MAT – Special Education – Early Childhood Education Help Young Minds Grow
Prepare for a Rewarding Career Providing Individualized Education for Young Minds
Teaching young children is a rewarding career that can return much more than a paycheck. Take your passion for teaching and help fill the critical shortage of special education teachers in the United States. Our Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education – Early Childhood Education degree can help set you on a path to obtain your initial teaching licensure and get an additional specialization in early childhood education. However, if you are already a teacher and looking to make a career change, then this degree has the training you need as well.
With core courses in learning theory and behavior management, you will study education assessment and intervention. Our online master’s degree in special education will give you the tools you need to support and provide for families of young children with unique learning needs.
Additionally, Liberty University’s online teaching degree in early childhood special education will develop your skills in teaching preschool subjects to students with physical or learning disabilities. You can learn to teach basic academic and life process skills to young children who can greatly benefit from a devoted teacher.
At Liberty University, we created our online MAT in special education degree program with your success in mind. Our goal is to support you as both a student and a teaching professional.
Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education – Early Childhood Education.
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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- Private Nonprofit University
- 600+ Online Degrees
- No Standardized Testing for Admission
- Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
- Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree
Why Choose Liberty’s MAT in Special Education – Early Childhood Education Program?
Do you love being around children? If you find it easy to communicate your thoughts, and you want to help children with special needs, then our early childhood education specialization will be the perfect addition to your special education degree. If you’re interested in becoming a special ed. teacher and making a difference in your community, we can help you!
- Liberty’s MAT degree in special education can give you the training you need. Our program focuses on more than preparing you for teacher licensure — 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 master’s 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 biblical principles into your professional life.
- You will complete courses taught from a Christian worldview with cutting-edge techniques and information for teacher education. Plus, you’ll 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).
- Our early childhood specialization will enhance your special education degree and prepare you to teach developing young minds at an individualized level.
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 while earning 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.
What Will You Study with Our MAT in Special Education Online Degree?
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 younger children with disabilities. You can learn how to diagnose various disabilities and work with the families of children with disabilities. This includes autism and developmental challenges.
Our early childhood specialization focuses on the effects of environment on learning and childhood development and how to support the growth of young children in and out of learning environments. Diagnosing and developing interventions and focused programs for children of varying disabilities and learning challenges will be a core focus.
You will also learn how to care for and nurture your students emotionally, socially, and spiritually. You will 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.
Potential Career Opportunities
Featured Courses
Degree Information
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
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.
Pursuing our online Master of Arts in Teaching licensure track may make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
| 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.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for the Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education
Admission Requirements
Preliminary Acceptance
Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses Policy
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Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
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.
