MAT in Special Education – General Curriculum & Adapted Curriculum Nurture Every Child’s Potential
51
Credit Hours
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Make the Most of Your Education by Earning Dual Endorsements with Liberty’s MAT in Special Education – General and Adapted Curriculum
Are you interested in becoming a special education teacher but want to work with students who have a variety of needs? Imagine being able to graduate with not 1 but 3 endorsements in special education. Thanks to Liberty University’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education – General Curriculum and Adapted Curriculum with a Career and Technical Education (CTE)-Transition and Special Needs add-on endorsement, now you can!
Liberty has designed this special education program to meet rigorous state requirements. Normally, you must get your initial teaching license for Special Education and then go back to school to pursue additional endorsements. However, our experienced faculty has designed this program to meet all the competencies required for multiple endorsements – so you can get all the credentials you need in the same program, including an initial teaching license. Liberty’s online MAT in Special Education – General Curriculum and Adapted Curriculum with CTE-Transition and Special Needs track is designed to help you achieve your career goals by meeting the exact needs of your licensure requirements for special education.
With classroom experience in your area, you can gain hands-on training and critical teaching knowledge to help you lead your future classroom. Partner with us and receive the training you need from a pioneer in online master’s in special education programs.
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.
Why Choose Liberty’s MAT in Special Education – General and Adapted Curriculum Degree Program?
By earning your MAT in Special Education, you are preparing for a rewarding career in a field desperate for qualified, effective teachers. Through this program, you can earn a special education teaching license in both general and adapted curriculum while studying under professors who share your passion and who can mentor you in your journey.
Empowering teachers to succeed is important, so at Liberty, you can earn your MAT degree for 30% less than other online schools – at only $415 per credit hour for full-time enrollment. With our online format, this special rate makes the MAT one of our most flexible and affordable master’s programs.
Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). With excellent and affordable online education, Liberty’s online MAT in Special Education can help you meet licensure requirements and set you up for success in your teaching career.
What Will You Study in Our MAT in Special Education Degree?
Liberty’s MAT in Special Education online will allow you to pursue 3 special education teaching endorsements instead of pursuing them separately.
- Create lesson plans and provide intellectual stimulation for students with special needs
- Learn to provide students with mild disabilities with a K-12 structure in the general curriculum endorsement
- Meet significant student needs by creating individualized support and care in the adapted curriculum endorsement
Topics covered within this program include educational behavior and development, theories and methodologies of education, current trends in the education field, and classroom management methods. You can also learn how to make decisions about student progress, instruction, programs, placement, and transitional services. Learning how to assess students and prepare them for independent living can make a huge difference in their future endeavors as they move into the community and either enter the workforce or continue with further education.
To round out your degree, you’ll complete at least 90 practicum hours and at least 2 full semesters of student teaching – one for each type of curriculum prior to graduation. Check out our featured courses below for more information!
Potential Career Opportunities
- K-12 curriculum developer
- K-12 curriculum manager
- Licensed special education teacher
- Teaching product developer
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Education.
- View the Graduate Education Course Guides (login required).
- This program requires a background check.
- Complete at least 90 practicum hours and at least 2 full semesters of student teaching prior to graduation.
- This program can help you achieve your initial teaching licensure.
- Upon completion of an eligible Graduate Education program, you may be eligible for certification through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
- Review the State-Specific Approval Disclosures.
Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
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 |
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Our MAT in Special Education Online Degrees
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.
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
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 – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who service 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s included in this degree?
- The general curriculum endorsement can help enable you to teach students with disabilities who follow the general K-12 curriculum.
- The adapted curriculum endorsement can provide training on how to teach students with more moderate to severe disabilities who are not following the standard curriculum but rather one that is customized for their needs.
- You can also earn the add-on endorsement for career and technical education (CTE)-transition and special needs, which incorporates technical and occupational knowledge to help students with disabilities transition into independent living, the professional workplace, or postsecondary education.
Does this program have any special financial benefits?
While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have lowered tuition for our Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Education programs. At $415 per credit hour for full-time students (at least 9 hours per semester), Liberty University’s MAT online is available at one of the lowest tuition rates for this degree in the country.
Additionally, pursuing our online Master of Arts in Teaching licensure track may make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
Does this program have any additional accreditation?
Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
What are the benefits of pursuing a program like this online?
Because this is an online degree, you will have the opportunity to network with educators from across the country.
Will this program provide any hands-on experience?
You will gain hands-on experience by completing at least 90 in-person practicum hours of and at least 2 full semesters of student teaching.
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