MS Special Education Course of Study

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MS in Special Education, Courses of Study/Assessments

WGU offers degrees, not classes. As a competency-based online university, progress through your degree program is determined by demonstrating your competence through carefully designed assessments and completion of a professional portfolio, capstone, or both. As a student in this program, you will complete the assessments (courses) listed below in order to graduate. These assessments are required. Each assessment has a course of study, which contains a study guide and recommended learning resources for you to use while completing said assessment. Your assigned mentor will help guide you through this process.

For ease of understanding, WGU has assigned competency units to each of its assessments as indicated below. A competency unit is equivalent to a semester credit hour of learning. WGU terms are six months in length. During a typical term, students will be expected to complete at least 8 to 9 competency units. Grades are assigned on a Pass/Not Pass basis; a “Pass” at WGU is equivalent to a letter grade of “B" or better.

Speak to an Enrollment Counselor for more information about these assessments and their courses of study. View the PDF program guide. (Download Adobe Reader to view this file.)

Course Course of Study/Assessments Competency Units
X353 Introduction to Special Education, Law and Legal Issues 5
X352 Psychoeducational Assessment Practices and IEP Development/Implementation 5
X371 Behavioral Management and Intervention 3
X542 Instructional Models and Design, Supervision and Culturally Responsive Teaching 5
IDC1 Foundations of Instructional Design 2
JNT2 Instructional Design Analysis 2
JOT2 Issues in Instructional Design 2
JPT2 Instructional Design Production 2
RFC1 Foundations of Research 2
JUT2 Literature Reviews for Educational Research 2
JVT2 Research Proposal 2
JTT2 Issues in Educational Research 2
FPT2 MS SPED Teacher Work Sample Written Project/Practicum I 3
FRT2 MS SPED Teacher Work Sample Oral Defense/Practicum II 3

As a new graduation requirement, all students in the B.A. Special Education (K-12), and M.S. Special Education (K-12) programs must pass the Praxis II Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications exam (test code 0543) at their own expense. This specific exam is required to gain state licensure in Special Education. This is only for new enrollees after September 1, 2011.