Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) – Special Education Empowering Diverse Learners Through Inclusive Education Strategies
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Degree Options
Online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Take Your First Steps Toward a Career in Special Education with a Master of Arts in Teaching
Are you excited about pursuing a career in the special education field and becoming a licensed teacher? If you are currently a teacher or you’re looking to make a career change, you can pursue your dream at Liberty. Our master’s in special education online degree sets a clear path for you to obtain your initial teaching licensure. Conferring Liberty University’s online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) – Special Education program can help you achieve your career goals.
With core courses in learning theory and behavior management, you will study education assessment and intervention. You can also develop skills in building strategies for successful, inclusive classrooms. Our online master’s degree in special education can help give you the tools you need.
At Liberty University, we created our online special education MAT degree program with your success in mind. Our program is designed to be flexible, allowing you to continue to work while earning the majority of your master’s degree. Our goal is to support you as both a student and a teaching professional.
Additionally, Liberty University’s online teaching degree in special education allows you to pursue multiple areas of study. Many students choose to pursue a dual endorsement to expand their marketability. For more information, please see our career section below.
Liberty maintains strict compliance with all licensure requirements for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Not a Virginia resident? We want to help find the best program for you! To view educational requirements and whether a specific program aligns with the licensure requirements for your state, please review our licensure/certification requirements webpage.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
What Will You Study in Our Master’s of Special Education Online?
Becoming a special education teacher requires more than what you can find in textbooks. Through your special education classes, you can learn to teach lessons and provide intellectual stimulation for special needs students. This program trains you on the best approaches to education topics for students with mild to severe disabilities. You can learn how to build special education programs for learning disabilities and assess the needs of students.
You can also learn how to care for and nurture your students emotionally, socially, and spiritually. You can study educational behavior and development, theories and methodologies of education, current trends in the education field, and methods of teaching with classroom management.
Each child is a unique individual created by God. Becoming a special education teacher can help you teach them in a way that meets their needs. Therefore, our courses are taught from a Christian perspective by educators equipped with years of experience teaching in the field of special education. You can learn how to apply a biblical worldview to your classroom in Christian, private, public, or homeschool settings.
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Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Education.
- View the Graduate Education Course Guides (login required).
- This program requires a background check.
- Students will complete a semester of student teaching.
- This program can help you achieve your initial teaching licensure.
- Our program may be eligible for certification through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
- Review the State-Specific Approval Disclosures.
Why Choose Liberty’s Online Degree?
Are you looking for a career that can help you make a positive impact in the lives of students with special needs? Do you want to learn how to approach challenging special education topics, such as how to teach special education math? If you’re interested in becoming a special ed teacher, we can help you!
Liberty’s MAT degree in special education can help provide you with the training you need. Our program is not just a special education teacher degree — we train educators who want to help students learn and grow. It’s who you are and who you aspire to become.
At Liberty University, we strive to use the power of faith and education to transform people and the world. When reviewing special education masters programs online, we know that you want to find a program that fits your values. Our online special education program is designed to help integrate your faith into your professional life.
You can complete courses taught from a Christian worldview with cutting-edge techniques and information for teacher education. Plus, you can complete student teaching to gain hands-on experience prior to graduation.
Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). You can be confident that you’re receiving an education of the highest quality.
We want to help you reach your goals, so we’re making a master’s degree more flexible and affordable. Most of our courses are offered in an 8-week online format to allow you to work and earn the majority of your degree at the same time. You can add to your skill set, broaden your professional capacity, and make a bigger impact on your students with an online graduate degree in education from Liberty University. At Liberty University, our special education online teaching degree seeks to prepare you professionally and spiritually.
Potential Careers with a Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education Degree
- Curriculum developer
- Educational consultant
- Family support specialist
- Home-based service provider
- Instructional coordinator
- Special education teacher
- Support worker
- Teaching product developer
Degree Options for MAT in Special Education
The special education MAT program is designed to provide the training needed to teach special education in the classroom as a licensed teacher. Our degree also helps prepare students with special education expertise that can be applied to many roles in education administration and program coordination.
You may also choose to pursue a dual endorsement. By choosing the specialization below that fits your desired path, you can graduate with licensure in special education and another endorsement area.
Please note that you may also require additional steps for licensure. For more information about dual endorsements, please contact one of our admissions counselors at (800) 424-9596.
Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood with CTE-Transition (45 Hours)
Liberty University’s online MAT in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood with CTE-Transition and Special Needs (add-on endorsement) is designed to help you become a versatile, licensed educator who can help children with a variety of needs and goals.
View the Degree Completion Plan
Adapted Curriculum with CTE-Transition (36 Hours)
Liberty University’s online MAT in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum with CTE-Transition and Special Needs (add-on endorsement) is designed to give you the knowledge and skills you need to help special needs students while also fulfilling rigorous standards.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
Early Childhood and General Curriculum (51 Hours)
Liberty University’s online MAT in Special Education – Early Childhood and General Curriculum offers you the opportunity to earn a licensure-track teaching degree with dual endorsements in 2 sought-after areas.
View the Degree Completion Plan
Early Childhood Education (36 Hours)
Liberty University’s online MAT in Special Education — Early Childhood Education sets a clear path for you to obtain your initial teaching licensure and to get an additional specialization in early childhood education.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
General and Adapted Curriculum with CTE-Transition (51 Hours)
Liberty University’s online MAT in Special Education – General and Adapted Curriculum with CTE-Transition and Special Needs offers you the opportunity to work towards a teaching license while preparing for work with students who have acute and less severe learning disabilities.
View the Degree Completion Plan
General Curriculum (36 Hours)
Liberty University’s online MAT in Special Education – General Curriculum provides a flexible track that can equip you for special education teaching at any grade level.
View the Degree Completion Plan.
General Curriculum with CTE-Transition (45 Hours)
Liberty University’s online MAT in Special Education – General Curriculum with CTE-Transition and Special Needs (add-on endorsement) can help you prepare to pursue a career helping children with special needs.
View the Degree Completion Plan
State Licensure Requirements
Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Graduate Education Full Time | $415/Credit |
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Graduate Education Part Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Liberty’s MAT in Teaching Special Education
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.5 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Please note: Guidelines are subject to change in federal or state regulations for the licensure of school personnel.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
- Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
- If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.
Dual Enrollment
Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.
Transcript Policies
Unofficial College Transcript Policy
Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:
- Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
- Cumulative GPA
- A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
- Degree and date conferred (if applicable)
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)*
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
*Not applicable to certificates.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Will You Study?
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Potential Careers
- Specializations
- State Requirements
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
- Military
Have questions?