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Master of Science in Education: Special Education

Foster Student Growth in Special Education Classrooms

Online special education program

Learn from seasoned faculty

Transfer up to 12 graduate credits

No GRE requirement

Learn More Today

Complete the form to learn more about this program.

It’s FREE to Apply until December 22! Your Application Fee is WAIVED when you Apply to Winter or Spring term.

*Excludes MSW, MFA and CMHC programs

  • Duration As few as 12 months
  • Cost per Credit $559
  • Credit Hours 36

Program Benefits

  • Gain specialized knowledge through our special education program
  • Prepare to seek a Special Education endorsement
  • Receive one-on-one coaching from your faculty and advisors
  • Take classes part- or full-time

Expand Your Qualifications in EOU’s Online Special Education Degree Program

By earning a master’s in special education online, you can build the right competencies for teaching learners with exceptionalities. In Eastern Oregon University’s online M.S. in Education, you can choose a Special Education concentration that explores the theory, assessments and academic methods central to providing specialized educational support to students. We designed this online program for working educators, delivering the flexibility needed to succeed in class and your career.

Endorsement Details for EOU’s Special Education Program

  • This online special education master’s degree will count toward a Special Education endorsement in Oregon, additional coursework is required.
  • To receive a Special Education endorsement recommendation, you must have an Oregon license (this is not an initial licensure program).
  • If you teach outside of Oregon, you can request for your home state to verify that you completed this program. After that, your home state can determine whether it will accept our program for your licensure.

Curriculum: Special Education Concentration

Online courses

Finish in 12 – 36 months

36 quarter credit hours

By earning a special education master’s degree online, you can gain an understanding of how developmental differences affect student learning in class and life. EOU’s online degree in special education provides a multifaceted perspective on the legal considerations, procedures and assessments that special education teachers must know. You’ll also delve into specialized instructional models, technologies and resources that help students develop functional and transitional skills to succeed academically and personally.

Required Courses

This introductory level course addresses the history of special education and presents theories of exceptionality, with a focus on individual differences in cognitive, physical, affective, sensory, and communicative development that affect learning in school and throughout life. The definitions, prevalence, causes, and characteristics associated with categories and conditions of exceptionality are emphasized and state eligibility criteria are introduced. Multiculturalism and diversity as related to exceptionality are addressed. Prerequisite: Admission to Special Education Endorsement Program. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.
Legislation, litigation and governance structures relevant to special education are presented. Federal, state, and local guidelines, procedures and practices in special education are examined, including pre-referral, referral, and assessment and identification, and placement processes. Service delivery models and options are identified and analyzed. Strategies and techniques for disseminating information and training to site level personnel regarding special law and procedures are provided. Prerequisite: Admission to Special Education Endorsement Program. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.

Foundations of assessment will be reviewed, including basic principles and professional standards underlying assessment in special education, historical and current approaches to assessment, legal and procedural aspects of assessment, and basic measurement concepts. Types of assessments, instruments, and procedures for assessing mild, moderate, and severe disabilities in the areas College of Education 169 of cognition, sensory, and perception skills, pre-academics, academics, and communication skills are presented in this course. Emphasis is placed on the selection of appropriate instruments and approaches, on the administration and scoring of assessment instruments and on the interpretation of assessment data. Prerequisites: Basic Statistics or equivalent. Admission to Special Educator Endorsement Program. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.

This course will address curriculum content, specialized instructional models, methods, materials, supports, technologies, and resources for teaching pre-academic and academic skills to learners with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities. Prerequisite: Admission to the Special Education Endorsement Program. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.

View Program Curriculum

Advance in Essential, In-Demand Teaching Roles

A recent Oregon Education Association study found that Oregon schools haven’t had enough licensed special education teachers for 25 years.1 Educators who earn their M.S. in Special Education online can prepare to fill this void by building qualifications for education careers with high demand. In fact, Oregon’s special education teacher employment is projected to grow 10 percent in elementary and middle schools and 11 percent in high schools from 2020 to 2030.2,3,4

Elementary Special Education $90,600 Avg. annual salary (Oregon)5

High School Special Education $84,740 Avg. annual salary (Oregon)5

Career Outlook

Customize Your Area of Study

Tailor your education by selecting one or more of the following concentrations, helping you achieve your personalized career goals.

Master of Science in Education: Dyslexia

Learn to perform interventions and assessments focusing on literacy development to create empowering learning environments for children with dyslexia.

View Program

Master of Science in Education: ESOL

This online program prepares you to teach second language learners and enables licensed teachers in Oregon to seek an ESOL endorsement.

View Program

Master of Science in Education: Literacy

Build skills for nurturing literacy engagement in PK-12 schools. Oregon teachers can seek a Reading Intervention endorsement after graduation.

View Program

Master of Science in Education: Trauma in Educational Communities

Oregon teachers can prepare to create trauma-informed classrooms and pursue a specialization in Trauma in Educational Communities after graduation.

View Program

Master of Science in Education: Career & Technical Education

Help students discover their passions through specialized education in business, culinary arts, automotive, graphic design, engineering and more.

View Program

Master of Science in Education: Environmental Education

Learn how to create impactful outdoor learning experiences for outdoor schools, after-school programs, field days and scholastic gardens and farms.

View Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore our frequently asked questions for in-depth answers. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, reach out to us.

We accept up to 12 graduate credits for previous college coursework, which must be approved based on alignment with this program’s requirements. Transferring credits can help lower the tuition cost and time required to complete the program. Visit the tuition page to review the program costs.

The M.S. in Education is not an initial licensure program and does not lead to a teaching license in any state. However, if you are already a licensed teacher in Oregon, certain concentrations prepare you to pursue endorsements. The ESOL, Literacy, and Special Education concentrations can lead to Oregon endorsement recommendations, and the Trauma in Educational Communities concentration prepares you for a specialization. To receive an endorsement recommendation, you must already hold an Oregon teaching license. Teachers from other states should contact their state department of education to determine if the program meets their state’s endorsement requirements.

The M.S. in Education practicum experiences vary by concentration. For example, the Literacy concentration, Reading Intervention endorsement requires a 90-hour practicum in a working classroom setting. These hands-on experiences allow you to apply your learning in real educational environments while working toward your degree. The practicum component provides valuable experience even for those who don’t have prior teaching experience. Learn more on the program courses page.

Yes, you can change your concentration after enrolling in the M.S. in Education: Environmental Education program. However, each concentration includes distinct courses, so your program duration may be extended if you make changes after completing some courses.

Additionally, students may choose to pursue multiple concentrations, if they wish. Selecting more than one concentration will automatically fulfill elective requirements. To change or add additional concentrations, students should contact the program coordinator, who will assist with updating their degree plan.

To explore the courses for each concentration, visit the courses page.

The online M.S. in Education can be completed in as little as 12 months if you attend full-time, or you can extend your studies to a part-time schedule. The program requires 36 quarter credit hours total, including 15 credits in the teacher-researcher core. The flexible online format is designed specifically for working professionals who need to balance their education with career and personal commitments. View the complete curriculum and course sequence to plan your path.

Students attending Eastern Oregon University can pursue a variety of scholarships. To review the current options, visit the scholarships section.

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Sources

  1. Oregon Capital Chronicle. “Schools hiring emergency teachers for special education…” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/04/13/schools-continue-to-hire-emergency-special-education-teachers-potentially-violating-federal-law/.
  2. O*NET OnLine. Oregon Employment Trends 25-2056.00 – Special Education Teachers, Elementary School. Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/25-2056.00?st=OR.
  3. O*NET OnLine. Oregon Employment Trends 25-2057.00 – Special Education Teachers, Middle School. Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/25-2057.00?st=OR.
  4. O*NET OnLine. Oregon Employment Trends 25-2058.00 – Special Education Teachers, Secondary School. Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/25-2058.00?st=OR.
  5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. “May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (Oregon).” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes_or.htm.