Special Education (EDSP)
Graduate Degree Program
College: Education
Abstract
Graduate programs in special education are designed to prepare highly qualified teachers, to provide graduate level content, and to prepare researchers, teacher educators, and leaders in the field of special education. We offer the following graduate program options:
- M.Ed. in Special Education with Generic Elementary/Middle age based certification
- M.Ed. in Special Education with Generic Elementary/Middle age based and severe disabilities certification
- M.Ed. in Special Education with severe disabilities certification only
- M.Ed. in Specialty Program (30 credits)
- M.A. in Special Education (36 credits)
- Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate (30 credits beyond the master’s degree)
- Ph.D. program
Note that, as of 2012, the EDSP graduate programs are part of a new department, the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education. The EDSP degree programs were previously housed in the Department of Special Education.
Financial Assistance
A limited number of fellowships, assistantships and/or grants are available to qualified applicants.
Contacts
Carol Scott
Coordinator
Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
3115 Benjamin Building
3942 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.8384
Fax: 301.405.9995
Email: edspgrad@deans.umd.edu
Website: http://www.education.umd.edu/CHSE/SE_overview.html
Courses: EDSP
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
- Statement of Purpose
- Transcript(s)
- TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (international graduate students)
PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
For the M.Ed. programs, students must submit scores on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test (meeting the State of Maryland passing scores) prior to admission into the program and have an undergraduate 3.0 GPA. The Master’s of Arts program requires a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and the submission of the Miller Analogies Test or the Graduate Record Examination test scores at or above the 40th percentile rank. The AGS program requires a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, a master’s GPA of 3.5, and submission of scores on the MAT, GRE, or Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test. Admission to the Ph.D. program requires:
- Master’s degree or equivalent in Special Education or a related field from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.5 or better;
- An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better;
- A score on the Graduate Record Exam placing the student at or above the 50th percentile on verbal, quantitative, and analytic subtests;
- Two years of research or work experience with exceptional populations;
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who have direct knowledge of the applicant’s academic capabilities, work experience, and professional characteristics;
- A statement of academic and research goals including intended area of study, research interests, and plans for future employment;
- Evidence of writing skills shown in the statement of academic and research goals;
- EDMS Research Methods I or equivalent.
Students pursuing teacher certification in special education are required to take courses required by the Maryland State Department of Education which lead to certification in the State of Maryland. Programs for the Master’s specialty program, the AGS, and the Ph.D. are planned individually by the students and advisor to reflect each student’s background and goals.
A TOEFL score of 100 is required for international students who are not native speakers of English.
- GRE for Ph.D., Miller Analogies or GRE for M.A., Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators for M.Ed., MAT, GRE or Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators for A.G.S. (at State of Maryland cut scores)
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Statement of Goals
- Transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities
- Interview required for Ph.D. and M.Ed. with teacher certification
Application Deadlines
| Type of Applicant | Fall Deadline |
|---|---|
| Domestic Applicants | |
| US Citizens and Permanent Residents | M.Ed. (with Certification): March 14, 2025 |
| M.Ed. (without Certification): March 14, 2025 | |
| M.A.: December 4, 2024 | |
| Ph.D.: December 3, 2024 | |
| International Applicants | |
| F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visas; A,E,G,H,I and L visas and immigrants | M.Ed. (with Certification): March 14, 2025 |
| M.Ed. (without Certification): March 14, 2025 | |
| M.A.: December 4, 2024 | |
| Ph.D.: December 3, 2024 |
RESOURCES AND LINKS:
Program Website: http://www.education.umd.edu/CHSE/SE_overview.html
Application Process: gradschool.umd.edu/admissions
The Special Education program provides an unparalleled setting for graduate study. The program’s proximity to outstanding public schools in Maryland provides students who wish to pursue teacher certification the chance to gain experience with a culturally and linguistically diverse student population in urban, suburban, and rural settings.
Additionally, students pursuing a doctoral degree can have experiences in advocacy and professional organizations, government agencies, including the US Department of Education in addition to the coursework they take at the University.
| Last Name | First/Middle Name | Graduate Faculty Status | Academic Credentials | Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abera | Nicole Taylor | Graduate Teaching | B.S., Bowling Green State University, 2002; M.A., American University, 2007; Ph.D., University of Maryland-College Park, 2014 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Amilivia | Jennifer Marie | Graduate Teaching | B.A., University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 2009; B.G.S., University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 2012; M.A., University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 2014; Ph.D., University of Kansas, 2020 | Assistant Clinical Professor, Special Education |
| Andrusik | Katryna Natalya | Graduate Teaching | B.A., John Hopkins University, 2000; M.S., John Hopkins University, 2003; Ph.D., University of Maryland-College Park, 2011 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Beckman | Paula J. | Full Member | B.A., Hastings College, 1974; M.A.,University of Nebraska at Omaha, 1977; Ph.D.,University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 1980. | Professor Emerita, Special Education |
| Burke | Philip J. | Full Member | B.S., University of Scranton, 1963;M.S., 1965; Ph.D., Syracuse University, 1970. | Professor, Special Education |
| Chen | Briella Baer | Graduate Teaching | B.S., Denison University, 2015; M.H.S., John Hopkins University, 2016 | n/a, Special Education |
| Cummings | Kelli Dawn | Full Member | B.A., Oregon State University, 1999; M.S., University of Oregon, 2003; Ph.D., University of Oregon, 2004. | Assistant Professor, Special Education |
| De La Paz | Susan C. | Full Member | B.S., Northwestern University, 1984; M.S., University of Michigan, 1986; Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1995. | Professor, Special Education |
| Dynia | Jaclyn M | Graduate Teaching | B.S., University of Maryland-College Park, 2004; M.Ed., University of Maryland-College Park, 2007 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Egel | Andrew L. | Full Member | B.A., University of California-Santa Barbara,1976; M.A., 1977; Ph.D., 1979. | Associate Professor Emeritus, Special Education |
| Hankins | Laura Diane | Graduate Teaching | B.S., University of Maryland-College Park, 2004; M.Ed., University of Maryland-College Park, 2007 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Intepe Tingir | Seyma | Graduate Teaching | B.S., University of Maryland-College Park, 2004; M.Ed., University of Maryland-College Park, 2007 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Keitt | Janae | Graduate Teaching | B.A., College of William & Mary, 2000; M.A., College of William & Mary 2004; Ph.D., University of Maryland, 2014 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Kim | Yeh Jun | Graduate Teaching | A.S., Rochester Institute of Technology, 2016; B.S., Rochester Institute of Technology, 2017; M.S., Rochester Institute of Technology, 2018; M.A., Gallaudet University, 2020 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Kohl | Frances L. | Full Member | B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1973; M.Ed., Temple University, 1975; Ph.D., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, 1979. | Associate Professor Emerita, Special Education |
| Leone | Peter E. | Full Member | B.A., University of Iowa, 1972; M.A., 1974;Ph.D., University of Washington, 1981. | Professor Emeritus, Special Education |
| Lieber | Joan | Full Member | B.A., Rutgers State University-Douglass College, 1969; M.S., University of Pennsylvania, 1970; Ph.D., University of California-Santa Barbara, 1986. | Professor Emerita, Special Education |
| McCatharn | Jennifer Marie | Graduate Teaching | B.S., University of Maryland-College Park, 2004; M.Ed., University of Maryland-College Park, 2007 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| McLaughlin | Margaret J. | Full Member | B.A., University of Denver, 1968; M.A., University of Northern Colorado, 1971; Ph.D., University of Virginia, 1977. | Professor, Curriculum and Instruction Professor Emerita, Special Education |
| Moon | Sherril M. | Full Member | B.A., Randolph-Macon Woman's College, 1974; M.Ed., James Madison University, 1976; Ed.D., University of Virginia, 1983. | Professor Emerita, Special Education |
| Neubert | Debra Ann | Full Member | B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1976; M.Ed., University of Maryland-College Park, 1981; Ph.D., 1985. | Professor Emerita, Special Education |
| Page-Voth | Leslie V. | Adjunct Member | B.S., Lewis & Clark College, 1982;M.S., Portland State University, 1986; Ph.D.,University of Maryland-College Park, 1992. | Research Associate, Special Education |
| Perillo | Patty A | Graduate Teaching | B.A., University of Delaware, 1986; M.Ed., University of Delaware, 1988; Ph.D., University of Maryland, 2002 | n/a, Special Education |
| Piantedosi | Kelly Worland | Graduate Teaching | B.A., College of William & Mary, 2000; M.A., College of William & Mary 2004; Ph.D., University of Maryland, 2014 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Stormont | Heather Anne | Graduate Teaching | B.S., University of Maryland-College Park, 2004; M.Ed., University of Maryland-College Park, 2007 | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Taboada Barber | Ana | Full Member | B.A., Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Exactas, 1991, Buenos Aires, Argentina; M.Ed., Temple University, 1998; Ph.D., University of Maryland-College Park, MD, 2003. | Associate Professor, Special Education |
| Toulan | Dina | Graduate Teaching | B.A., Gallaudet University, 2012; M.Ed., Gallaudet University | Lecturer, Special Education |
| Wexler | Jade | Full Member | B.A., James Madison University, 1997; M.S., Johns Hopkins University, 2002; Ph.D., University of Texas-Austin, 2007 | Associate Professor, Special Education |
| Williams | Stacey C | Graduate Teaching | B.S., University of Delaware, 1993; M.Ed., Loyola University-Maryland, 1997 | Senior Lecturer, Special Education |
| Yakubova | Gulnoza | Full Member | B.A., Uzbekistan, 2006; M.S., Purdue University-West Lafayette, 2010; Ph.D, Purdue University, 2013 | Assistant Professor, Special Education |