Education: Exceptional Learner/Special Education (EDSE) (Graduate Certificate)
Award: Graduate Certificate in Education
Program of Study: Exceptional Learner/Special Education (EDSE)
Program Code: 7203
About This Major . . .
This graduate certificate is designed for education professionals to earn an endorsement to work with K-12 students with exceptionalities in accordance with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards.
Admission to the program follows the stated guidelines for graduate admission procedures outlined in the university catalog. Additionally, students must provide three letters of reference and a statement of purpose.
This certificate program prepares candidates, who must already hold a Master’s Degree, to take the PRAXIS exam and apply for a Colorado Department of Education Special Education Generalist Licensure.
Students must hold a valid teaching license to be considered for the certificate program. The certificate is granted after completion of all courses with a grade of B or better.
Important information about this program:
-
Applicants must hold a valid Professional Colorado Educator License.
-
It is recommended that students work closely with a faculty advisor when selecting courses and scheduling classes prior to registration.
Graduate certificates will, at a minimum, align with either two Masters student learning outcomes or two Doctoral student learning outcomes, depending on certificate level. Certificates may choose to use more than two student learning outcomes, if desired. In addition to these campus-wide student learning outcomes, all recipients of this Graduate Certificate will be able to:
- Create and deliver oral and written communication based on sound educational theory and research in guiding instruction for learners who are exceptional. (Communication Fluency)
- Evaluate and formulate education plans based on research and legal requirements outlined in federal legislation. (Critical Thinking and Specialized Knowledge)
- Synthesize, evaluate, and refine information from an information base of scholarly resources. (Information Literacy)
- Evaluate and articulate responses to moral, ethical, legal, and professional challenges from the perspective of an advocate for learners who are exceptional. (Ethical Reasoning)
- Employ statistically valid processes to analyze assessment data to evaluate student learning with respect to district, state, and federal goals. (Qualitative Fluency)
- Work individually and collaboratively on research-based change and innovation in Education. (Specialized Knowledge and Applied Learning)
Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements.
To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity.
Institutional Graduate Degree Requirements
The following institutional requirements apply to all CMU graduate-level degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.
- Graduate certificates consist of a minimum of 5 credit hours. Master’s degrees consist of a minimum of 30 credit hours. Doctoral degrees consist of a minimum of 60 credit hours.
- All credits in a graduate program must be minimally at the 500-level.
- At least fifty percent of the credit hours must be taken at CMU.
- Students must achieve a 3.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
- Students may not apply coursework with a grade lower than a “B” toward graduation requirements.
- A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
- Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Requirements.
- The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and certificate requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
- See “Graduate Degree Requirements” in this catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.
- All policies for graduate certificates are outlined in the Graduate Policies and Procedures Manual, which is provided on the Graduate Studies website.
Program Specific Requirements
(24 semester hours, must earn a grade of "B" or better in each course.)
-
It is recommended that students work closely with a faculty advisor when selecting courses and scheduling classes prior to registration.
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDSE 500 | Foundation of Special Education Including Law | 3 |
| EDSE 501 | Instructional Strategies in Special Education | 3 |
| EDSE 502 | Behavioral Interventions for the Learner with Special Needs | 3 |
| EDSE 503 | Methods of Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities Reading and Math | 3 |
| EDSE 506 | Educating Students with Low Incidence Disabilities in Inclusive Environments | 3 |
| EDSE 510 | The Learner Who is Twice Exceptional, Including Gifted and Talented | 3 |
| EDSE 515 | Internship K-6 Elementary Practicum in Special Education | 3 |
| EDSE 520 | Internship 6-12 Secondary Practicum in Special Education | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 24 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer Semester | Semester Credit Hours | |
| EDSE 500 | Foundation of Special Education Including Law | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| EDSE 501 | Instructional Strategies in Special Education | 3 |
| EDSE 515 | Internship K-6 Elementary Practicum in Special Education | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EDSE 502 | Behavioral Interventions for the Learner with Special Needs | 3 |
| EDSE 520 | Internship 6-12 Secondary Practicum in Special Education | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| EDSE 510 | The Learner Who is Twice Exceptional, Including Gifted and Talented | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| EDSE 503 | Methods of Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities Reading and Math | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EDSE 506 | Educating Students with Low Incidence Disabilities in Inclusive Environments | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 24 | |
Advising Process and DegreeWorks
Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a certificate. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and discussing the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for her/his intended certificate.
DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a certificate and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.
Graduation Process
Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their certificate requirements (for one-semester certificates, complete in the first week of class):
- Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
- Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
- Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
- Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.
Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.
If your petition for graduation is denied, it will be your responsibility to apply for graduation in a subsequent semester. Your “Intent to Graduate” does not automatically move to a later graduation date.