Earn Your Master of Arts in Special Education with a concentration in General Curriculum K-12 Online

Be qualified as a leader with the expert capacity to help exceptional learners reach their potential in the classroom and beyond. This program is designed for those seeking initial teacher certification and licensure.

Apply by: 1/10/25
Start class: 1/21/25
Apply Now

Program Overview

Discover the benefits of our Master of Arts in Special Education K12 online program

Teacher working with children students
$17,550 Total Tuition
As few as 18 months Duration
39 Credit Hours

Make a difference in the lives of students with learning disabilities by earning your Master of Arts in Special Education with a concentration in General Curriculum K-12 online from Norfolk State University. This CAEP-accredited special education program is ideal for working paraprofessionals who wish to grow as a culturally responsive educator and achieve initial teaching certification.

The 100 percent online special education curriculum provides an interdisciplinary approach to strengthen your foundation in education with an emphasis on inclusive and differentiated instruction for exceptional learners. You will gain in-depth knowledge in curriculum and instructional procedures for helping students with mild disabilities access and integrate into the general education curriculum.

Grow your skills in managing human behavior and collaborating with other disciplines and agencies to promote inclusion, transition and other adjustments to accommodate learners of varying abilities. You will also learn how to apply alternative teaching strategies for Individualized Education Program (IEP) implementation, with an emphasis on task analysis, portfolio assessment, differentiated instruction and multisensory approaches.

To fill the need for more qualified educators in critical shortage teaching areas in Virginia, students in this online master’s special ed K12 program may apply for tuition assistance* through the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program. Qualified applicants may also receive TEACH Grant financial assistance. Additionally, earning this graduate degree in special education may help you increase your earning potential as a working educator.

Graduates of this online M.A. Special Education – General Curriculum K-12 will:

  • Develop a thorough understanding of the history and legal requirements of providing an education to learners with disabilities and the ability to navigate law libraries
  • Learn how to evaluate a spectrum of abilities such as cognition, motor sensory, communication, adaptive behavior and social competitive to develop a plan for optimal student success
  • Perform an in-depth study into moral development, values clarification, and perceptual and cognitive factors in learning and reading
  • Grow skills in evaluating and writing a research proposal
  • Gain hands-on learning through clinical field experience and an internship teaching students with mild disabilities
Graduates of this online M.A. Special Education – General Curriculum K-12 will:+
  • Develop a thorough understanding of the history and legal requirements of providing an education to learners with disabilities and the ability to navigate law libraries
  • Learn how to evaluate a spectrum of abilities such as cognition, motor sensory, communication, adaptive behavior and social competitive to develop a plan for optimal student success
  • Perform an in-depth study into moral development, values clarification, and perceptual and cognitive factors in learning and reading
  • Grow skills in evaluating and writing a research proposal
  • Gain hands-on learning through clinical field experience and an internship teaching students with mild disabilities

Career opportunities:

  • Special Education Teacher/Instructor
  • Teaching Specialist
  • Special Education Coordinator
  • Special Education Curriculum Developer/Specialist
  • Early Intervention Specialist
Career opportunities:+
  • Special Education Teacher/Instructor
  • Teaching Specialist
  • Special Education Coordinator
  • Special Education Curriculum Developer/Specialist
  • Early Intervention Specialist

Also available:

NSU offers online education degree programs in a variety of concentrations. View all options.

$17,550 Total Tuition
As few as 18 months Duration
39 Credit Hours
CAEP logo

All teacher education programs at Norfolk State University are approved by the Virginia Department of Education and accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

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Need More Information?

Call 877-660-0459

Call 877-660-0459

Tuition

Earn a quality master’s degree affordably and conveniently

Our student-centered focus is reflected in our affordable tuition for the online M.A. Special Education – General Curriculum K-12. Gain a top-tier Norfolk State University education and benefit from the flexibility of paying by the course.

Tuition breakdown:

$17,550 Total Tuition
$450 Per Credit Hour
View additional tuition information +

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course Per Program
M.A. SPED Gen Curr K12 $450 $1,350 $17,550

*Tuition assistance is not guaranteed. For more information, visit www.doe.virginia.gov.

**The maximum grant amount can vary by year. TEACH Grants are available to qualified applicants and require approved recipients to sign a service agreement for certain teaching service obligations for four academic years. If obligations are not met within eight years after graduation, the grant will turn into a Direct Unsubsidized Loan that must be repaid with all accrued interest from the date of disbursement. For more information, please visit: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/teach or contact the NSU Financial Aid Office.


Tuition Assistance

The primary purpose of the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program (VTSLP) is to provide financial support to students who are interested in pursuing a teaching career in one of the top ten critical shortage teaching areas. For more information, please visit the Virginia Department of Education VTSLP page.

TEACH Grants are available to qualified applicants and require approved recipients to sign a service agreement for certain teaching service obligations for four academic years. The maximum grant amount can vary by year. If you do not meet the requirements of your service obligation, the grant will turn into a Direct Unsubsidized Loan that must be repaid with all accrued interest from the date of disbursement. For more information, please visit the Federal Student Aid Teach Grant information page or contact the Norfolk State University Financial Aid Office.

*Tuition and fees are subject to change at any time.

Tuition breakdown:

$17,550* Total Tuition
$450 Per Credit Hour

Calendar

Our flexible schedule helps you graduate sooner

With 7-week courses and multiple start dates a year, the online programs at NSU are designed to be ideal for working professionals.

Now enrolling:

1/10/25 Apply Date
1/21/25 Class Starts

View full calendar +

TermStart DateApp DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineClass End Date
Spring 11/21/251/10/251/15/251/21/251/21/253/7/25
Summer 15/12/254/28/254/28/255/10/255/10/256/27/25

Now enrolling:

1/10/25 Apply Date
1/21/25 Class Starts

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?

Apply Now

Admissions

Get ready to apply to the NSU Online master’s SPED K12 program

The online M.A. Special Education – General Curriculum K-12 program features a streamlined admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. View the full requirements for admission below.

  • Official transcripts
  • Undergraduate degree
  • 2.75 GPA or higher
View all admission requirements +

Applicants to the NSU Online M.A. Special Education – General Curriculum K-12 must meet the following criteria for admission:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a GPA of 2.75 or higher. No GRE is required.
  • Three letters of professional recommendations, including one from a former professor (if possible). Letters from personal contacts will not be accepted.
  • One statement of purpose that provides insight specifically about your academic experiences and GPA
  • Resume or CV
  • Background check required before beginning field experiences

Courses

Preview the online master’s special ed K12 courses

For the online M.A. Special Education – General Curriculum K-12 program, you must complete 13 courses totaling 39 credit hours, including 36 credit hours of core courses and 3 credit hours for an internship.

Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to provide elementary education teaching candidates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are necessary for the diagnosis and correction of mild to moderately severe reading difficulties. The physical, physiological, cognitive, language, emotional, and socio-cultural correlates of reading disabilities are examined to help candidates understand the nature and causes of students’ reading problems in grades PreK-6.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course concentrates on issues facing American education today. It is an interdisciplinary attempt (incorporating the historical, political, economic, legal, social, philosophical, and curricular foundations) to provide pre-service teachers with a dear understanding of the profession and the issues and controversies confronting American education today. Attention is also given to, I) the legal status of teachers and students, including federal and state laws and regulations, school as an organization/culture, and contemporary issues in education. 2) the ability of students to construct and interpret valid assessments using a variety of formats in order to measure student attainment of essential skills in a standards-based environment, and 3) the ability of students to analyze assessment data to make decisions about how to improve instruction and student performance. The primary focus is to prepare reflective teachers who will be able to make informed decisions to improve and enhance the learning environment for children. Focus is also placed on class discussion, outside readings, research, and problem-solving strategies. The course is designed for any student who is interested in teaching.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to analyze the nature and range of human characteristics through the study of principles and procedures in evaluating student growth in skills, attitudes and understanding. Candidates will conduct in-depth study into moral development, values clarification, and perceptual and cognitive factors in learning and reading.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This is a comprehensive active learning course designed to provide students with a framework to understand the legal requirements of providing a free and appropriate public education to learners with disabilities. The course addresses the necessary information for pre-service teachers and practitioners to understand the history and developments of special education laws, and the requirements of these laws from a legal viewpoint and an ethical perspective. In addition, opportunities are provided for students to enhance their skills in locating pertinent information in law libraries, on the Internet, and from other sources to keep abreast with the constant changes and developments in the field.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The focus of this course is on advanced concepts and strategies to change behavior patterns of individuals and groups. It includes a knowledge base of critical theoretical frameworks and programmatic paradigms for increasing appropriate behaviors and decreasing inappropriate behaviors that are generalized to enhance the individual’s adjustment to live a harmonious and productive life in a multi- cultural environment.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Medical aspects of development and legal aspects as they relate to educational issues will be explored. This will include exploration of etiology, treatment, medical characteristics and educational approaches. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Disabilities in Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) will be discussed.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to focus on strategies for teaching learners with mild disabilities who are accessing the general education curriculum. Areas of study include terminology and etiological factors, historical perspectives, legal parameters, assessment techniques, influence of culture variables, current issues, and effective methods of instruction. A twenty-hour clinical experience is required.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This advanced graduate course will emphasize alternative teaching strategies for the implementation of the IEP. Students will be able to use a variety of methods to teach content material, and modify the curriculum in both directive and nondirective methodologies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the application of knowledge of assessment and evaluation through various methods including: task analysis, portfolio assessment, differentiated instruction, multisensory approaches and learning strategies.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This is comprehensive active learning course designed to provide students with a foundation in literacy instruction and content area reading. Emphasis will be placed on language acquisition and the interrelated nature of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking to promote the use and understanding of language by the exceptional learner. Field experiences will facilitate student mastery of developing a balanced reading program.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to increase the competence of teachers in meeting the instructional needs of exceptional learners. Its focus is on current issues and trends for accommodating variances in abilities through cooperation with persons from other disciplines and agencies. A twenty- hour clinical experience is required.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to provide students with a theoretical, clinical, pragmatic, and relevant overview regarding the assessment and evaluation of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with special needs. The course will also highlight procedures and measures used to evaluate a spectrum of abilities (i.e. cognition, motor, sensory, communication, adaptive behavior, and social competence) with sensitivity to class, cultural differences, environment, and family resources. The culminating focus will be using the assessment information to determine, plan, and implement appropriate placements and programs of intervention.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to assist graduate candidates in education and behavioral sciences to develop skills associated with the systematic investigating, collecting, classifying, interpreting, and reporting of data. Candidates will become familiar with scholarly research, terminology, and methodology for evaluating and writing a research proposal.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to provide a period of supervised teaching during which the candidate takes responsibility for a given group of individuals with mild disabilities for a definite period of time. The candidate will assess students, plan and write instructional interventions deliver instruction, monitor and document student progress, and assume all other classroom duties of the cooperating teacher. All placements will provide candidates with opportunities to interact with individuals from diverse populations.
To view the NSU Graduate Catalog, click here.
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