Early Childhood Special Education Degree
0
Credit Hours
Degree CAEP
Class Type
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer Credits
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Next Start Date
May 13, 2024
Accreditation
CAEP

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 practicums and student teaching in your community – so you won’t have to relocate to further your education. 

Upon successful completion of Liberty University’s Virginia state-approved Master of Arts in Teaching program, you may apply for your teaching license in another state through reciprocity, which may or may not result in additional requirements based on your state’s Department of Education regulations.

*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.


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 to 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 Learn 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, and 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 reading and language acquisition. 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 an additional 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 practicums and 2 student teaching courses at an approved location near you.

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Highlights
Degree Information
Military Benefits
Careers
Admission Requirements

Highlights of Our Online Degree in Teaching – Special Education

  • We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility. Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America. Earning your online MAT in Special Education degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
  • While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have lowered our tuition for our Master of Arts in Teaching program. At $415 per credit hour for full-time students, Liberty University’s MAT online is available at one of the lowest tuition rates for this degree in the country.
  • Pursuing our licensure-track Master of Arts in Teaching may make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
  • Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
  • Gain hands-on experience with 90 in-person practicum hours and at least 2 full semesters of student teaching prior to graduation.

Master of Arts in Teaching Degree Information

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Military Benefits

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe. Whether you are a current service member, discharged or retired from service, or the spouse of a service member or veteran, we are here to support you through every step of the journey.

As a thank-you for your dedication and service to our country, Liberty is honored to serve and support you in your pursuit of online education by offering the following 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)

Potential Career Opportunities for Master of Arts in Teaching Graduates

This dual-endorsement special education MAT program is designed to provide the training needed to teach special education in the classroom as a licensed teacher. Because this degree has multiple endorsements, you may be able to pursue a variety of special education careers upon completion of your degree and satisfaction of state licensure requirements.

Potential careers for graduates of this degree program include:

  • Career and technical education (CTE) specialist
  • Early childhood special education teacher
  • Special education teacher-adapted curriculum

Admission Requirements for the MAT in Special Education

Applicants must have a regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a 2.5 GPA or above for admission in good standing. Please visit our admission requirements page for more detailed admissions-related information.

All applicants must submit the following:

  • Admission application
  • Application fee*
  • Official college transcripts
  • Unofficial college transcripts may be accepted with a completed official transcript request form**
  • Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)

*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.

**An official transcript is needed within 60 days of acceptance or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first.