M.Ed. in Special Education

  • M.Ed
  • Graduate
  • On Campus
  • Education

Rivier’s Special Education programs will prepare you to work directly with students with learning disabilities or emotional and behavioral disorders in general and special education classrooms.

Program Details

  • Next Start Date:  January 15, 2024
  • Est. Program Length:  2 years
  • Credit Hours:  39 – 48
  • Course Length:  7 and 14 weeks
  • Cost Per Credit:  $664
REQUEST MORE INFO

Why Study Special Education at Rivier?

Combining classroom and field-based experiences to connect coursework with practical school-based applications, our M.Ed. in Special Education program provides you with opportunities to develop the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to effectively educate and accommodate students with special needs.

In the M.Ed. in Special Education program, you will:

  • Develop practical teaching knowledge and skills
  • Learn to consult and collaborate with other professionals and family members
  • Become an effective communicator and collaborator

Distinguished faculty are practitioners and experts in their fields of study. Students benefit from hands-on, experiential learning and faculty-student mentorship.

Fall 2023 Grants – Incoming Education majors are eligible for an Education Innovation Grant. First-time, first-year students will be awarded a $3,000 grant each year, renewable for four years for a total of $12,000 in financial support, in addition to a competitive financial aid package. This grant award supports students pursuing degrees in education.

Program of Study

This is a 39- to 49-credit program, which includes either a capstone project or internship(s). Our curriculum is designed to comply with New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) standards for special education certification.

In addition to the initial certification in general special education, additional specializations and endorsements are available for specific supports and populations within the special education field. You can also acquire specialized knowledge in the following areas:

  • General Special Education: Initial Certification
  • General Special Education: Autism Specialization
  • Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities: Endorsement
  • Specific Learning Disabilities: Endorsement

Certification

  • Upon completion of this program, you will be eligible for certification in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario per the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement.
  • Students seeking teacher certification must apply to the Professional Educator Program (PEPP) after successfully completing 12 credits, receiving positive Professional Disposition reports from a cooperating practitioner and a college professor, and maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Rivier, Lauren Hall, Class of 2012/2016G, was appointed Pelham School District’s first Special Education Coordinator, a leadership role that addresses the educational needs of students with wide-ranging disabilities. In 2018, she received the “Emerging Leader Award” from the New Hampshire Association for Special Education Administrators and the University's Young Alumni Award.

Where Will Your Special Education Degree Take You?

Graduates are prepared for a variety of rewarding leadership roles in a range of educational settings.

Careers

  • Special education teachers
  • Autism services program directors
  • Behavior coaches
  • Intellectual disabilities case managers

Take the Next Steps

Contact

Office of Graduate and Professional Studies Admissions

Start Today

Prepare for a rewarding career as a certified special education teacher with an M.Ed. in Special Education.