Accelerated B.S. in Education (EC-6 Core Subjects w/ Special Education) / M.Ed. in Special Ed
The Accelerated B.S. in Education (EC-6 Core Subjects) with Special Education Emphasis / M.Ed. in Special Education program provides motivated students with the opportunity to seamlessly complete an undergraduate degree (B.S.) and graduate degree (M.Ed.) in an accelerated timeframe. This opportunity provides exemplary students in the education program a more streamlined and direct pathway to obtain a master's degree in Special Education.
Marketable Skills
Students completing the Accelerated Masters in Special Education degree program learn, attain, and apply skills to become engaged, prepared, and professional special educators. This degree can lead to initial educator certification in multiple areas (e.g., early childhood through sixth grade, fourth through eighth grade, special education, bilingual education, and English as a Second Language) and there are also options for those students not seeking educator certification (e.g., special populations, community informatics). All graduates of the Accelerated Masters in Special Education degree program will have the skill set to work serving their community in education or related fields and provide in-depth knowledge of special education research and evidence-based practices.
All students graduating from the Accelerated B. S. in Education with Special Education Emphasis/M.Ed. in Special Education will:
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Effectively differentiate among appropriate data-driven learning practices within an area of concentration and apply those practices in an education or community setting.
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Appropriately explain the impact of effective planning and communication (within the chosen area of concentration) to relevant internal and external stakeholders in an education or community setting.
- Students graduating from the Accelerated B. S. in Education (EC-6 Core Subjects) with Special Education Emphasis/M.Ed. in Special Education who pursue initial educator certification will:
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Identify, select, and implement entry-level instructional plans when serving as an instructor in the school setting.
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Successfully manage organizational and student behavior when teaching in the school setting.
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Efficiently and accurately assess student progress and use data to develop and modify instruction for K-12 students.
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Work effectively and collaboratively with students and families from diverse backgrounds.
Students graduating for the Accelerated M,Ed, in Special Education program will:
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Appropriately evaluate issues, practices, and research in the field of special education to enhance their practice as education professionals.
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Effectively support those implementing evidence-based practices in the classroom.
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Collaboratively support the needs of students with disabilities and their families inside and outside of the education setting.
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Serve the community in education and/or a related field to provide in-depth knowledge of special education research and evidence-based practices.
Communication with students:
Marketable skills will be communicated to students through the online Educator Preparation Program webpage, the Special Education Program webpage, course goals and objectives, course Student Learning Outcomes, at recruitment events, and through advising.
Skill updates:
Student performance outcomes will be periodically reviewed through the self-report system (i.e., AAQEP), annual TWU Academic Institutional Improvement Report, bi-annual stakeholder meetings through the Council for Educator Preparation, and principal satisfaction ratings.
Admissions
All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements.
They must also meet the following additional requirements:
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Students who apply for this accelerated degree program must be a current TWU education major and admitted to the Educator Preparation Program.
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Students must have completed 72 credit hours towards their B. S. degree prior to applying to the Graduate School.
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Students who apply for this accelerated degree program must have a GPA of 3.00 or higher at the time of application and must maintain this GPA throughout the accelerated degree program or the student will be removed from the accelerated degree program.
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Students that apply to this program must pass the following TEXES licensure exams in alignment with current EPP standards and guidelines:
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Content Exam (e.g., EC-6 Core Subjects)
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EC-12 PPR
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Special Education Supplemental
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Science of Teaching Reading
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Students must successfully complete their student teaching during the last semester of their undergraduate program.
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Students must apply to both the M.Ed. in Special Education program and the TWU Graduate School in the second semester of their junior year once the student has completed 72 credit hours.
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Students applying to the accelerated degree program will be required to provide a minimum of 2 recommendation letters in support of their application. These letters of recommendation should come from individuals who can speak to the student’s educational capabilities, etc.
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A student who does not satisfy the conditions of the application process within three semesters and who has yet to complete the undergraduate degree, may petition for an extension and deferral of admission to a later date. A student who does not satisfy the conditions within three semesters but who has earned the bachelor degree may petition for entry into the Master’s program, but without assurance of participating in the accelerated option.
Accelerated Undergraduate-Graduate Program Policy Guidelines
Students may apply to an approved accelerated degree program once they have completed at least 60 undergraduate semester credit hours. Upon admission to an accelerated program, students may enroll in graduate courses for credit once they have attained at least 72 undergraduate semester credit hours. Approved courses will apply to both an undergraduate and a graduate degree.
Conditions
- Up to 12 SCH of designated graduate courses may apply to both the Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree program comprised of 45 or fewer SCH; and up to 15 graduate SCH may apply toward both an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree program comprised of more than 45 SCH (Master’s, Specialist or Doctoral degree.)
- Undergraduate students may enroll in no more than 6 SCH of graduate coursework in each semester or term.
- No undergraduate-level course may count toward a graduate degree.
- Minimal criteria for admission will include a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0. Academic components may set higher requirements for their program.
- Once admitted to an accelerated program, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the remainder of their baccalaureate degree, or their admission to the accelerated graduate program may be revoked. Academic components may set additional requirements for their programs.
- Prior to applying to an accelerated degree program, students must have completed a minimum of 15 semester credit hours at Texas Woman's University.
Graduate Application Process
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
This academic program may have additional graduate admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the graduate program's website.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 122
Major: 80 SCH
Program Code: ; CIP Code: 13.0101.00
Texas Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences | 6 | |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture | 3 | |
| Creative Arts | 3 | |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | 3 |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| CAO: Women's Studies | 3 | |
| CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 42 | |
Courses Required for Major
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | ||
| EDSP 3203 | Learners with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| Reading | ||
| READ 3433 | Literacy Foundations EC-6 | 3 |
| READ 4383 | Phonological and Orthographic Principles in Literacy | 3 |
| READ 4453 | Literacy Assessment and Instruction: EC6 | 3 |
| READ 4493 | Reading and Language Arts across the Curriculum: EC-6 | 3 |
| Science | ||
| EDUC 4553 | Science Methods for the Elementary Classroom | 3 |
| Science (Life Science or Physical Science) | 3 | |
| Math | ||
| EDUC 4563 | Mathematics Methods for the Elementary Classroom | 3 |
| MATH 1523 | Mathematics Concepts I | 3 |
| MATH 1533 | Mathematics Concepts II | 3 |
| Social Studies | ||
| EDUC 4573 | Social Studies Methods for the Elementary Classroom | 3 |
| HIST 2713 | History of Texas (or other HIST course) | 3 |
| Physical Education/Health | ||
| KINS 3583 | Health and Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| or HS 3373 | Child and Adolescent Health | |
| Fine Arts | ||
| MU 3833 | Essentials of Fine Arts for the Diverse Classroom | 3 |
| or ECE 3573 | Creative Arts for Elementary School Aged Children | |
| Related Studies | ||
| ECE 2663 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| HDFS 2513 | Early Childhood Development | 3 |
| LS 3013 | Library Materials for Children | 3 |
| Pedagogy & Professional Responsibilities | ||
| EDUC 2003 | Schools and Society | 3 |
| EDUC 3003 | Learning Theory and Development | 3 |
| EDUC 3482 | Teaching Diverse Learners Through Technology Integration | 2 |
| EDUC 4113 | Design and Implementation of Instruction and Assessment | 3 |
| EDUC 4243 | Classroom Environment and Management | 3 |
| EDUC 4946 | Clinical Student Teaching | 6 |
| Total SCHs | 71 | |
Departmental Requirements
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Global Perspectives (may be applied from core) | 3 | |
Master's Level Courses
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| EDSP 5423 | Instructional Interventions for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| EDSP 5033 | Using Assessments for Effective Interventions | 3 |
| EDSP 5313 | Behavior Interventions for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 9 | |
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | TCCN | SCHs | |
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | ENGL 1301 | 3 |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | GOVT 2305 | 3 |
| UNIV 1231 | Learning Frameworks: the First-Year Seminar | EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 1300 | 1 |
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Mathematics Core (Recommended - MATH 1023) | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 16 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| HDFS 2513 | Early Childhood Development | TECA 1354 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | GOVT 2306 | 3 |
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Multicultural Women's Studies CAO Core | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 18 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| MATH 1523 | Mathematics Concepts I | MATH 1350 | 3 |
| Creative Arts Core | 3 | ||
| Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core (Global Perspectives course recommended) | 3 | ||
| Science (Life Science or Physical Science) | 3 | ||
| Social/Behavioral Science Core | 3 | ||
| CAO: Wellness or Mathematics | 2 | ||
| SCHs | 17 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| EDUC 2003 | Schools and Society | EDUC 1301 | 3 |
| EDSP 3203 | Learners with Exceptionalities | 3 | |
| HIST 2713 | History of Texas | HIST 2301 | 3 |
| LS 3013 | Library Materials for Children | 3 | |
| MATH 1533 | Mathematics Concepts II | MATH 1351 | 3 |
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| KINS 3583 or HS 3373 | Health and Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents or Child and Adolescent Health | 3 | |
| EDUC 3003 | Learning Theory and Development | 3 | |
| EDUC 4573 | Social Studies Methods for the Elementary Classroom | 3 | |
| EDUC 4563 | Mathematics Methods for the Elementary Classroom | 3 | |
| READ 3433 | Literacy Foundations EC-6 | 3 | |
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| EDUC 3482 | Teaching Diverse Learners Through Technology Integration | 2 | |
| ECE 3573 or MU 3833 | Creative Arts for Elementary School Aged Children or Essentials of Fine Arts for the Diverse Classroom | 3 | |
| READ 4383 | Phonological and Orthographic Principles in Literacy | 3 | |
| READ 4453 | Literacy Assessment and Instruction: EC6 | 3 | |
| EDSP 5423 | Instructional Interventions for Students with Disabilities | 3 | |
| SCHs | 14 | ||
| Summer | TCCN | ||
| EDSP 5313 | Behavior Interventions for Students with Disabilities | 3 | |
| SCHs | 3 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| ECE 2663 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education | TECA 1311 | 3 |
| EDUC 4553 | Science Methods for the Elementary Classroom | 3 | |
| EDUC 4113 | Design and Implementation of Instruction and Assessment | 3 | |
| EDUC 4243 | Classroom Environment and Management | 3 | |
| READ 4493 | Reading and Language Arts across the Curriculum: EC-6 | 3 | |
| EDSP 5033 | Using Assessments for Effective Interventions | 3 | |
| SCHs | 18 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| EDUC 4946 | Clinical Student Teaching | 6 | |
| SCHs | 6 | ||
| Total SCHs: | 122 | ||
