Are you searching for Master’s in Special Education degree programs in North Carolina to further your career working with students with mild to moderate disabilities? Located in the southeastern region of the United States along the Atlantic Ocean as the 28th most extensive and 10th most populous state, North Carolina is an excellent choice for pursuing a teaching career with two of its largest metropolitan areas being among the top ten fastest growing in the nation. If you are interested in achieving certification to benefit from abundant teaching opportunities in the “Tar Heel State,” the following are the accredited graduate programs in North Carolina that can help start a rewarding career in special education.
Note: Those interested in distance learning programs should consult our recommendations for Online Master’s in Special Education.
East Carolina University
College of Education
Situated on a vast 1,401-acre campus in the urban center of Greenville just 80 miles east of the state capital in Raleigh, East Carolina University is a major comprehensive public research institution with a large community of more than 28,000 students. According to the U.S. News and World Report, ECU is currently ranked as the 181st best college, 101st top public school, and 48th best university for veterans in the entire nation. Home to the innovative Child Development Laboratory (CDL), the College of Education consists of seven academic departments with the overarching mission of preparing professional educators through a continuing emphasis on scholarship and creative research activity.
Master of Arts in Education (MA.Ed.) in Special Education (SPED)
For teachers who already hold an initial state teaching license in special education, the Master of Arts in Education (MA.Ed.) in Special Education program allows the completion of an advanced degree to further knowledge and skills that pertain to providing adapting instruction to diverse students with special needs. As a 39-semester hour program that is completed fully online on a part-time basis for two years to accommodate working teachers, the program enables graduate students to concentrate their studies in Behavioral Emotional Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, or Low-Incidence Disabilities. In addition, educators can achieve a graduate certificate in Assistive Technology, Autism, or Deaf-Blindness.
Accreditations
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
Speight Building Room 139
Greenville, NC 27858
(252) 328-4260
kinglau@ecu.edu
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/sefr/sped/
North Carolina Central University
School of Education
As a historically black university known for being the nation’s first state-supported public liberal arts college for African Americans, North Carolina Central University is located in the heart of the state’s Research Triangle. With a diverse population of more than 8,500 students, NCCU is ranked as the 68th best college and 29th top public school in the South as well as the 12th best historically black university in the entire nation by the U.S. News and World Report. The School of Education has a mission of preparing students academically and professionally to assume socially responsible roles that will advance the general well-being of North Carolina residents.
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education: Behavioral-Emotional Disabilities
Designed to prepare educators to effectively teach and nurture students with special needs that arise from the existence of behavioral or emotional disabilities, this M.Ed. in Special Education program is focused on producing graduates who demonstrate the knowledge and skills required for special educators as defined by the advanced competencies of the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction. As a 39-credit hour program for teachers who have a background in education, the curriculum provides knowledge of special populations, adapting curriculum, and assessing students with IEPs for behavioral-emotional disabilities.
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education: Learning Disabilities
Focused on addressing issues of language and cultural diversity to deliver evidence-based educational programs to meet the diverse learning needs of K-12 students with learning disabilities, this M.Ed in Special Education program is offered to teachers who already have completed initial state certification. For the completion of 39 credit hours, the program involves coursework in classroom management, assessment, collaborative planning, individualized student programs, statistics, applied research methods, learning theories, advanced instructional methods, and professional practicum with students with learning disabilities.
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Special Education: Visual Impairment
With a strong emphasis on preparing educators to work with K-12 students with blindness or other visual impairments, this M.Ed. in Special Education program follows the standards of the Academy Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP). As an online program combined with a minimum 350-hour internship in the specialty area, the curriculum trains students on reading and writing Braille, implications of eye conditions on education, delivering Functional Vision Assessments, and implementing assistive technology to teach children who are blind or have low vision.
Accreditations
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
1801 Fayetteville Street
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 530-5327
wynetta.lee@nccu.edu
http://www.nccu.edu/soe/departments/candi/programs/specialed/specialed-index.cfm
For individuals who have a calling for working with children or adolescents with special needs in order to help them reach their academic and social goals, it is an excellent time to further a career in the highly in-demand field of special education. Therefore, it is highly recommended that aspiring educators in the “Tar Heel State” further investigate these top-notch Master’s in Special Education degree programs in North Carolina that have been given the stamp of approval by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
