Special Education
Gain the advanced skills needed to teach and support students with specialized learning needs by completing your masters degree or endorsement in special education from Wichita State.
Special Education Programs
The special education program prepares practitioners who can facilitate learning for students with specialized learning needs by creating an environment that will make them successful learners. Program tracks in special education prepare individuals for K-12 teaching, as well as to provide community-based services or consultation to children and youth.
Program Tracks and Graduate Certificates
Early Childhood Unified
The Master of Education in Special Education — Early Childhood Unified track requires 30 credit hours of coursework, including a research component, practical experience, and the culminating activity.
Learn more about the Early Childhood Unified track.
High Incidence (Traditional Track)
The High Incidence track addresses the needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities. The program is designed to develop reflective practitioners who possess both theoretical understanding and practical skills related to the field of special education for teaching students with adaptive learning needs.
Learn more about the High Incidence track.
High Incidence Alternative Certification
The High Incidence Alternative Certification program provides paraprofessionals, with a Bachelors degree outside the field of education, with a route to becoming the special education teacher of record. This program prepares reflective practitioners who possess both theoretical understanding and practical skills for teaching students with mild to moderate disabilities.
Learn more about the High Incidence Alternative Certification track.
Low Incidence
The Low Incidence track prepares educators for teaching students with moderate to severe disabilities. The program is designed to develop reflective practitioners who possess both theoretical understanding and practical skills related to the field of special education for teaching students with functional learning needs .
Learn more about the Low Incidence track.
Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Certificate
The Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Certificate prepares a variety of school and community professionals with the knowledge and experience needed to better understand human behavior and to positively impact a wide spectrum of individuals with specific behavioral needs. The interdisciplinary nature of this certificate program exists in the space where students and instructors from a variety of educational backgrounds, experiences, fields, and/or disciplines come together to learn about the science of behavior analysis and then explore how to apply it ethically across multiple settings. Six (6) of the 18 credit hours required for the certificate program can count towards MEd in Special Education High and Low Incidence degree requirements.
Learn more about the Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Certificate.
MEd Special Education Background Check Requirement
Upon admission and prior to their first semester, all students admitted to this program
must clear a criminal background check. There are two reasons for this requirement.
First, it is part of the university's due diligence before placing students in field
settings. Second, the check may alert students to issues that may subsequently affect
their ability to work in their chosen field. In instances when a student's criminal
history raises reasonable concerns that the student should be cleared for continuation
in the program and/or its field experiences, WSU may take a range of actions, including
rescission of admission or dismissal from the program.
As part of this requirement, all students must complete a Student Authorization Form and submit it by email to his/her program advisor. As indicated on the form, there
are three options for meeting this requirement, and students are responsible for successfully
completing one of the following:
- Option #1: Provide a copy of current educator or other professional license that required a successful criminal background check. Please submit a copy to WSU College of Applied Studies by email to your program advisor.
- Option #2: Provide a copy of a recent background clearance with Validity, NATSB, or employer requirement. Please submit copy to WSU College of Applied Studies by email to your program advisor. If you work in an organization (e.g., school district) and are unable to obtain a copy of your background check from your employer, please use the Verification Form.
- Option #3: Validity Screening Solutions - Submit the Validity online background request form with payment. Click here for directions.