Master of Science in Special Education (MSSE)
Earn your master’s in special education. Gain tools & knowledge to empower students in a way that supports their individual needs.
Choose Your Next Step
Earn Your Master’s in Special Education Online
Gain the tools, knowledge, and confidence to teach and empower students who have high-incidence learning disabilities in a way that supports their individual differences and needs.
Earn your master’s in special education from Baker University in approximately two years while diving into coursework that connects theories and research with practical strategies in social and behavioral needs, communication, and transitioning to adulthood.
Our academic advising team acts as your partner as you earn a master’s in special education online, helping you plan your courses to efficiently complete your degree.
Program Information
Online
Graduate School of Education
Graduate
Master of Science (MS)
Start Your Future Now With a Master’s in Special Education
Learning doesn’t have to happen in a classroom. You can earn a degree in special education at Baker without relocating or leaving your full-time job.
- Earn a master’s in special education online from anywhere.
- Weekly classes held year-round.
- No GRE needed.
- Designed for working professionals.
Start the journey toward your master’s in special education by taking the first step in the admissions process.
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Program Highlights: Master’s in Special Education
Earning a master’s in special education online from Baker means you get to learn from experienced faculty who lead courses that follow rigorous standards established by organizations like these:
- Kansas State Department of Education
- Council for Exceptional Children
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Here’s what else you can expect from your master’s in special education classes:
Caring faculty. Study with educators and administrators who want to pass the torch to the next generation of special education teachers and prepare them to make a difference in children’s lives.
Impactful learning opportunities. Our special education master’s program may be 100-percent online, but that doesn’t take away from your education experience. Get involved in class discussions, participate in Q&A sessions, and hear from powerful and inspiring guest speakers.
The chance to put theory into practice. Two practicum courses are required as a part of our master of special education online program. You’ll learn how to apply the skills you gain in the classroom to real-world situations
What Can You Do With a Degree in Special Education?
Special education teachers are among the most sought-after professionals in the education field.
After earning a master’s in special education online, you’ll be prepared to jump into your career after graduation.
The U.S. Department of Education named Baker graduates the most likely in Kansas to land jobs. Our alumni also earn the highest average salaries among graduates of universities in Kansas.
Possible Special Education Master’s Careers:
- Teaching
- Instructional coordination
- Occupational and recreational therapy
- School administration
- Social work
- Childcare
Exceptional Experiences: Master’s in Special Education
What will a degree in special education from Baker offer you?
The opportunity to learn from the best.
All our faculty are experienced educators or administrators—currently working or recently retired. They care about the future of special education and are driven to transform you into an effective teacher and leader.
A flexible schedule so you can make it happen.
Fit special education master’s courses into your existing schedule by taking online classes only one night each week year-round.
A strong career path forward.
After you’ve completed the first three courses in the master’s in special education program, you’re eligible to apply for a provisional license. At the end of the program, you’ll be eligible to apply for full licensure. Licensure path includes K-12.
Financial Aid for Master’s in Special Education
Learn how affordable your degree in special education can be. You’ll find the return on investment you’re looking for in Baker University’s highly ranked online programs.
In fact, Baker offers the highest return on investment of private colleges in Kansas, according to Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (2022).
Examples of Master’s in Special Education Courses
With a Baker graduate degree in special education, you’ll have access to tools that help your students inside and outside the classroom.
Gain knowledge and skills with a special education master’s through courses like these:
Communication and Collaboration
Refine communication and collaborative skills and knowledge with our master’s in special education online program so you’re ready to work effectively with students, paraeducators, administrators, teachers, volunteers, and other school personnel to foster a supportive learning environment.
Transitioning to Adulthood
Learn how to assess the skills, interests, and preferences of students as they plan their futures. Help them understand their needs and how to articulate those needs in school settings and beyond.
Creating Optimal Learning Environments
Build knowledge and skills in behavior management to foster positive relations, promote student self‐advocacy, and support student problem‐solving to facilitate learning.
Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
Examine the processes of negotiation and conflict resolution and expand problem‐solving strategies you can use with parents, educators, and other professionals.
Related Programs at Baker University
Considering a career path beyond where a special education master’s program may lead? Take a look at other programs designed for working professionals:
Master of Arts in Education: Looking for a program with a broader teaching focus? This program helps practicing classroom teachers develop skills to become exemplary educators and increase earning power.
Master of Science in School Leadership: Think you’d be right for an administrative role in education? More assistant principals in Kansas schools have earned their master’s degree from Baker than anywhere else.
Requirements & Curriculum
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Apply Now by Submitting the Following
- Completed application form
- $20 application fee
- Official transcript indicating a bachelor’s degree conferred from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Copy of a teaching certificate
- Verification on a transcript* of completion of a course covering the exceptional child
- Three professional references (as part of your application)
- For international students, contact us for more information at education@bakerU.edu
*How to send transcripts to Baker.
**If you already have a master’s degree, we require only your master’s transcripts. -
36 total credit hours
- Students with Adaptive Learning Needs
- Methods and Strategies: K-6 and/or 5-8 or 6-12
- Strategies and Methods Field Practicum
- Educating Students with Social and Behavioral Needs
- Reading and Language Arts Methods
- Assessments
- Communication and Collaboration
- Transitioning to Adulthood
- Creating Optimal Learning Environments
- Inquiry, Data Collection and Research
- Advanced Practicum
- Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
Program Requirements
- Coursework: 30 credit hours of core special education courses
- Field practicum: 6 hours
Practicum
Two practicum courses are required as a part of the MSSE program. The first practicum course, SPED 704 Adaptive Instructional Strategies and Methods Field Practicum requires 45 hours of supervised teaching. SPED 716 Advanced Practicum requires 90 supervised hours.
Licensure
Students who have completed the MSSE program of study may apply to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for a two-year initial license in K-12 adaptive special education. Applicants for the initial license are required to submit passing scores on the Praxis test. A passing score of 155 is required for ETS 5543 Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications.
Register for this test online. Results of the assessment must be sent to Baker University.
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- Successfully complete the 36-credit-hour program, including two practicum courses, with a 3.25 graduate grade point average.
- Maintain a minimum graduate grade point average of 3.25 with no more than one course completed with a C grade. (D and F grades are not acceptable.)
- Complete of all coursework within six years of the date of initial enrollment.
- Submit an intent to graduate form six months before anticipated degree completion.