers must have specific minimum requirements. For example, they must have a Windows XP or later operating system; or of 1.2GHZ or faster; minimum RAM of 512MB for XP or 1GB for Vista; minimum of 20GB available free disk space; minimum display resolution of 1024x768.
• All students must complete a portfolio or program assessment that is a culmination of authentic performance based assessments completed throughout the program. Some examinations will be taken online while others will require the student to go to a location where the examination will be proctored through Proctor-U.