Special Education

Master's Degree Program

Opportunities for graduate studies

The University of North Texas' Department of Educational Psychology offers many programs leading to professions in special education through its graduate programs. Faculty members in special education are highly competent, professional and nationally known in their field. You will have unique opportunities to participate in interdepartmental studies, become involved in community-based programming, and network with other professionals in special education and other fields.

Special education programs respect and encourage student diversity with regard to race, ethnicity, disabilities, sexual orientation and other areas of concern. The program strives to be sensitive to the Americans with Disabilities Act and to the educational needs of students.

Master's program in special education

UNT offers a master of education degree in special education with endorsements, certifications and emphasis in several other areas. Graduates of this program hold positions as teachers, diagnosticians, coordinators and supervisors in schools, juvenile correctional facilities, psychiatric hospitals, regional service centers and private/governmental agencies.

The program includes the following areas of certification or endorsement. Refer to the UNT Graduate Catalog for details. The graduate catalog can be accessed online at www.unt.edu/catalog.

• Autism Intervention - for those who desire to work with children or youth with autism. The program has a strong educational focus.
• Behavioral Intervention - prepares you to specialize in the management of challenging behavior within a school setting.
• Correctional Special Education - for those wanting to work with juvenile offenders with disabilities. This emphasis incorporates studies in special education, criminal justice and rehabilitation. Course work leads to a master's degree with endorsements in generic special education and emotional/behavioral disorders.
• Educational Diagnostician - offers a stand-alone certification if a master's degree has already been obtained or as a master's degree emphasis with certification.
• Emotional/Behavioral Disorders - for those who desire to pursue the master's degree with an endorsement in EBD or an endorsement in EBD only. The course work contains a preschool through adolescent focus.
• Gifted and Talented Education - for individuals who desire to work with gifted or talented students. The gifted and talented endorsement program is one of the largest in Texas. The course work leads to an endorsement added to an existing teaching certificate or to a master's degree in special education with the gifted endorsement. Two courses, EDSP 5105 and EDSP 5130, are appropriate for parents or others interested in gifted children.
• Special Education Early Childhood-12 Program - for those who have a teaching credential and desire to pursue a master's degree in special education
• Special Education Early Childhood-12 IMPACT - for non-education majors who have a bachelor's degree and desire certification or endorsement in special education and a master's degree in special education.
• Transitional Programming for Adolescents with Behavioral Disorders - focuses on the transitional process for adolescents, including the rationale for transitional programming, practices and procedures, interagency cooperation, and school-based vocational preparation and work-study activities. The emphasis is available as a master's degree with an endorsement in generic special education and EBD, or as an endorsement only.
• Traumatic Brain Injury - focuses on all aspects of injury as it affects learning and behavior. Course work leads to a certificate proving evidence of expertise in reintegrating students to school after injury.

Admission requirements

You must meet the admission requirements outlined in the graduate catalog for the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. Admission to the special education program is required after you have been granted admission to the graduate school. Program admission is contingent upon submitting a complete application packet, including two letters of recommendation from individuals who can give evidence of your critical thinking ability. Letters of recommendation should be addressed to the advisor for the program of interest.

Advisor/Area of Emphasis

• Lyndal M. Bullock, Behavioral Intervention Program, Correctional Special Education, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders Program, Transition Programming for Adolescents with Behavioral Disorders, and Traumatic Brain Injury
• Kevin Callahan, Autism Intervention Program
• Bertina Combes, Early Childhood-12 special education
• Mary Bailey Estes, Early Childhood-12 Special Education
• Mike Sayler, Gifted/Talented Education
• Tandra Tyler-Wood, Educational Diagnostician Program

• Please mail letters to:
• Advisor Name
• University of North Texas
• Department of Educational Psychology
• Programs in Special Education
• 1155 Union Circle #311335
• Denton, TX 76203-1335

Submission of GRE scores is required (verbal, quantitative and analytical writing). However, there is no required minimum score used for admission to the graduate program in special education. Most successful applicants have a verbal GRE score of 450 or higher, a quantitative GRE score of 400 or higher, and an analytical writing GRE score of 4.0 or better.

Other requirements include:

• a resume or vita that includes previous work and/or educational experience, teaching certifications and degrees held.
• a personal statement stating your goals, rationale for applying to the special education program, educational philosophy, your ability to work independently and a brief description of career and research expectations with regard to work and further education. You should describe your current reading, critical thinking, writing and mathematical skills, as well as relevant educational experiences and strengths.

Financial assistance available

Several UNT special education graduate programs have received funding through the U.S. Office of Special Education that provides tuition and stipend support for students.

State-of-the-art computer technology

The program maintains an advanced adaptive, curriculum computer lab.. This facility allows students and professors to explore economically feasible solutions to assisting students with learning differences. Alternative text presentation software, Internet access and low-cost conferencing are also available.