PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Master of Arts in Exceptional Student Education K-12 program is for non-education majors or previously certified teachers in another content area. The Master of Arts in Exceptional Student Education K-12 program is for non-education majors or previously certified teachers in another content area. Graduates must be eligible for certification by the successful completion of the degree program in the area of exceptional student education (ESE) and must pass the Florida certification exams. Graduates will also receive Reading and ESOL endorsements upon successful completion of the program, if not currently endorsed. For additional information, contact esegrad@ucf.edu.
This is a state-approved, initial teacher preparation program designed in compliance with Florida Statutes and State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066. Degree requirements are subject to change based on state mandates. Students enrolled in this program should remain in close contact with their adviser to keep informed of any program changes implemented to comply with new state requirements.
Passing scores on ALL three applicable sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) are required prior to graduation. See www.fldoe.org for available test dates and test sites. The exams include:
- FTCE General Knowledge Test (GKT) (If CLAST or GRE was used for admission.)
- FTCE Professional Education Test (PEd)
- FTCE Subject Area Exam for Exceptional Student Education K-12
- In order to be "highly qualified", students must take and pass a subject area examination in a specific content area.
CURRICULUM
The Master of Arts (MA) in Exceptional Student Education K-12 program requires a minimum of 39 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree including 9 credit hours of required core courses, 21 credit hours of specialization courses, and 9 credit hours of Internship and Reading Practicum. Individual learning projects, including research skills and action research, are embedded in the specialization courses and completed in authentic settings. In addition, a culminating Comprehensive Exam will be completed to demonstrate mastery of research, knowledge, skills, and dispositions of standards from accrediting educational agencies. Students entering the MA program without prior related courses and/or appropriate teacher certifications may need to complete courses in the MA Foundation Core/Co-requisite area as prescribed by Florida State Statutes for initial teacher preparation (ITP).| Total Credit Hours Required: |
| 39
Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree |
Foundation Core/Co-requisites
These foundation core/co-requisite courses are prescribed by Florida State Statutes for initial teacher preparation (ITP). Students entering the Exceptional Student Education MA program without prior related courses and/or appropriate teacher certifications may need to complete courses in the Foundation Core/Co-requisite area.
If a student has successfully completed equivalent courses in the Foundation Core/Co-requisite area, as prescribed by Florida State Statutes for initial teacher preparation, then course waivers can be requested (see adviser).
- EEX 5051 Exceptional Children in the Schools (3 credit hours). Students are strongly advised to enroll in EEX 5051 early in their graduate program.
- EDF 6727 Critical Analysis of Social, Ethical, Legal, and Safety Issues Related to Education (3 credit hours)
- EDG 6415 Principles of Instruction and Classroom Management (3 credit hours)
- EDF 6237 Principles of Learning and Introduction to Classroom Assessment (3 credit hours)
- RED 5147 Developmental Reading (3 credit hours)
- RED 5517 Classroom Diagnosis (3 credit hours). Please note that RED 5517 is currently not available online.
Required Courses—30 Credit Hours
Core—9 Credit Hours
- EDF 6481 Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3 credit hours)
- TSL 5085 Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms (3 credit hours)
- TSL 6250 Applied Linguistics in ESOL (3 credit hours)
TSL 5085 and TSL 6250 are required courses leading to ESOL endorsement. Students should see an adviser if they hold a current ESOL endorsement.
Specialization—21 Credit Hours
- EEX 6061 Instructional Strategies PreK-6 (3 credit hours)
- EEX 6065 Programming for Students with Disabilities at the Secondary Level (3 credit hours)
- EEX 6107 Teaching Spoken and Written Language (3 credit hours)
- EEX 6295 Assessment and Curriculum Prescriptions for the Exceptional Population (3 credit hours)
- EEX 6524 Organization and Collaboration in Special Ed (3 credit hours)
- EEX 6612 Methods of Behavioral Management (3 credit hours)
- EEX 6342 Seminar: Cricial Issues in Special Education (3 credit hours)
Internship and Practicum—9 Credit Hours
- EEX 6946 Graduate Internship: ESE (6 credit hours)
- RED 5948 Practicum in Reading Assessment and Instruction (3 credit hours)
Additional Graduation Requirements
- Pass all applicable sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination. See http://www.fl.nesinc.com/ or www.fldoe.org for additional information about test dates and resources.
- Pass Comprehensive Exam.
- Complete a LiveText Professional Portfolio.
- Complete a TESOL Portfolio.
- Compliance with all university and graduate student policies.
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
The Exceptional Student Education K-12 MA program requires the completion of an Action Research Project, Internship, and Reading Practicum. These independent learning activities take place in authentic settings where students must apply, reflect upon, and refine their knowledge, skills, and dispositions acquired in the program.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- A copy of current ESOL endorsement, IF applicable.
- A copy of current Reading Endorsement, IF applicable.
- A copy of current professional teaching certificate, IF applicable.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
This program does not require GRE for admission, but in accordance with Florida Statute 1004.4 and State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066, admission to this graduate-level, state-approved initial teacher preparation program requires one of the following: 1) a composite verbal-quantitative GRE score of at least 1000, or 2) having previously passed all four parts of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), or 3) passing all four parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination/General Knowledge Test (FTCE/GKT). Applicants who do not meet this requirement via option 1 (GRE) or 2 (CLAST), must take and pass the FTCE/GKT for admission.
Students may not switch from an MA program to an MEd program, or vice versa, without going through the university's admission process.
Application Deadlines
All application materials must be submitted by the appropriate deadline listed below.
| Exceptional Student Education K-12 MA |
Fall Priority
|
Fall
|
Spring
|
Summer
|
|---|
|
Domestic Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jul 15 | Dec 1 | Apr 15 |
|---|
|
International Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | Jul 1 | Nov 1 |
|---|
|
International Transfer Applicants
| Jan 15 | Mar 1 | Sep 1 | Dec 15 |
|---|
FINANCIALS
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see
Funding for Graduate School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The
Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see Fellowships, which includes descriptions of UCF fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.