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The M.Ed. program in special education is designed for certified teachers who are seeking advanced certification in special education. The program includes 150 hours of practicum experience.

Admission

1. To be considered for admission all of the following materials must be on file in The Graduate School, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, by October 1 (spring or summer admission) or March 1 (summer or fall admission).
   • transcripts of all college and university credits
   • two letters of recommendation from former professors or work supervisors in the field of education
   • a completed graduate school application
   • a letter of intent for proposed study in special education
   • Graduate Record Examination (verbal and quantitative sections) or Miller Analogies Test scores, taken within five years of application date
   • evidence of initial certification
2. Upon verification of the above requirements, the applicant will interview with the Programs in Special Education Committee and participate in an extemporaneous writing sample.
3. Acceptance by The Graduate School and the programs in special education is based on the evaluation of the applicant’s total academic profile by two admissions committee members. The committee members evaluate the applicant’s letters of recommendation, GPA, test scores, writing sample, and interview and then make an admissions recommendation based on their evaluation.

Examinations and Certification

Students must:

• maintain an average grade of B or better on all courses taken for graduate credit. Grades of C+ or lower on any 12 hours of graduate work at the University will disqualify a student for a graduate degree from the College of Education.
• pass a comprehensive examination in the area of specialization.

Note: The M.Ed. program is not designed for initial teacher certification. Students wishing to use the M.Ed. program to add certification in an area of special education to their existing teaching certificates must meet requirements as mandated by the S.C. Department of Education. Further information may be obtained from the S.C. Department of Education or from the College of Education’s Office of Students Affairs.

Degree Requirements