Application Deadlines
Applications for this program are accepted throughout the year in fall, spring, and summer.
Application Materials Required for the MSE in Special Education Collaborative Teacher K-6/6-12
Applicants for a master’s degree education program must submit all of the following documentation to Graduate Admissions to be considered for admission:
Graduate Admissions
Jacksonville State University
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, Alabama, 36265-1602
- Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission.
- Non-refundable $35.00 application processing fee.
- Official transcripts from the baccalaureate degree awarding institution and all transcripts from institutions where post-baccalaureate work has been completed. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold a degree from an institutionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent. (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the university.)
- Valid Bachelor’s-level professional educator certificate in any teaching field. All certificate(s) must be valid throughout the program and at graduation.
- Background check1. Any candidate applying for admission to a state approved teacher education program shall be required to be fingerprinted for a criminal history background check through the Alabama State Department of Education to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Instructions for completing the background process can be found here.
- International student applicants must see the International Student Applicants section of this catalog for other application and enrollment requirements.
- 1
If the candidate holds a valid Alabama professional educator certificate and has already completed a background check through that process, another background check will not be required.
Admission Requirements for the MSE in Special Education Collaborative Teacher K-6/6-12
Applicants are admitted on a selective basis upon review of the completed application package. With departmental approval, applicants may be permitted to enroll for one semester of graduate coursework while completing application requirements. Applicants must achieve unconditional admission within one semester.
Requirements for unconditional admission to the Special Education Collaborative K-6 & 6-12 Class-A program include:
- Possession of an Alabama Class-B teaching certificate.
- Candidates who possess an Alabama teaching certificate at the Class B level, but who did not pass the Elementary Education Multiple-subjects Praxis exam as part of the Class B certification process, must have passing scores on all aspects of the Elementary Education Multiple-subjects Praxis exam (#5901). If taken separately, passing scores on each of the following Praxis subtest exams: Mathematics subtest (#5903), Social Studies subtest (#5904), and Science subtest (#5905).
Requirements for the MSE in Special Education Collaborative Teacher K-6/6-12
An overall 3.00 GPA is required on all coursework attempted for the master’s degree. Transfer credit cannot be used to raise the GPA to the required 3.00.
Students pursuing the Master of Science in Education degree may not count graduate courses below 5100-level toward the degree. All coursework for the Master of Science in Education must be taken at the 5100-level or higher.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| EED 5550 | Diversity in Today's Classroom | 3 |
| EFD 5700 | Research in Education | 3 |
| SPE 5509 | Data Analysis K-12 | 3 |
| SPE 5520 | Technology for SPE | 3 |
| SPE 5870 | Action Research in SPE | 3 |
| Teaching Field Requirements | ||
| RDG 5530 | Methods and Materials for Reading: Teaching Students with Exceptionalities in the Inclusive Setting | 3 |
| SPE 5525 | Collaborative Math Strategies | 3 |
| SPE 5527 | Methods and Materials Severe Disabilities K-12 | 3 |
| SPE 5528 | Methods and Materials Mild Disabilities K-12 | 3 |
| SPE 5533 | Applied Behavior Analysis in SPE | 3 |
| Practicum if Required 1 | 0-6 | |
| Practicum in Collaborative Special Education K-6 | ||
| Practicum in Collaborative Special Education 6-12 | ||
| Diversity Requirement 2 | 0-3 | |
| Survey Course in Special Education | ||
| Additional Coursework 3 | 0-6 | |
| Methods and Strategies for Learning and Behavior | ||
| Medical, Legal, and Ethical Aspects of SPE | ||
| Total Hours | 30-45 | |
30-45 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this Degree
- 1
The practicum is required if candidate is seeking initial certification in a special education field K-6 and/or 6-12. Placement will correspond to the areas of initial certification sought through this degree.
- 2
SPE 5100 Survey Course in Special Education (3) is required unless SPE 300 Survey of Exceptional Children and Youth (3) or an approved equivalent survey of special education course has already been taken. This course may not be older than 10 years unless the candidate has teaching experience within the last five years, or the course was used for prior certification. If the course is older than 10 years and the candidate does not have prior-level certification, the EPP must provide experience documentation (EXP) to support the candidate's use of this course. If a student has already met this requirement, they will need to take an advisor approved graduate level elective.
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Unconditional admission to a Class A special education program requires at least a valid bachelor's-level certificate in any teaching field. Candidates holding a valid bachelor's-level or higher certificate in a teaching field other than special education must take two additional courses in special education collaborative foundations prior to any other courses in the program.
Graduation and Comprehensive Exam
No comprehensive exam is required for this degree. All students must apply for graduation by the given deadline of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation and Comprehensive Exam section of this catalog for more information.
Completion of this program leads to eligibility for Master’s-level professional educator certification in Special Education Collaborative Teacher K-6/6-12.
Please Note: Teacher education programs are approved by the Alabama State Board of Education and are, therefore, subject to periodic revision resulting from changes in State certification requirements. Subsequently, modifications in students’ programs may become necessary. Students in all graduate level teacher education programs must schedule their coursework each semester with approval of their faculty advisors.
Alabama Class A Professional Educator Certification Requirements
Issuance of Alabama professional educator certificates is the legal responsibility of the Alabama State Department of Education. Universities cannot issue a professional certificate. To be eligible to apply for certification, a student must complete an appropriate program of study at a college or university which has been approved by the State Board of Education to offer a program leading to the desired certificate. When a student completes the program of study, the institution recommends to the State Department of Education that the appropriate certificate be issued.
- Alabama State Department of Education regulations are subject to change; therefore, it is recommended that students apply for certification upon graduation. During their last semester of coursework, students should contact the Certification Office of the Department of Accreditation, Certification and Partnership Initiatives, CEPS Complex, Pod 4, Room 405, for information about this process. The university cannot recommend any student for certification who has not satisfied all state and university requirements for admission to and completion of an approved program.
- Recommendation for certification must be made within 60 months of program completion. Recommendation after 60 months requires completion of current program requirements.