Course Cycle

We are often asked how long the program for Initial license in Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8 or 5-12) takes. It depends on many factors, including many personal factors (e.g. your family responsibilities, your work responsibilities, other jobs, etc.). If you are teaching full time in the schools, we recommend no more than one course in the fall, one course in the spring and one or two in the summer. If you are teaching part time or working as a paraprofessional, you may be able to take two courses in the fall, two in the spring and one or two in the summer. Each course requires 4 contact hours in class (face to face or online) and a minimum of 8 contact hours outside the class time per week during the semester. For example, if you take two courses in the fall, then you are able to devote a minimum of 24 hours each week to your course work. The length of the summer session dictates the weekly workload for courses offered in the summer.

This program offers courses that may be fully online, hybrid, or on-campus classes (1 class weekly)

The following is the recommended sequence of courses. Note that SPED 962 and LTRC 907 should be taken in the first year regardless of how many courses you take each year, because they are prerequisite courses for other courses in the program. All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed in eight (8) years.

First-Second Years:

SPED 962 Developmental Patterns of Students with Moderate Disabilities (fall, spring, summer)
LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction (fall, spring, summer)
EDUC 991 Philosophy of Education and Teaching Practice (fall, spring, summer)
EDUC 998 Language Development and Communication (fall, spring, summer)

Second-Third Years:

SPED 937 Connecting Mathematical Concepts and Teaching (spring, even summer)
SPED 956 Curriculum Development and Modification (spring, odd summer)
SPED 963 Behavior and Classroom Management (fall, even summer)
LTRC 930 Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners (fall, odd spring)* effective Fall 2023, this course will be offered every fall and every odd spring.

Third-Fourth Years:

SPED 960 Assessment Procedures (fall, odd summer)
SPED 964 Collaborative Educational Planning (spring)
INST 968 Introduction to Assistive Technology (spring, summer)
EDUC 999 Research and Evaluation (fall, spring, summer)

Fourth-Fifth Years:

TESL 910 Sheltered English Immersion (if needed)
SPED 944/945 Practicum in Special Education
Portfolio and Comprehensive Exam

M.Ed. with a concentration in Special Education (Moderate Disabilities) Course Map

Fall Semesters


LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction
LTRC 930 Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners*
SPED 962 Developmental Patterns of Students with Moderate Disabilities
SPED 960 Assessment Procedures*
SPED 963 Behavior and Classroom Management*
SPED 944 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades PreK-8*
SPED 945 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades 5-12*
Spring Semesters

Core Education Courses may also be completed in the spring. 

LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction

LTRC 930 Literacy Instruction for Diverse learners** effective Fall 2023, this course will be offered every fall and every odd spring 
SPED 937 Connecting Mathematical Concepts and Teaching
SPED 962 Developmental Patterns of Students with Moderate Disabilities 
SPED 956 Curriculum Development and Modification*
SPED 964 Collaborative Educational Planning*
SPED 944 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades PreK-8*
SPED 945 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades 5-12*
INST 968 Introduction to Assistive Technology

Summer Sessions: Even Years (e.g. 2024, 2026)

Core Education Courses and the Elective may also be completed in the summer. 
LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction 
SPED 962 Developmental Patterns of Students with Moderate Disabilities 
SPED 963 Behavior and Classroom Management*
SPED 964 Collaborative Educational Planning*
INST 968 Introduction to Assistive Technology 
SPED 944 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades PreK-8*
SPED 945 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades 5-12*

Summer Sessions: Odd Years (e.g. 2023, 2025)

Core Education Courses and the Elective may also be completed in the summer.
LTRC 907 Literacy Instruction
SPED 937 Connecting Mathematical Concepts and Teaching
SPED 962 Developmental Patterns of Students with Moderate Disabilities
SPED 956 Curriculum Development and Modification*
SPED 960 Assessment Procedures*
INST 968 Introduction to Assistive Technology
SPED 944 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades PreK-8*
SPED 945 Practicum in Special Needs: Grades 5-12*

*These courses have prerequisites.