The Patton College of Education offers a Master's Degree in Education (MEd) with licensure as an Intervention Specialist, with three different majors.
| Major |
Program Code |
|---|
Early Childhood Intervention Specialist (ECIS)
For working with students in pre-kindergarten through grade 5 |
ME6220* |
Intervention Specialist for K-12, Mild-to-Moderate (MM) Educational Needs
For working with students with specific learning disabilities, mild cognitive disabilities, and/or emotional disturbance |
ME6236* |
Intervention Specialist for K-12, Moderate-to-Intensive (MI) Educational Needs
for working with students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and/or multi-handicapping conditions |
ME6237* |
This program meets the Ohio teacher licensure requirements and is also available to those NOT holding a teaching license at the undergraduate level. The focus of the Special Education program at Ohio University centers on the delivery of quality services within limited resource environments and the promotion of equitable education for all students. Our master’s degree programs are fully online.
* These links take you to the official Ohio University course catalog entry for each major. Similar information appears on this page below.
Please check out the Bursar's website for the latest cost information.
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FAQs
Contact
Danielle Feeney
Program Coordinator
309 Patton Hall
specialeducation@ohio.edu
740.593.0848
Program Details
Criteria for Admission
We review all applications holistically, however, prospective master’s candidates must submit:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or equivalent.
- Have an undergraduate overall GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00-grade scale, evidenced by an official transcript.
- Three acceptable letters of recommendation from faculty or professionals who can speak about your abilities.
- A statement of personal and professional reasons for seeking this degree and major, which serves as a writing sample about your written communication abilities in addition to your desire for the degree.
We review all applications holistically so an applicant who does not perfectly meet all of the listed requirements may receive what’s called conditional admission. Conditional admission means that the applicant must remedy the shortcoming within a defined period of time or they must leave the program. Also, be aware that background checks are required as part of the journey to becoming a teacher.
Program Cost and Financial Aid
All inquiries about the cost of the program and the acquisition of financial aid should be directed toward the Bursar’s Office (email: bursar@ohio.edu, phone: 740.593.4130). A breakdown of program costs is available from their website.
And be sure to look into the TEACH Grant, a federal aid opportunity for some special education majors who agree to certain post-graduation requirements. You start the process of applying by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Planning the Program of Study
Once admitted, we assign each candidate a faculty advisor. The candidate and advisor meet (either in person or electronically) to develop a formal Program of Study. This Program of Study should be developed early in the candidate’s program and must be approved by the faculty advisor and Chair of the Department of Teacher Education. Any change in a Program of Study must be approved by the advisor and the Department Chair and be filed with the candidate’s original Program of Study. Program of Study forms and change in Program of Study forms should be typed and they are available from the Patton College of Education website.
All M.Ed. candidates in the Department of Teacher Education must complete a minimum of 30 graduate semester hours of course work. The number of hours required to meet state requirements for the MM, MI, or ECIS licensure is determined in consultation with the advisor and is based on previous degrees, previous licensure(s), course work, professional internship hours (and when these previous requirements were completed). The number of hours required can range from 30 hours for a person with a previous special education license to 71 semester hours for a person seeking their first (initial) teacher license. We understand that this is a vast range, but we recognize that exceptional training and field-based practice opportunities are imperative for the development of knowledge, dispositions, and skills necessary to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities.
Coursework Overview
All majors include coursework in four areas:
- Teacher Education Core
- Special Education Core
- Major/Specialization
- Basic Instructional Methods
Select your major/specialization in the Coursework Requirements section below to see a list of all required courses.
Notes About Coursework Requirements
- Courses are subject to any changes in requirements as set forth by the Educator Licensure Board.
- 12 semester hours of reading methods coursework (including phonics) is required for an Ohio Provisional Intervention Specialist Teaching License; 4 courses are listed, but an advisor approved alternate is acceptable.
- Most special education courses are offered once during the academic year. Follow the annual course rotation schedule when planning your coursework to assure a timely graduation. The typical course schedule is provided next to courses as indicated by Fa (Fall), Sp (Spring), and Su (Summer). It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure a course is offered in a planned semester.
- The Master’s Research Project may be implemented during a practicum and/or during the Professional Internship experience if approved by your advisor in advance.
- We recommend that candidates who have had no classroom experience with the specific population in the new the licensure area take 2 hours of Practicum during Fall semester and 2 hours of Practicum during Spring as co-requisites with other course work in order to fulfill applied projects.
- To qualify for the Professional Internship in Teaching, a candidate must have completed EDTE 5600, EDTE 6670, and all required EDSP and methods courses.
Requirements for Practicum and Professional Internship
- A candidate without a standard teaching license will take a minimum of 4 credit hours of practicum (2 Fall; 2 Spring), 12 hours of professional internship and 3 hours of professional internship seminar (during which the edTPA is completed) in the area in which a license is sought. The professional internship is full time for one semester.
- A candidate holding an Ohio license and wishing to become licensed in special education must complete a total of 6 credit hours (2 credit hours for 3 semesters) of practicum across at least two grade-level bands in the area in which he/she is seeking licensure. These experiences must involve university supervision and be with the appropriate population of pupils.
- A candidate who has completed 2 years of full-time teaching in an approved special education setting in which an intervention specialist license is sought, may take a total of 6 hours of practicum (2 credit hours for three semesters) instead of a professional internship in teaching. (NOTE: This needs to be verified by a letter from the superintendent indicating the dates of 2 years of employment and will be checked by the administrative assistant in charge of licensure in Student Affairs). The practicum experiences must involve Ohio University supervision and be with the appropriate population of pupils.
Criteria for Retention and Completion of the Master's Degree Program
- Maintain a GPA of 3.0 and receive no lower than a C in any courses.
- If applicable, apply for your Professional Internship through the Office of Clinical Experiences.
- In the term prior to any experience in the schools, obtain a background check from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and FBI (if non-Ohio resident) through the Ohio University Police Department and send results to the Office of Clinical Experiences.
- Schedule and complete the necessary Ohio Educator Assessments (OAE).
- After the majority of course work is completed, initiate a Master’s Research Project proposal with your faculty advisor.
- At the beginning of your last semester apply for graduation and for a teaching license. Graduation applications can be found on Ohio University’s registrar’s webpage, and licensure applications from the Ohio Department of Education website.
Coursework Requirements
