There are several programs for graduate study in the area of special education at CMU. These programs include a master's degree program and several other types of graduate programs.

Master of Arts in Special Education

A master's degree program, Master of Arts in Special Education, is available for students who have a Michigan Elementary or Secondary Provisional, Permanent, or Life certificate or special education endorsement, and want advanced study in special education. Within the electives on the master's degree program, a graduate student may decide to take courses toward an additional endorsement in the areas of cognitive impairment, emotional impairment, specific learning disability, or autism. Or a graduate student (in consultation with an advisor) may select other courses that would provide expertise in areas that would be beneficial for a special education teacher or teacher consultant.

Endorsement Programs

There are four endorsement programs available. For students seeking their first graduate level special education endorsement, they may select from the Emotional Impairment Endorsement or the Cognitive Impairment Endorsement. Special education endorsements that are offered as a second endorsement are the Learning Disabilities Endorsement and the Autism Endorsement.

Graduate Certificate Program

There is a Graduate Certificate in Autism program that involves an 18 credit hour program leading to a document of certification for individuals who desire to gain expertise in Autism, but who do not need a special education teaching endorsement. Specifically, the Graduate Certificate in Autism was developed for parents or professionals with a bachelor's degree who do not have a teaching certificate or who do not have an initial special education endorsement (for example, general education teachers, school psychologists, social workers, clinical speech therapists, mental health professionals or other service providers).

Internet-based Options

It is noteworthy that some of the courses required on the Autism Endorsement program or the Autism Certificate program may be available as on-line, web-based courses through the Autism Collaborative Endorsement (ACE) Program. This feature of these two programs may be appealing for graduate students in remote locations who want to further their knowledge in the area of Autism.

Graduate Advisors

The advisors for graduate programs in special education are Dr. Laura Frey, Dr. Suzanne Shellady, Dr. Holly Hoffman, Dr. Jennifer Wirz​ and Dr. Dawn Decker. Contact them if you have any questions or require further information about the graduate programs in special education.

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