MEd in Special and Gifted Ed. – Twice Exceptionalities Diversify Your Skills With Expertise In Exceptionality
36
Credit Hours
100% online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Help Exceptional Students Learn and Thrive with Liberty’s Gifted and Special Education Master’s – Twice Exceptionalities Degree
Are you passionate about mentoring gifted students? Do you want to learn the niche aspects of working with children in special education programs? Maybe you’d like to teach students who are both gifted and disabled, or perhaps you’re looking to help students with special needs transition to postsecondary education and employment. You can gain the tools and credentials you need to work in all of these areas with Liberty’s online Master of Education (MEd) in Special and Gifted Education – Twice Exceptionalities degree.
This program includes add-on endorsements in Career and Technical Education (CTE)-Transition and Special Needs, Gifted Education, and Special Education General Curriculum – so you can boost your résumé and diversify your skill set. These endorsements are available to candidates with a current initial license in elementary, middle, or secondary education issued by the Virginia Board of Education.** Rolling these endorsements into the same degree is just one way we help you save time and money while providing the specialized training you need for your career.
If you are a licensed teacher looking to expand your expertise, our gifted and special education master’s is a great option. Our experienced faculty can help you learn how to serve students who are disabled, gifted, or twice exceptional (gifted with a disability) – so you can make a greater impact in your classroom. Earn your online master’s in special education and gifted education – twice exceptionalities today and learn how to mentor students at a variety of grade levels.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.
**The Special Education General Curriculum add-on endorsement only applies to the grade band of the initial license (e.g., elementary education). The Gifted Education and CTE add-on endorsements apply to K-12.
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.
This program includes the steps necessary to pursue add-on endorsement, which requires initial Virginia licensure in teaching. If the initial teaching license is not from Virginia, a Virginia initial teaching license must be obtained during the program. If you do not have a teaching license yet, please see the Master of Arts in Teaching program.
Why Choose Liberty’s Online Master’s in Special Education and Gifted Education Degree – Twice Exceptionalities?
Liberty has been a pioneer in distance education since 1985 – and we’ve drawn on our years of experience to create a master’s in gifted and special education degree online that blends affordability, accessibility, and high-quality academics. At Liberty, you won’t just earn a degree – you’ll gain the knowledge, values, and skills you need to impact the world.
Our Master of Education in special education and gifted education is designed to fit your busy schedule. With our online courses, you’ll have the freedom to earn your degree on a schedule that works for you. At Liberty, you can stay invested in your job, family, and community while taking the next step in your educational journey.
As you pursue this special and gifted education graduate program, you won’t just learn from a textbook – you’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills in a real-world setting by completing practicums. That way, you can gain valuable experience that could help you stand out to hiring managers.
Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Additionally, our special and gifted education master’s degree online is led by faculty with years of experience in the world of education – so you can be confident that you’re learning from industry experts.
Liberty’s gifted and special education master’s program online was created to help licensed teachers work with K-12 students who are disabled, gifted, or twice exceptional. We’ve designed this degree to meet the competencies for 3 add-on endorsements, so you can get all the credentials you need in 1 program! Not only can these endorsements help you stand out to hiring managers – they can also help you better serve the students in your school.
What Will You Study in Our Master’s in Gifted and Special Education Degree Online?
This special and gifted education master’s program is divided into 3 parts: core courses, the twice exceptionalities specialization, and field experience courses. Together, these 3 areas can help provide the tools you need to make a difference in the lives of your students.
Within the core courses, you’ll study foundations in early literacy instruction, methods for teaching mathematics, and gifted education program design. You can also learn how to create inclusive classrooms and ensure that students with exceptionalities have access to the same general education curriculum. Additionally, you’ll explore best practices in supporting the social, emotional, and academic needs of gifted students and learn how to teach them effectively.
Building on your core studies, the twice exceptionalities concentration is designed to help you work with gifted students who are also disabled. You’ll learn about the importance of recognizing students’ unidentified strengths and underlying disabilities – as well as how general educators, special educators, and gifted educators can work together to help meet these students’ unique needs.
Other topics of study include:
- Best practices for helping students with disabilities step into the workforce, postsecondary education, and independent living
- Characteristics of children with disabilities
- Disability law and legal foundations
- Identification and education of the gifted learner
To round out your gifted and special education master’s degree, you will complete practicum courses designed to help you put your skills to the test through hands-on experience.
Potential Career Opportunities
- Educational consultant
- Gifted teacher
- Instructional coordinator
- Special education teacher
- Transition specialist
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 prior to graduation.
- This program provides the option to earn an add-on endorsement to an existing initial Virginia teaching license. This program is not designed to meet the requirements for an initial teaching license. If the initial teaching license is not from Virginia, a Virginia initial teaching license must be obtained during the program.
- Review the State-Specific Approval Disclosures.
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 |
---|---|
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 Our Gifted and Special Education Master’s Program
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.
- Students enrolling in this M.Ed. program must hold a current initial teaching license and the accompanying 2 years of experience with that license before beginning this program. If the initial teaching license is not from Virginia, a Virginia initial teaching license must be obtained during the program.
- Verification of a current initial state teaching license is required for admission. Applicants must hold a current, active teaching license in one of the following endorsement areas:
- Elementary Education
- Middle Grades Education with endorsement(s) in English, History, Social Sciences, Mathematics, or Science
- Secondary Grades Education with endorsement(s) in English, History, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, or Physics
- 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
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.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s included in this degree?
- CTE-Transition and Special Needs Endorsement: This add-on endorsement can help you prepare students with special needs for postsecondary education, employment, and/or independent living.
- Gifted Education Endorsement: This add-on endorsement can help you work with students who display advanced abilities and exceptionally high achievement in 1 or more areas.
- Special Education General Curriculum Endorsement: This add-on endorsement can help you serve students with disabilities who primarily follow the same curriculum as their peers (rather than a specially adapted curriculum).
- Twice Exceptionalities: This term refers to gifted students who also have a disability. Students in this category may need specialized mentorship and support in order to reach their full potential.
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, Liberty University’s MEd online is available at one of the lowest tuition rates for this degree in the country.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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