MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION FOR NYSED LICENSED TEACHERS: SPECIAL EDUCATION (ALL GRADES) 

The MSEd in Special Education, All Grades for NYS-Licensed Teachers is a cohort program that enrolls for the winter and spring semesters only.

Are you ready to transform lives? With King Graduate School’s Master of Science in Education: Teaching Students with Disabilities (MSEd), you'll elevate your impact as an educator and advocate in the field of special education. Designed for working professionals, our program offers full-time and part-time options with flexible online courses structured to meet your demanding teaching schedule.  

Your success as a licensed NYSED teacher will be deepened with an understanding of pre-K through grade 12 learners with disabilities, aligning with NYSED’s Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Framework. You will be in a position to support all students, including those from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

The 35-credit master’s degree in special education balances rigorous academics with hands-on clinical practice, helping you to develop strategies for inclusive, resource room, and self-contained settings, and advancing equity-based, safe learning environments.

Join a community of passionate special educators who are committed to helping every student reach their full potential. Your journey to becoming a transformative force in special education starts here.

Invest in your future. Invest in their futures. Enroll now and make a difference that lasts a lifetime.

Why Earn a Master’s Degree in Special Education?

The Licensure Requirement
Upon earning their NYS Initial Teaching Certificate, teachers must complete three (3) years of teaching experience in order to earn their NYS Professional Certificate, and they must earn a master’s degree in teaching within five (5) years of their initial licensure.

Job Security
The Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024-2025 reports that more than half of school districts and 80% of states show a shortage of special education teachers. You’ll also have the credential to move into other educational positions – such as school counselor or even principal.

Personal Enrichment 
By enrolling in the Master of Science in Education: Teaching Students with Disabilities program, you will be giving yourself the opportunity to expand your current teaching practice to include every student.

The master’s degree in special education is a 35-credit, flexible online teacher education program with both full-time and part-time study options. Master’s candidates will engage in high-level coursework in subjects that include:

• Foundations and Contemporary Issues of Urban & Special Education
• Child and Adolescent Development
• Curriculum Development for Students with Disabilities
• Foundational Literacy for Students with Disabilities
• Collaborative Partnerships and Inclusive Practices in Special Education
• Teaching Literacy to Grade Level Content for Middle and High School Students with Disabilities
• Classroom Management Through Positive Behavior Supports

With multiple opportunities for professional development, graduate candidates will apply their newly-learned methodologies in real-world settings, and may complete their fieldwork/practicum experiences in the school where they currently teach.

Students will also complete a capstone research seminar and thesis project, during which they will complete a Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA).
 

How Long Does it Take to Get a Master’s Degree in Special Education

The MSEd in special education is a 5-semester program; full-time students may complete the degree in a year and a half. Monroe University offers three full semesters each year – Fall, Winter, and Spring.

Learn more about the requirements for the Master of Science for special education teachers.

Candidates for the MSEd/Teaching Students with Disabilities program must have an earned NYS Initial Teacher Certification.

Along with a completed application for admission, they must submit:

• A personal statement describing why they want to attend the program
• A current professional resume
• A current teaching license
• Transcripts from all prior educational institutions attended
• Two (2) letters of reference attesting to their character and positive disposition, as well as their ability to advocate for students and their families

Candidates must also participate in a pre-admission personal interview.

Learn more about how to apply to Monroe University.

How Much Does a Master’s in Education Cost?

Monroe believes that great teachers deserve a quality education. That’s why, in addition to offering affordable tuition and fees, our dedicated financial aid officers will work with you one-on-one to help you secure every scholarship, grant, and loan for which you’re eligible, including the federal TEACH Grant that is specifically for graduate students.

We’ve also been awarded an NYSED Teacher Opportunity Corps II (TOCII) grant to provide qualified, diverse New York State resident candidates with a Teaching Professions Scholarship specific to our graduate programs.

It’s opportunities like these, along with our affordable tuition and fees, that make Monroe one of the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Value Schools in Regional Universities North.

Where Can I Teach with a Master’s Degree? 

With an MSEd you are qualified to teach in preschools as well as public or private K-12 classrooms. In these environments, you may also choose to work in inclusionary classrooms or resource rooms.

Other educational settings may include home programs, hospitals, clinics, health agencies, and residential facilities. You can even advance your career toward becoming a school counselor, instructional coordinator, or principal. 

View the factsheet.