MAT in SPED – Adapted Curriculum & Early Childhood with CTE-Transition Teach With Heart and Unlock Potential
Prepare for a Variety of Special Education Careers with Liberty’s Online Master of Arts in Teaching – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with CTE-Transition and Special Needs
Do you have a passion for special education? Perhaps you’ve previously earned a non-licensure undergraduate degree in education, or maybe your bachelor’s degree covered a field that wasn’t education-focused. Either way, Liberty’s online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with a Career and Technical Education (CTE)-Transition and Special Needs add-on endorsement may be right for you. This early childhood special education degree is designed to prepare you to work with children who have mild and pronounced learning disabilities.
As an educator, it’s likely that you’ll meet students from different walks of life and teach pupils who have a variety of special needs. At Liberty, we affirm that every child has tremendous worth and value – and we believe that it takes a compassionate, driven, and prepared individual to serve children with learning disabilities. We also know that, at times, it can be challenging to piece together a degree program that makes you a versatile and well-rounded teacher. That’s where we can assist.
This degree program is designed to help you earn a teaching license with dual endorsements and an add-on endorsement – allowing you to become a valuable contributor in almost any education setting. Better yet, you’ll be able to pursue this degree from the comfort of home and complete your practicum and student teaching courses in your community – so you won’t have to relocate to further your education.
Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with a Career and Technical Education (CTE)-Transition and Special Needs add-on endorsement.
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.
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Why Choose Liberty’s Master’s in Teaching – Early Childhood Special Education Degree?
As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, Liberty understands what it takes to design a flexible, affordable online master’s in teaching that pairs convenience with academic excellence. We don’t shortchange you when you pursue an online special education degree with us – we empower you by putting the academic credibility of a brick-and-mortar campus at your fingertips, no matter where you are located.
One major benefit of this MAT in Special Education is its versatility. When you’re an aspiring educator trying to position yourself for future success, it can be difficult to figure out which endorsements and coursework you need – especially when you’re trying to tailor your education to meet licensure requirements. At Liberty, we recognize this, which is why this degree program conveniently packages licensure requirements for adapted curriculum with a career and technical education add-on endorsement – meaning you can use this degree to serve students with special needs who have varying goals.
If you’re looking for a special education master’s degree that pairs K-12 licensure requirements in special education with specialized training in early childhood education and CTE for students with special needs, look no further than our online MAT in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with a CTE-Transition and Special Needs add-on endorsement.
What Will You Study in Our Adapted Curriculum Master’s in Special Education Online?
This degree program consists of 3 main sections: core courses, adapted curriculum and early childhood special education courses, and field experience courses.
In the core courses, you will study foundations of exceptionality, special education, and disability law, as well as assessment and evaluation in special education. You will also study educational philosophy, theories of learning, and principles of behavior management.
In the adapted curriculum and early childhood section of your degree, you will study the characteristics and medical aspects of severe disabilities. In addition, you will explore transition and assessment for exceptional learners, employment and independent living, and individualized programming and curriculum. You will also study language and literacy for diverse learners.
From there, you will dive into early childhood studies – focusing on curriculum and methods as well as foundations in early literacy instruction. The knowledge offered by the early childhood section of this degree can help you become a well-rounded educator who has a working knowledge of how to teach and mentor young children who have special needs.
Additionally, you will complete a resource seminar for special education as well as a student teaching course. Because this is an online degree, we don’t ask you to commute to Central Virginia for your student teaching. At Liberty, you can complete your practicum and student teaching courses at an approved location near you.
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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.
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Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.
| Graduate Education Full Time | $430/Credit |
|---|---|
| Graduate Education Part Time | $645/Credit |
| Military Graduate | $290/Credit |
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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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 – $290 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder*
- 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.
These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
