EIU Master of Science in Special Education

About the Program

Graduate faculty mentor graduate candidates to reach their maximum professional potential and prepare them for roles of advanced practice. Faculties are role models for graduate candidates. Faculty design and provide educational experiences to assure candidates develop skills of collaboration and research, to be a teacher leader and to be an advocate for individuals with exceptionalities and their families.

All candidates are required to be licensed in special education prior to completion of a Master’s Degree in Education with the Special Education major at Eastern. Course activities, projects, and assessments of candidate performance are designed to nurture and assess candidates’ skills to relate research to their own professional practices Graduate faculty mentor candidates to read, understand, and use research to enhance their teaching. The graduate program prepares candidates to be an educational resource for their special education peers, general educators, the district in which they are employed, and to families and individuals with exceptionalities; to be a professional change agent; and a professional educator role model.

The goals of the graduate program embrace the Eastern Illinois Graduate Program learning objectives. Graduate learning objectives are developed through coursework and assignments and are evaluated through candidate performance assessments.

Learning Goals include:

• Critical thinking, problem solving, and research skills
• Developing in-depth content and pedagogical knowledge
• Effective written communication skills
• Effective oral language skills
• Advanced scholarship
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