K-12 Collaborative Special Education

Overview

The alternative K-12 Collaborative Special Education (M.S.E.) program from Samford University is designed for the working professional who has earned a bachelor's degree in a field other than education from a regionally accredited institution who now desires to become a certified special education teacher. 

This is a full-time program that may require students to attend classes on campus and at clinical settings during traditional work hours. Some class meetings will be online and some will take place in the evenings on campus.

This 36-credit hour program offers an accelerated approach to certification through advanced courses in the teaching field and a core of professional courses in education. The final semester requires a full-time commitment to student teaching.

Students will graduate in just five semesters with the necessary knowledge, practical skills and professional dispositions required of today’s teachers and will be prepared to serve as an advocate for individuals who require specialized support to achieve success. 

Objectives and Curriculum

Upon successful completion of the program, candidates will earn a master's degree and will be eligible for Class A certification (provided current certification requirements of the Alabama State Department of Education have been met) in just five semesters. Additionally, they will have the opportunity for extensive field experience, practical content application and meaningful research.

Graduates of the alternative A K-12 collaborative special education (M.S.E.) program will master the following concepts:

• Accommodations and modifications for all student needs
• Assessment procedures and processes in special education
• Effective instructional strategies for working with low and high incidence disabilities
• Research-based methods of instruction in the K-12 special education classroom
• Managing challenging behavior using the functional behavioral assessment
• How to write individualized education plans