Grand Canyon University (GCU) offers certification in the special education field for grades K-12 through its Master of Education program. This program, offered entirely online, is regionally accredited and allows master's degree candidates to specialize in various areas of special education such as teaching children with learning disabilities, those with physical disorders, and teaching children with mental retardation or emotional disabilities. Students are required to take teaching practicums as part of the curriculum but have considerable leeway as to where these can be completed. Coursework involves topics such as the use of technology in special education and effective teaching strategies for dealing with various disorders.
Grand Canyon University
College of Education
3300 W. Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
602-639-7500
coe.gcu.edu
Michigan State University's (MSU) education department was ranked seventeenth in the nation in 2010 by "U.S. News & World Report," known for its ratings of colleges throughout the U.S. As part of their nationally ranked program, MSU offers an online Master of Arts degree with an emphasis in special education. The school offers several areas of emphasis within the special education discipline. Some of these include teaching students with challenging behavior, literacy for students with disabilities, technology in the field of special education and transitional studies.
Michigan State University
College of Education
118 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48823
517-355-1825
educ.msu.edu
Regis University is a regionally accredited school that has gained a national reputation for its many distance education degree programs. In the field of special education, Regis not only offers a Master of Education degree, but also a bachelor's degree.
Students have the option of pursuing certification in three states through the Regis program: Colorado, Nevada and Wyoming. Each state has different requirements for licensure, so Regis offers three separate degree programs in order to account for this. Grade certifications also vary by state. For instance, students in Colorado receive a K-12 endorsement while those in Wyoming choose from among three options--secondary, elementary and early childhood. At the secondary education level, students can further sub-specialize in various disciplines such as English or speech and communication in order to increase their teaching resume's marketability.
Regis University
3333 Regis Blvd
Denver, CO 80221
303-458-4080
cps.regis.edu/SEC.php