Special education majors at Michigan State University in East Lansing can prepare for careers as researchers or educators by completing one of the university's graduate degree programs. The PhD program is designed for students who wish to work in policy-making or leadership positions. Doctoral students take courses in special education trends, special topics and multicultural issues, along with coursework in research methods and attend seminars. In addition, PhD candidates take a preliminary exam and comprehensive exam before beginning work on the doctoral dissertation. Master's degree students complete a concentration in deaf education or emotional impairments and learning disabilities. Deaf education students take courses in American Sign Language and complete an internship working with children who are hearing impaired. The learning disabilities and hearing impairments track trains students to utilize inclusive teaching methods and gain practical experience in a classroom setting.
College of Education
Michigan State University
447 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-9680
education.msu.edu
The Master of Education (M.Ed) program in Special Education at the University of Michigan's Dearborn campus offers three concentrations: inclusion specialist, LD, or learning disabilities, and EI, or emotional impairment. The inclusion specialist track is for teachers who wish to work with students with disabilities in a general classroom setting. Required courses in the 30-credit program include introduction to emotional impairments, collaboration in the classroom and classroom management. The LD option qualifies teachers to work with children diagnosed with learning disabilities. Degree candidates complete an independent research project and internship as part of the program requirements. Teachers interested in working with students who have emotional impairments can select the EI endorsement track and complete a required practicum at an area psychiatric facility. They also complete coursework in counseling families of emotionally impaired students and conducting emotional assessments.
Special Education Program
School of Education
The University of Michigan-Dearborn
19000 Hubbard Drive
Dearborn, Michigan 48128-1491
313-436-9135
medsped.soe.umd.umich.edu
Located in Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University's special education department is one of the nation's largest. The school's graduate and undergraduate degree programs train teachers to work with students who have cognitive, hearing, emotional, speech, visual or physical impairments. In 2008, Eastern Michigan University implemented a graduate program in teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. Undergraduate students complete core courses and a required minor, plus teach in a classroom during the senior year. Graduate students are required to complete an internship and submit a a thesis or complete an oral examination in lieu of submitting a thesis.
College of Education
Eastern Michigan University
John W. Porter Building
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-487-1414
emich.edu
Graduates of the bachelor's degree program in special education at Western Michigan University earn provisional certification to teach students with emotional impairments or cognitive impairments. Undergraduates are required to complete a minor, typically in a specific subject area or in an alternative education area such as early childhood education. Upon graduation, special education majors can teach students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Certified teachers can earn master's or doctoral degrees in special education, focusing on either teaching or administration. All graduate students complete internships, and PhD students must pass a comprehensive examination and successfully defend a dissertation.
Department of Special Education
Western Michigan University
3506 Sangren Hall
Western Michigan University
269-387-5935 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 269-387-5935 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
wmich.edu