SPECIAL EDUCATION

Master of Arts (MA)

The Special Education program offers a remarkable range of experiences for students interested in roles as special educators, advocates, policy makers, and researchers. Two internationally recognized scholars provide leadership for the program that encompasses doctoral and master’s level educational programs. Globalization, the United Nations Education, Science, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) initiative on Education for All, and the UN goal to achieve global literacy by 2015 create a convergence of agendas to ensure that individuals with disabilities and their families have access to the very best education. While international efforts to assess the quality of education among developing and developed nations focus attention on education, the fact remains that millions of children in the United States and elsewhere remain outside the educational establishment because of the challenges their differences pose to existing educational systems. These issues include but are not limited to (1) shared understanding about the needs of people with disabilities and their families, (2) teachers’ capacities to support a variety of learners in their classrooms, (3) the organization of all schools so that students with disabilities can attend the schools of their choice, (4) the lack of skilled personnel to staff them, and (5) the capacity of educators to work with students with mental health, behavioral, health, and ability needs. ASU’s special education master’s degree is organized around these problems of practice. We offer both an online and a residency program. Students who enroll in the on campus program will be expected to participate in the four semester long residency program. Please be in touch with program faculty (Elizabeth.kozleski@asu.edu or lisa.arter@asu.edu) for more information.

MA program information (Word ) (PDF )